Waheguru ji da khalsa,Waheguru ji di fateh

hello everyone this a perfect place to get your knowledge updated about Sikhism.what it is,how it is and why it is?
Sikh is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism.The term has its origin in the Sanskrit sisya "disciple, learner" or śikṣa "instruction".
According to Article I of "Sikh rehat maryada" (the Sikh code of conduct & conventions) a Sikh is defined as "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak Sahib to Guru Gobind Singh Sahib; the Guru Granth Sahib; the utterances and teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru; and who does not owe allegiance to any other religion".

It is important to understand that all the symbols that make a fully baptized Sikh's appearance so distinctive are optional to "slow adopter"Sikhs. These individuals believe in the principles of Sikhism and identify as Sikh but have not yet decided they are ready to make the commitment to become baptized. Some Sikhs may never make this decision in their lifetimes.

So while some slow-adopter Sikhs will indeed display some of the most overt signs, such as uncut hair (and consequently turbans for both sexes and beards on men), this is not necessarily the case.

The most common symbol of all Sikhs, because of its simplicity, is a steel bracelet, a physical reminder of devotion.

Guru Nanak,the founder of the faith, summed up the basis of Sikh lifestyle in three requirements:Naam japo,Kirat karo and Wand kay shako, which means meditate on the holy name ( Waheguru), work diligently and honestly and share one's fruits.

The Sikhs revere Guru Granth Sahib as their supreme teacher, as it is a literal transcript of the teachings of the Sikh Gurus. The tenth guru appointed Guru Granth Sahib as his successor. Compiled by the Sikh Gurus, and maintained in its original form, Sikhs revere Guru Granth Sahib as their supreme guide. Non-Sikhs can partake fully in Sikh prayer meetings and social functions. Their daily prayers include the well being of all of mankind.

The concept of saint-soldier is a unique feature of Sikhism. Every Sikh is required to aspire to sainthood by his devotion to God and service to mankind, but also, according to the situation, to adopt the role of the soldier. The Sikhs look at the Martydom of the NINTH GURU for trying to protect Hindus from religious persecution, in Delhi,on 11 November 1675 AD, as an example to be followed.

Sikhs are required not to renounce the world, and aspire to live a modest life. SEWA (service) is an integral part of Sikh worship, very easily observed in the GURUDWARA. Visitors of any religious or socio-economic background are welcomed, where LANGAR (food for all) is always served.

The Sikhs also revere Bhaktas or Saints belonging to different social backgrounds. The work of these BHAGATS is collected in Guru Granth Sahib, and is known as Bhagat-Bani (sacred word of bhagat) as against work of Sikh Gurus being known as Gur-Bani (sacred word of guru).
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Gurudwara Manji Sahib(Alamgir,Ludhiana)

History of Gurudwara Manji Sahib(Alamgir,Ludhiana)

Gurudwara Manji Sahib Alamgir is situated in Alamgir Village near Ludhiana Distt. Guru Gobind Singh Ji reached Alamgir village after the martyrdom of his mother & four sons by Mughals and stayed here for few days. On reaching Alamgir, one of the horse trader of the Village named Bhai Nigahia Singh, gifted a horse to Guru Ji. Bhai Nabi Khan & Bhai Gani Khan provided a bed (manji) to Guru Ji. Guru Ji asked an old lady who was picking cowdung whether he could get some water from somewhere to take bath to which the old lady replied that

"Pir Ji this is a place of ruins, there is no water here".

There is a well far away but there is a big python that lives there, no one goes there. On listening this, Guru Ji hit the python with an arrow & gave it " Mukti " ( exemption from further transmigration ) & the python fell into the well. When the people went to take water from the well, they found that the water is not clean, Guru Ji, then hit one more arrow & there was a water spring that came out & all had a bath. On seeing this miracle, the old lady fell into Guru Sajib's feet & said

"Peer Ji you are a wonderful Peer, I have a request. I have leprosy & i have gone to various places to get the treatment done but it has not been cured, kindly cure my disease & help me to get rid of this disease".

Guru Ji said that whoever takes a bath under this water spring with belief, GOD will cure all his sadness. Then Guru Ji sat on the horse given by Bhai Nigahia Singh & went towards Raikot. The old lady had a bath in that water spring & was cured. She went back to the village & told about the whole story. The place where Bhai Nabi Khan & Bhai Gani Khan kept GURU SAHIB's bed, today at that place exists a beautiful Gurudwara known as Manji Sahib Alamgir.

Gurudwara Nanak jheera Sahib

History of Gurudwara Nanak Jheera Sahib :

During his second 'Udasi' (missionary tour) of South India,Guru Nanak Sahib after sojourning through Nagpur and Khandwa visited the ancient Hindu Temple of Om Kareswar on the Narbada and reachedNanded(where 200 years later Guru Gobind Singh spent his last days). From Nanded he proceeded towards
Hyderabad and Golkonda where he met Muslim saints and then came to Bidar to meet Pir Jalaluddin and Yakoob Ali.

The Guru accompanied by his companion mardana stayed in the outskirts of the Bidar town where 'Nanak Jhira' Gurdwara is now located. Nearby were huts of Muslim fakirs, who took keen interest in the sermons and teachings of the great Guru. The news soon spread throughout Bidar and its surrounding areas about the holy Saint of the North and large number of people started coming to him to have his "Darshan" and seek his blessings. There used to be acute shortage of drinking water in Bidar. All efforts of the people to dig wells were of no avail. Even when wells produced water the water was found to be unfit for drinking.

Bauli Sahib

The Guru was greatly moved by the miserable condition of the people. With divine name on his lips and the mercy in his heart he touched the hillside with his toe and removed some rubble from the place. To the utter surprise of all, a fountain of sweet, cool water gushed out of the hillside. The place soon came to be known as 'Nanak-Jhira'.

A beautiful Gurdwara has now been constructed by the side of the fountain. The water of the fountain is collected in a small 'Amrit-Khud' built in white marble. There is a free kitchen (guru ka langar) where free food is given to pilgrims 24 hours night and day. A Sikh museum has been built in the memory of Guru Tegh Bahadur, depicting the important events of Sikh history through pictures and paintings. The birthday of Guru Nanak and the Hola Mohalla festival attract large numbers of devotees from all over India.

At the spot where the spring originated, the management had an Amrit Kund built with the contributions of devotees. With the water channeled into a sarovar close by, the devotees now take dips in the sacred water which is thought to cure several ailments.

The management of Gurdwara Sri Nanak Jhira Sahib now runs a free hospital, an engineering college, a Polytechnic, a college and two schools, one of them being in Hyderabad.

About 4 to 5 lakh (half a million) pilgrims and tourists visit Nanak Jhira every year. During the three melas held during Holi in March, Dashera in October and Guru Nanak’s birthday in November, the numbers of visitors swells to about 30,000 a day.

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It may be recalled that Bhai Sahib Singh, one of the Panj Piaras (five beloved of Guru Gobind Singh), hailed from Bidar where he was once a barber. He was the son of Gurunarayana and Ankamma from Bidar.

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Another version of Guru Nanak's visit to Bidar has him visiting a Sufi saint who lived with his family and followers here - amidst a source of fresh, sweet water - and that is where the Gurudwara eventually came to be. Whatever the origin, the presence of this important Sikh shrine and the sizable Sikh presence is one of the many layers of Bidar that we encounter. In the course of his tours across the area people thronged to hear him. Guru Nanak listened to their complaints that only brackish water could be found in the area.

Pir Jalaluddin and his followers from the nearby Muslim monastery also paid obeisance to the Guru and impressed upon him the need for sweet water in Bidar. In deference to their wishes, the compassionate Guruji uttering Sat Kartar shifted a stone with his wooden sandal, and lo and behold out gushed a spring of sweet water that has flowed to this day.