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Get to know some details of the Sikh religion
The Sikh religion is the fifth-largest in the world, with as many as 30-million adherents.
There have been Sikhs in Canada since the late 1880s, when hundreds arrived from the Punjab, seeking a new life and employment in mines, mills and construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway.
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Today, according to the 2021 census, there are 770,000 Canadian Sikhs, a marked increase from 469,000 Sikhs documented in the 2011 census. More than 300,000 live in British Columbia.
The basic tenet of Sikhism is expressed in the words “Ik Onkar” (One God).
Guru Nanak Dev founded Sikhism in the Punjab in the 15th century, though at the time it was not his intention to form a standalone new religion.
He preached the equality of all humans and spoke against tyranny, social injustice, and religious hypocrisy.
Sikhism advocates equality for men and women of every race and religion.
The Guru Granth Sahib is a compilation of the teachings of all of the early Gurus and is the main scriptural source.
Worship is conducted in a place known as the gurudwara — doorway to God.
The Five Ks are the articles of faith worn by Sikhs.
Most wear one or more, although those who have taken amrit — similar to baptism — wear them all:
• Kesh, unshorn long hair, protected by a dastaar, better known as a turban;
• Kangha is a small wooden comb used to comb the hair twice a day;
• Kara is an iron bangle worn on the dominant hand;
• Kachera is an undergarment;
• Kirpan is a short dagger.