Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When and where did Sikhism come into being?
A: At the age of twenty-seven in 1496 C.E., Guru Nanak, who was born in Punjab, South Asia had an epiphany. During the process of revelation he realized that the divine light permeates the entire universe and is the common source of all human beings. As a messenger of God, he made it his life's mission to spread this revelation of universalism. For this purpose he undertook four long odysseys to various parts of the world on foot. Guru Nanak attracted large number of followers to whom he imparted a definitive revelation that forms a part of the corpus of the Sikh scripture on which Sikhism is based.
Q. Who is the present religious leader (Guru) of the Sikhs?
A: Guru Nanak's nine successors (1539-1708) exegetised, developed and applied to concrete socio-political situations what was revealed to Guru Nanak by God and what he taught. The historical Sikh Gurus claim no more than that they can help human beings, through teaching to cultivate this religious intuition so as to awaken the divine light within. The last Sikh Guru proclaimed that, in all the Sikh Gurus it was the same Light and the identical Spirit that historically and successively manifested itself. Even though the mortal frames changed, the identity of the Spirit, the light remained intact. After tenth Guru, this Light was deposited in the Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth and the Spirit continues to operate in the historically permanent mystic body of committed Sikhs called the Khalsa, who follow this light.
Q: What does the institution of community kitchen (Guru Ka Langar) signify?
A: It signifies equality of all. Guru Ka Langar when translated means, a community kitchen run in the name of the Guru. In Sikhism, the institution of langar started with the founder, Guru Nanak himself. Community kitchens came into existence with the sangats (holy congregations) of disciples which sprang up at many places in his time.
Sikhs sat in a pangat (a row) without any distinction of caste or status to partake in a common meal prepared in the langar. Langar was entirely a community effort from the beginning. The food stuff required was contributed to by the members of the congregation and the food was prepared and served by members of the congregation as well. The Gurus themselves contributed to and participated in this effort.
Guru Amar Das, the third Nanak, established his open free kitchen
that served food to visitors round the clock and the Guru made it
obligatory for every visitor to have food in this langar before coming
to his presence. The Emperor and the prince, the rich and the poor, the
high caste and the low caste, all complied with this requirement. All
the Gurus propagated this institution.
Thus, in the hands of the Gurus, langar became a powerful means of
social reform; one that gave practical expression to the notion of
equality.
For more information about Sikhism, check out the various websites on the Links page.