Sikh culture

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Sikhism
People Topics Outline History Glossary
Sikh gurus Guru Nanak Guru Angad Guru Amar Das Guru Ram Das Guru Arjan Guru Hargobind Guru Har Rai Guru Har Krishan Guru Tegh Bahadur Guru Gobind Singh Guru Granth Sahib
Selected revered saints Bhagat Kabir Bhagat Ravidas Bhagat Farid Bhagat Ramanand Bhagat Beni Bhagat Namdev Bhagat Sadhana Bhagat Bhikhan Bhagat Parmanand Bhagat Sain Bhagat Dhanna Bhagat Pipa Bhagat Surdas Bhagat Jaidev Bhagat Trilochan Bhatt Kalshar Bhatt Balh Bhatt Bhalh Bhatt Bhika Bhatt Gayand Bhatt Harbans Bhatt Jalap Bhatt Kirat Bhatt Mathura Bhatt Nalh Bhatt Salh Baba Sundar Satta Doom Balvand Rai
Philosophy Naam Japo Kirat Karō Vand Chakkō Charhdi Kalā Guru Maneyo Granth Five Thieves Five Virtues
Practices Sikh Rehat Maryada Prohibitions Ardās Kirtan Amrit Velā Dasvand The Five Ks Langar Sewa Simran Nitnem Dastar (Turban) Naam Karan Amrit Sanskar Anand Karaj Antam Sanskar
Scripture Guru Granth Sahib Dasam Granth Sarbloh Granth Five Banis
Places and Takhts Gurdwara Harmandir Sahib Akal Takht Keshgarh Sahib Damdama Sahib Patna Sahib Hazur Sahib
General topics Ik Onkar Khalsa Waheguru Panj Pyare Nirgun and Sargun Khanda Literature Music Names Nanakshahi calendar Criticism Jathedar of Akal Takht War Sects
Sikhism and other religions Sikhism and Hinduism Sikhism and Islam Sikhism and Jainism
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The Sikhs are adherents to Sikhism, the fifth largest organized religion in the world, with around 25 million adherents.^[1] Sikh History is around 500 years and in that time the Sikhs have developed unique expressions of art and culture which are influenced by their faith and synthesize traditions from many other cultures depending on the locality of the adherents of the religion. Sikhism is the only religion that originated in the Punjab region with all other religions coming from outside Punjab (with the possible exception of Punjabi Hinduism since the oldest Hindu scripture – the Rig Veda – was composed in the Punjab region. Some other religions, like Jainism, may also claim to have originated in Punjab since Jain symbolism has been found among artifacts of the Indus Valley Civilization). All the Sikh gurus, many saints, and many of the martyrs in Sikh history were from Punjab and from the Punjabi people (as well as other parts of the Indian Subcontinent). Punjabi culture and Sikhism are mistakenly considered inseparably intertwined. "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, strictly not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhism has seldom sought converts, most Sikhs share strong ethno-religious ties, therefore it is a common stereotype that all Sikhs share the same ethnicity. Many countries, such as the U.K., therefore misconcievingly recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses.^[2] The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikhs included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".^[3]