Rituals

The status and role accorded to the human gurus, to the Guru Granth Sahib, and to the Khalsa.

The Guru Granth Sahib is opened at random and the first letter of the first word on the page gives the first letter of the child's name — so the scripture chooses it.

Initiation into the Khalsa panth. The guide says it is opted for by some Sikhs — it is not required of all, and a person raised Sikh is already a Sikh.

The four rounds a couple walk around the Guru Granth Sahib during anand karaj, the Sikh marriage ceremony, as its verses are sung.

The body is washed, dressed in the five Ks, prayers are said and the body cremated. Monuments over the dead are prohibited. An Akhand Path usually follows.

A continuous reading of the whole Guru Granth Sahib, taking about forty-eight hours. Shaj panth is the same reading spread over several days; sukhmani path is continual reading of the Sukhmani Sahib.

Diwan (reading from the Guru Granth Sahib), katha (talks explaining a passage or Sikh history), kirtan (meditative singing of God's Word), and Ardas (the standing prayer). Karah prashad is shared afterwards.

Installing the Guru Granth Sahib before dawn, and resting it at night — because it is treated as a living Guru rather than as a book about the Gurus.

No. Sikhs make a special effort to attend the gurdwara one day a week depending on the country they live in — in Britain, probably a Sunday.

Any place where the Guru Granth Sahib is installed. The building takes its identity from the scripture.

A mela is a fair or gathering — Vaisakhi is the chief one. A gurpurb commemorates a Guru's birth, death or martyrdom.

New Year's Eve, and the anniversary of the Khalsa being realized on Earth — celebrated with special services and a nagar kirtan, a procession of the Guru Granth Sahib.

For the release from captivity of Guru Hargobind. Hindus and Jains keep the same days for their own reasons.

Those of Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadur. Guru Tegh Bahadur is remembered as having died defending the religious freedom of Hindus.

Kesh (uncut hair), kangha (a comb), kara (a steel bracelet), kachhera (a cotton undergarment), kirpan (a sword).

A Sikh's duty to protect the weak and vulnerable. From kirpa, meaning grace, and ana, meaning honour.

The equality of birth and gender — and consequently the Rahit Maryada states that all roles in the gurdwara may be practised by anyone, including granthi and kirtan. Sikh first names are gender-free.

"The degree to which this is manifest in practice", and elsewhere that caste and gender issues do arise.

The free communal meal open to anyone at all, eaten seated together. In the setting where the Gurus taught, sitting together made caste distinction at the meal impossible rather than merely discouraged.

Altruistic service to God and humanity, regardless of birth or gender — performed by everyone including the wealthy, which is what stops it being charity done to people.

Sangat is the Sikh community at a local gurdwara; panth is the worldwide Sikh community.