Sikhism

KS1 Sikhism

God

One God (Waheguru)

Key figures: Gurus

Guru Nanak Ji who founded Sikhism

Guru Har Gobind Ji (last guru)

Place of worship: Gurdwara

Building that houses the Guru Granth Sahib Ji (see below), where Sikhs worship God and share a meal together (langar – food and place where it is prepared)

Naming

Symbols and artefacts found in a gurdwara 

People with a special role 

Holy book: Guru Granth Sahib

Treated with great respect

Contains teachings of the gurus 

Story of Diwali (Guru Har Gobind Ji and the cloak)

Story of Guru Nanak Ji

Sikh way of life

Five Ks

Sikhs believe in:

• service to all human beings
• working honestly to earn a living
• sharing with others
• equality of all human beings

Key festival:

• Diwali 

KS2 Sikhism

God

One God (Waheguru – ‘wonderful teacher’)

• Supreme Truth
• Ultimate Reality
• Creator of all things

Key figures: Gurus

• Guru Arjan Ji the first martyr- compiled the Adi Granth and built the Golden Temple
• Guru Gobind Singh Ji - founded the Khalsa (initiated Sikhs)

Place of worship: Gurdwara

Artefacts and symbols - Ik Onkar (there is one God) and Khanda - the Sikh symbol

Congregation/community (sangat)

Common meal (langar)

Granthi, who reads the Guru Granth Sahib Ji and preaches and explains the text

Musicians and singers

Turban-tying and Amrit (Sikh initiation) ceremonies

Holy book: Guru Granth Sahib Ji

Guidance is treated as that of a living Guru

Guru Granth Sahib Ji – carried above the head, placed on a takht (throne) and covered with romalas (cloths), fanned by the Granthi using a chauri, ‘putting to bed’

At festivals and special occasions there is a complete unbroken reading from the Guru Granth Sahib Ji (Akhand Path)

Sikh way of life

Symbols:

• Ik Onkar (there is one God)
• Khanda (two swords showing the need to fight for truth, circle to show God is eternal, double edged sword to show the power of God)
• Nishan Sahib – flag outside Gurdwara

Five Ks (obligatory for members of the Khalsa):

• Kesh (uncut hair, covered by a turban, and beard), Kangha (comb), Kara (steel bangle), Kachera (short trousers), Kirpan (short sword)

Sikhs believe in:

• acceptance of God’s will

Key festivals:

• holy days (Gurpurbs)
• birthdays of Guru NanakJi, Guru Gobind Singh Ji (Baisakhi)

Sacred place of pilgrimage:

• Golden Temple at Amritsar

KS3 Sikhism

God

Sikhs beliefs about God as expressed in the Mul Mantra:

• neither male nor female
• all-powerful and eternal

Key figures: Gurus

Gurbani (teachings of the Gurus)

Guru Angad Ji - chosen by Nanak as the first Guru, wrote down hymns and built gurdwaras

Place of worship: Gurdwara

Community use and worship:

• Diwan Hall - use and main features including the takht (throne)
• Kirtan - instruments and chanting in the Diwan
• The Ardas - special prayer at the end of worship
• Karah parshad - symbolic food made with flour, sugar and ghee, shared by everyone to show equality

Holy book: Guru Granth Sahib Ji

• composition of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji - hymns from the gurus, contains teachings from Hinduism and Islam
• daily Hukamnama
• Adi Granth - ‘original book’ compiled by Guru Arjan Ji, added to by Guru Gobind Singh Ji, kept in Kartapur in India
• Gutkas - most Sikhs do not have a copy of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, but possess smaller books of the most important hymns and prayers

Sikh way of life

Sikhs believe in:

• moksha - freedom from samsara
• samsara - reincarnation
• karma - actions, work or deed
• living like the gurus - working honestly, caring for others, sharing, no gambling/drug taking/stealing/adultery
• sewa - selfless service to all human beings 

Equality:

• gender - all functions are shared by both men and women
• race and creed - the oneness of humanity

Rehat Maryada – code of conduct