GurbaniGurbani (ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ, pronunciation: ɡɝbaːɳiː, lit. the Guru's words) is a Sikh term, very commonly used by Sikhs to refer to various compositions by the Sikh Gurus and other writers of Guru Granth Sahib. In general, hymns in the central text of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahib, are called Gurbani. Among Amritdhari Sikhs, a few texts from Dasam Granth which are read as Nitnem, like Tav-Prasad Savaiye and Chaupai, are also considered Gurbani.
SikhsSikhs (sɪk (like "sick") or siːk (like "seek") ; ਸਿੱਖ, sɪkkh Devanagari: सिख) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhi or Sikhism, a Dharmic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term Sikh has its origin in the Sanskrit word (शिष्य), meaning 'disciple' or 'student'. Male Sikhs generally have Singh ('lion') as their last name, though not all Singhs are necessarily Sikhs; likewise, female Sikhs have Kaur ('princess') as their last name.
Golden TempleThe Golden Temple (also known as the Harimandir Sahib (abode of God, ɦəɾəmən̪d̪əɾə saːɦ(ɪ)bə), or the Darbār Sahib, 'exalted court', d̪əɾəbaːɾə saːɦ(ɪ)bə or Suvaran Mandir) is a gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab, India. It is the preeminent spiritual site of Sikhism. It is one of the holiest sites in Sikhism, alongside the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Kartarpur, and Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib. The man-made pool on the site of the temple was completed by the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das, in 1577.
Sikh scripturesThe principal Sikh scripture is the Adi Granth (First Scripture), more commonly called the Guru Granth Sahib. The second most important scripture of the Sikhs is the Dasam Granth. Both of these consist of text which was written or authorised by the Sikh Gurus. Within Sikhism the Sri Guru Granth Sahib or Adi Granth is more than just a scripture. Sikhs consider this Granth (holy book) to be a living Guru. The holy text spans 1430 pages and contains the actual words spoken by the Gurus of the Sikh religion and the words of various other Saints from other religions including Hinduism and Islam.
GurmukhiGurmukhī (ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ, ˈɡʊɾəmʊkhiː, Shahmukhi: ) or Gurumukhī is an Indic script predominantly used in present-day Punjab, India. It is an abugida developed from the Laṇḍā scripts, standardized and used by the second Sikh guru, Guru Angad (1504–1552). It is commonly regarded as a Sikh script, used by Punjabi Sikhs to write the Punjabi language, and is one of the official scripts of the Indian Republic, while the Arabic-based Shahmukhi script is used in Punjab, Pakistan.
VaishnavismVaishnavism (Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as the sole supreme being leading all other Hindu deities, i.e. Mahavishnu. Its followers are called Vaishnavites or Vaishnavas (), and it includes sub-sects like Krishnaism and Ramaism, which consider Krishna and Rama as the supreme beings respectively. According to a 2010 estimate by Johnson and Grim, Vaishnavism is the largest Hindu sect, constituting about 641 million or 67.
KirpanThe kirpan (Punjabi: ਕਿਰਪਾਨ) is a curved, single-edged blade that Khalsa Sikhs are required to wear as part of their religious uniform (The 5 Ks), as prescribed by the Sikh Code of Conduct. It is commonly manifested as a dagger or knife in the present-day. Traditionally, the kirpan was a full-sized talwar sword around 76 cm (30 inches) in length. However, British colonial policies and laws introduced in the 19th century reduced the length of the blade. According to the Sikh Rehat Maryada, "The length of the sword to be worn is not prescribed".
GoindvalGoindwal (ਗੋਇੰਦਵਾਲ, pronunciation: ɡoɪnd̪ʋäːl, meaning ‘City of Govind’, an epithet of God), also known as Goindwal Sahib and alternatively transliterated as Goindval, is located in the Taran Taran district of the Majha region of Punjab, India about 23 km from Tarn Taran Sahib. In the 16th century it became an important center for the Sikh religion during the Guruship of the Guru Amar Das Ji. Goindwal is on the banks of the river Beas and is one of the focal points of small scale industries of Tarn Taran district.
GranthiA Granthi (ਗ੍ਰੰਥੀ, ˈɡɾənthi) is a person, female or male, of the Sikh religion who is a ceremonial reader of the Guru Granth Sahib, which is the holy book in Sikhism, often read to worshipers at Sikh temples called a Gurdwara. The name Granthi comes from the Sanskrit granthika, which means a relater or narrator. Any Sikh individual appointed the title of being a Granthi is considered a principal religious official of Sikhism.
BhagatBhagat is a term used in the Indian subcontinent to describe religious personalities who have obtain high acclaim in their community for their services and devoutness. It is also one of the clan in Mahar caste with clan totem as King Cobra and also a surname found among Marathas, Bania communities and Punjabi Brahmins. Bhagat is a Hindi and Punjabi word derived from the Sanskrit word Bhagavat, भगवत् , which means glorious (source: Monier-Williams Dictionary), and is used as an epithet for Vishnu or Krishna.
