How long has sikhism been around

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There are 25 million Sikhs around the world, Singh says, about , of which live in the United States. Most Sikhs are in India. Meet the Sikh spreading his message through rap Sikhs do not have a particular day of worship, he says, but due to the American work week, Sunday is a popular day for services. Johar says his gurdwara has formal services on Wednesdays and Fridays, in addition to Sundays. At a typical gurdwara, the doors open up at 6 a.

A formal service includes the singing of hymns and a team of leaders who have studied the faith reciting from the Guru Granth Sahib, Sikhism's holy scriptures.

That book, more than 1, pages long, includes writings from Sikhism's 10 gurus as well as writers from other religions. It is an example of Sikhism inclusiveness, Johar says. At the end of the service, congregants pray for the "well-being of the world" then head to the langar, the community kitchen that serves meals for anyone who wants one.

Gurdwaras around the world variously incorporate clinics, schools, guest quarters and community centers, which Sikhs say is a sign of the religion's values of service and equality. The first gurdwara in the United States was built years ago in California, Singh says.

Photos: American turban. For Sikhs, the turban is not about culture, it's an article of faith that is mandatory for men.

Turbans were featured in "The Sikh Project," a exhibition that celebrated the Sikh American experience. British photographers Amit and Naroop partnered with the Sikh Coalition for the show. This photo is of New York actor and designer Waris Singh Ahluwalia, who was kicked off an Aero Mexico flight in February after refusing to remove his turban at security. Hide Caption. Harpreet Kaur, a producer at Maryland Public Television, founded Sach Productions, a media organization that creates films focused on minority issues.

She was the first Sikh reporter in Washington. Harmandeep Singh, a high school senior in New York, arrived from India in Ishprit Kaur's mother is a nurse and inspired her daughter to become one, too. Kaur was also drawn to the medical field because her father is battling Parkinson's disease. Japjee Singh, like many Sikh kids, was bullied for years in suburban Atlanta schools. In , the Department of Justice settled a landmark case with the DeKalb County school system that paved the way for better protection from bullying.

He was the only Sikh child in his public school and became the first Sikh American to be granted a religious accommodation to serve in the military since a s ban that prevents Sikhs from serving. Kalsi deployed to Afghanistan and now works to end religious discrimination in the military. He converted to Sikhism 48 years ago at his college in Michigan and has been living in Fairfax, Virginia, for the last 30 years. Serving the world is a natural expression of the Sikh prayer and worship.

In the Sikh tradition, a truly religious person is one who cultivates the spiritual self while also serving the communities around them — or a saint-soldier. The saint-soldier ideal applies to women and men alike. In this spirit, Sikh women and men maintain five articles of faith, popularly known as the five Ks. These are: kes long, uncut hair , kara steel bracelet , kanga wooden comb , kirpan small sword and kachera soldier-shorts.

Although little historical evidence exists to explain why these particular articles were chosen, the 5 Ks continue provide the community with a collective identity, binding together individuals on the basis of a shared belief and practice.

As I understand, Sikhs cherish these articles of faith as gifts from their gurus. Turbans are an important part of the Sikh identity. Both women and men may wear turbans. Like the articles of faith, Sikhs regard their turbans as gifts given by their beloved gurus, and its meaning is deeply personal. The Sikh gurus adopted the turban , in part, to remind Sikhs that all humans are sovereign, royal and ultimately equal.

After British colonizers in India seized power of Punjab in , where a majority of the Sikh community was based, Sikhs began migrating to various regions controlled by the British Empire , including Southeast Asia, East Africa and the United Kingdom itself.

Based on what was available to them, Sikhs played various roles in these communities, including military service, agricultural work and railway construction. They began experiencing discrimination immediately upon their arrival. For instance, the first race riot targeting Sikhs took place in Bellingham, Washington, in