Sikhs

<h2 id="history">History</h2>
Main article: <a href="/facts/History_of_Sikhism/qcJFojgR">History of Sikhism</a>

<a href="/facts/Guru_Nanak/WlaxsDrN">Guru Nanak</a> (1469–1539), the founder of <a href="/facts/Sikhism/obh7aQIr">Sikhism</a>, was born in a <a href="/facts/Hindu/D7TFhcg1">Hindu</a> <a href="/facts/Khatri/bs9ttBjT">Khatri</a> family to <a href="/facts/Mehta_Kalu/b0mT8mQN">Mehta Kalu</a> and <a href="/facts/Mata_Tripta/7J0vFQl7">Mata Tripta</a> in the village of <a href="/facts/Talwandi/gfz1TJea">Talwandi</a>, present-day <a href="/facts/Nankana_Sahib/1UGtrERS">Nankana Sahib</a>, near <a href="/facts/Lahore/cjHrUPaD">Lahore</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16">16</a> Throughout his life, Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer. However, Sikh political history may be said to begin in 1606, with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, <a href="/facts/Arjan_Dev/IFD1Uk8V">Guru Arjan Dev</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17">17</a> Religious practices were formalised by <a href="/facts/Guru_Gobind_Singh/26qDqoyu">Guru Gobind Singh</a> on March 30, 1699, when the Guru initiated five people from a variety of social backgrounds known as the <a href="/facts/Panj_Piare/4z9d8vTC">Panj Piare</a> ('beloved five'), to form a collective body of initiated Sikhs known as the <a href="/facts/Khalsa/SHypwNmW">Khalsa</a> ('pure').<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18">18</a>
The early followers of Guru Nanak were <a href="/facts/Khatri/bs9ttBjT">Khatris</a>, but later a large number of <a href="/facts/Jats/3xJtJaRr">Jats</a> joined the Sikh faith.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19">19</a> <a href="/facts/Khatri/bs9ttBjT">Khatris</a> and <a href="/facts/Brahmin/V3qxzHAP">Brahmins</a> opposed "the demand that the Sikhs set aside the distinctive customs of their castes and families, including the older rituals."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20">20</a>
<a href="/facts/Pashaura_Singh_(Sikh_scholar)/aBMkrMXc">Pashaura Singh</a> analyzed references made within the 11th ballad of the <a href="/facts/Varan_Bhai_Gurdas/Dr6jFEPQ">Varan</a> of <a href="/facts/Bhai_Gurdas/FztkMXwT">Bhai Gurdas</a> to form a picture of the caste-makeup of the early Sikh community.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21">21</a> At the time of the writing the Vaar, the early Sikh community was composed of various castes and backgrounds, such as:<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22">22</a>

<ul><li><a href="/facts/Khatri/bs9ttBjT">Khatris</a> (particularly the Sehgal, Ohri, Uppal, Julka, Bhalla, Passi, Khullar, Vohra, Vij, Kapur, Chaddha, Behl, Kohli, Marwah, Mehra, Soni, Jhanjhi, Sodhi, Beri, Nanda, Wadhawan, Tulli and Puri <a href="/facts/Gotra/CWYgkB2s">gotras</a>)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:23" href="#fn:23">23</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Brahmin_Sikhs/qLCCgL4l">Brahmins</a> (such as the <a href="/facts/Bhardwaj/3vGhJvYX">Bhardwaj</a> gotra)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:24" href="#fn:24">24</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Jat_Sikh/I3IF9qrV">Jats</a> (particularly the <a href="/facts/Randhawa/zIYaDI4y">Randhawa</a>, <a href="/facts/Khera/ozR8QgnQ">Khehra</a>, <a href="/facts/Dhillon/xsCAEPYC">Dhillon</a> and <a href="/facts/Pannu/LlWqmBlx">Pannu</a> gotras)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:25" href="#fn:25">25</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Tarkhan_(Punjab)/Q5wT9P77">Tarkhans</a> ('carpenters')<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:26" href="#fn:26">26</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Lohar_(caste)/vFAd4XkG">Lohars</a> ('blacksmiths')<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:27" href="#fn:27">27</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Nai_(caste)/wjVpPRf4">Nais</a> ('barbers')<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:28" href="#fn:28">28</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Chhimba/tCpfY1lz">Chhimbas</a> ('cotton-printers')<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:29" href="#fn:29">29</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Jhinwar/WxJPYdEI">Machhis</a> ('water-carriers')<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:30" href="#fn:30">30</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Dhobi/uojIaKWN">Dhobis</a> ('washermen')<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:31" href="#fn:31">31</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Kumhar/E6c3WHbY">Kumhars</a> ('potters')<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:32" href="#fn:32">32</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Teli/PoaWsrPX">Telis</a> ('oil pressers")<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:33" href="#fn:33">33</a></li>
<li>masons<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:34" href="#fn:34">34</a></li>
<li>goldsmiths<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:35" href="#fn:35">35</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Dalit/Hfr6AtzY">Outcastes</a> (such as <a href="/facts/Chandala/CWgFU5eU">Chandals</a>)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:36" href="#fn:36">36</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Muslims/W2ukq4pg">Muslims</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:37" href="#fn:37">37</a></li></ul>
The early Sikhs varied widely in their occupations and position in society's hierarchy: some were rich merchants (<a href="/facts/Seth_(surname)/EqBh7p3K">Seths</a> and <a href="/facts/Sarraf/uIQrHKP8">Sarrafs</a>), others were heads of villages (<a href="/facts/Chowdhury/To5No45k">Chowdhury</a>), some were labourers, others were enslaved, whilst others still were artisans, craftsmen, shopkeepers or simple peasants.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:38" href="#fn:38">38</a>

During the rule of the <a href="/facts/Mughal_Empire/yRg2kAy5">Mughal Empire</a> in India, two <a href="/facts/Sikh_gurus/G8UIrbYC">Sikh gurus</a> were martyred. (<a href="/facts/Guru_Arjan/IFD1Uk8V">Guru Arjan</a> was martyred on suspicion of helping in betrayal of Mughal Emperor <a href="/facts/Jahangir/pPlr6Qce">Jahangir</a> and <a href="/facts/Guru_Tegh_Bahadur/1q6UU85w">Guru Tegh Bahadur</a> was martyred by the Mughal Emperor <a href="/facts/Aurangzeb/HfsMWhuA">Aurangzeb</a>)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:39" href="#fn:39">39</a> As the Sikh faith grew, the Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:40" href="#fn:40">40</a>

After defeating the <a href="/facts/Afghan%25E2%2580%2593Sikh_Wars/Dvt0Qfmx">Afghans</a> and Mughals, sovereign states called <a href="/facts/Misl/Yt7BLUkk">Misls</a> were formed under <a href="/facts/Jassa_Singh_Ahluwalia/rbCEd2l3">Jassa Singh Ahluwalia</a>. The Confederacy of these states was unified and transformed into the <a href="/facts/Sikh_Empire/RpnHH4Ty">Sikh Empire</a> under <a href="/facts/Ranjit_Singh/FWAquX13">Maharaja Ranjit Singh</a>. This era was characterised by religious tolerance and <a href="/facts/Religious_pluralism/BMD0kmT9">pluralism</a>, including Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The empire is considered the zenith of political Sikhism,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:41" href="#fn:41">41</a> encompassing <a href="/facts/Kashmir/Rok34JM5">Kashmir</a>, <a href="/facts/Ladakh/ekL17WAx">Ladakh</a> and <a href="/facts/Peshawar/fTlsFmgE">Peshawar</a>. <a href="/facts/Hari_Singh_Nalwa/KACCXt1h">Hari Singh Nalwa</a>, the commander-in-chief of the <a href="/facts/Sikh_Khalsa_Army/lTfhopmu">Sikh Khalsa Army</a> in the <a href="/facts/North-West_Frontier_Province/A5IKDXIH">North-West Frontier</a>, expanded the confederacy to the <a href="/facts/Khyber_Pass/qvNBzEGg">Khyber Pass</a>.

<h3>British rule in India</h3>

After the annexation of the Sikh kingdom by the British, the British Army began recruiting significant numbers of Sikhs and <a href="/facts/Punjabis/FRTTknvF">Punjabis</a>. During the 1857 <a href="/facts/Indian_mutiny/CLMQM4vl">Indian mutiny</a>, the Sikhs stayed loyal to the British, resulting in heavy recruitment from Punjab to the <a href="/facts/British_Indian_Army/1Pm2dYQM">British Indian Army</a> for the next 90 years of the <a href="/facts/British_Raj/hBe6wvPS">British Raj</a> in <a href="/facts/Colonial_India/FzUNtytR">colonial India</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:42" href="#fn:42">42</a> The distinct turban that differentiates a Sikh from other turban wearers is a relic of the rules of the British Indian Army.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:43" href="#fn:43">43</a> The British colonial rule saw the emergence of many reform movements in India, including Punjab, such as the formation of the First and Second <a href="/facts/Singh_Sabha_Movement/4mQys3S4">Singh Sabha</a> in 1873 and 1879 respectively. The Sikh leaders of the Singh Sabha worked to offer a clear definition of Sikh identity and tried to purify Sikh belief and practice.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:44" href="#fn:44">44</a>
The later years of British colonial rule saw the emergence of the <a href="/facts/Akali_movement/xs4oXBjM">Akali movement</a> to bring reform in the <a href="/facts/Gurdwara/R9K3uCF6">gurdwaras</a> during the early 1920s. The movement led to the introduction of Sikh <a href="/facts/Gurdwara/R9K3uCF6">Gurdwara</a> Bill in 1925, which placed all the historical Sikh shrines in India under the control of the <a href="/facts/Shiromani_Gurdwara_Parbandhak_Committee/Q1I8D8BN">Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:45" href="#fn:45">45</a>

<h3>Partition and post-Partition</h3>
At the time of the <a href="/facts/Indian_independence_movement/0n35LRk8">Indian independence movement</a>, the Sikh ruler of the <a href="/facts/Kapurthala_State/EFBX1ADe">Kapurthala State</a> fought to <a href="/facts/Opposition_to_the_partition_of_India/BPpa6UNt">oppose the partition of India</a> and advocated for a united, secular country.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:46" href="#fn:46">46</a> Sikh organizations, including the <a href="/facts/Chief_Khalsa_Diwan/GS7x3bzC">Chief Khalsa Dewan</a> and <a href="/facts/Shiromani_Akali_Dal/ullU7w5M">Shiromani Akali Dal</a> led by <a href="/facts/Master_Tara_Singh/aBYgsfAn">Master Tara Singh</a>, condemned the <a href="/facts/Lahore_Resolution/SRtaBG3s">Lahore Resolution</a> and the movement to create Pakistan, viewing it as inviting possible persecution, with <a href="/facts/Shiromani_Akali_Dal/ullU7w5M">Akali Dal</a> instead favouring an undivided Azad Punjab as an independent Sikh State or <a href="/facts/Khalistan_movement/4t6VhSPl">Khalistan</a>, having passed the Sikh State Resolution in 1946. The Sikhs therefore <a href="/facts/Tara_Singh_(activist)/aBYgsfAn">strongly fought against the partition of Punjab</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:47" href="#fn:47">47</a> The months leading up to the 1947 <a href="/facts/Partition_of_India/c8xmUWfG">partition of Punjab</a> were marked by conflict in the <a href="/facts/Punjab/gyyuKVSp">Punjab</a> between Sikhs and <a href="/facts/Muslims/W2ukq4pg">Muslims</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:48" href="#fn:48">48</a> This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and <a href="/facts/Hindus/D7TFhcg1">Hindus</a> from <a href="/facts/Punjab_(Pakistan)/ppTkKUTS">West Punjab</a> to the east (modern India), mirroring a simultaneous religious migration of <a href="/facts/Punjabi_Muslims/5Y36P2bV">Punjabi Muslims</a> from <a href="/facts/Punjab_(India)/bHPSN45a">East Punjab</a> to the west (modern Pakistan).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:49" href="#fn:49">49</a>
Following partition, the Government of India had begun to redraw states corresponding to demographic and linguistic boundaries. However, this was not effective in the northern part of the country,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:50" href="#fn:50">50</a> as the government reconsidered redrawing states in the north.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:51" href="#fn:51">51</a> While states across the country were extensively redrawn on linguistic lines at the behest of linguistic groups, the only languages not considered for statehood were <a href="/facts/Punjabi_language/Dps9vRRe">Punjabi</a>, <a href="/facts/Sindhi_language/fQFk8mVz">Sindhi</a> and <a href="/facts/Urdu/oLrhuXc6">Urdu</a>. <a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:52" href="#fn:52">52</a> Leading to the launch of the <a href="/facts/Punjabi_Suba_movement/zDBrsP6k">Punjabi Suba movement</a> and the presentation for a Punjabi Suba as a policy in April 1948 by <a href="/facts/Tara_Singh_(activist)/aBYgsfAn">Master Tara Singh</a>. Also, on January 26, 1950, Sikh representatives refused to sign the Indian constitution. As Sikhs were recognized as Hindus and Sikhs were not provided with scheduled castes concessions given to Hindu scheduled castes.
The Punjab Suba experienced heavy government crackdown with the Congress Government arresting as many as 21,000 people. Attempted negotiations with Congress-led the agitation to be adjourned twice, though <a href="/facts/Jawaharlal_Nehru/et3I8NGT">Jawaharlal Nehru</a> continued to reject the demand.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:53" href="#fn:53">53</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:54" href="#fn:54">54</a> On July 4, 1955, government police forces, led by <a href="/facts/Deputy_inspector_general_of_police/9kkm92YT">DIG</a> Ashwini Kumar,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:55" href="#fn:55">55</a> forced entry into the Golden Temple premises and heavy-handedly arrested protestors and took them into custody, along with the head <a href="/facts/Granthi/nLFbNr5o">granthis</a> of the <a href="/facts/Akal_Takht/RyAQpnC5">Akal Takht</a> and <a href="/facts/Golden_Temple/zQt7novv">Golden Temple</a>, volunteer protestors and even cooks of the temple's <a href="/facts/Langar_(Sikhism)/MTTpbInk">langar</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:56" href="#fn:56">56</a> The Guru Ram Das Serai and Shiromani Akali Dal offices were also raided and batons used and tear gas and shells were fired to disperse the protestors gathered on the periphery of the temple, damaging the periphery and Sarovar, or pool, of the temple.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:57" href="#fn:57">57</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:58" href="#fn:58">58</a> The government stopped volunteers on the way to the Golden Temple and troops were ordered to flag-march through the bazaars and streets surrounding the site.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:59" href="#fn:59">59</a> Over 200 protestors were killed, thousands arrested,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:60" href="#fn:60">60</a> and thousands, including women and children, were injured.
The Congress government agreed to the Punjab Suba in 1966 after protests and recommendation of the States Reorganisation Commission.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:61" href="#fn:61">61</a> The state of East Punjab was later split into the states of <a href="/facts/Himachal_Pradesh/QL08g221">Himachal Pradesh</a>, the new state <a href="/facts/Haryana/bo4Qo3c8">Haryana</a> and current day <a href="/facts/Punjab%2c_India/bHPSN45a">Punjab</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:62" href="#fn:62">62</a> However, there was a growing alienation between Punjabi Sikh and Hindu populations. The latter of which reported <a href="/facts/Hindi/n1QIEeCC">Hindi</a> rather than Punjabi as their primary language. The result was that Punjabi-speaking areas were left out of the new state and given to Haryana and Himachal Pradesh<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:63" href="#fn:63">63</a> resulting in the state of Punjab to be roughly 35,000 square miles smaller than the Punjabi-speaking areas based on pre-1947 census figures. Moreover, the 1966 reorganization left Sikhs highly dissatisfied, with the capital <a href="/facts/Chandigarh/naV8Beal">Chandigarh</a> being made into a shared <a href="/facts/Union_territory/I3EU7LVq">union territory</a> and the capital of Punjab and Haryana.
In the late 1960s, the <a href="/facts/Green_Revolution/sB1gbDxN">Green Revolution</a> in India was first introduced in Punjab as part of a development program issued by international donor agencies and the Government of India.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:64" href="#fn:64">64</a> While, Green Revolution in Punjab had several positive impacts, the introduction of the mechanised agricultural techniques led to uneven distribution of wealth. The industrial development was not done at the same pace as agricultural development, the Indian government had been reluctant to set up heavy industries in Punjab due to its status as a high-risk border state with Pakistan.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:65" href="#fn:65">65</a> The rapid increase in the higher education opportunities without an adequate rise in the jobs resulted in the increase in the unemployment of educated youth.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:66" href="#fn:66">66</a>
In 1973 as a result, of unaddressed grievances and increasing inequality the <a href="/facts/Akali_Dal/ullU7w5M">Akali Dal</a> put forward the <a href="/facts/Anandpur_Sahib_Resolution/9WyxhWDB">Anandpur Sahib Resolution</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:67" href="#fn:67">67</a> The resolution included both religious and political issues. It asked for recognising Sikhism as a religion, it also demanded the devolution of power from the Central to state governments.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:68" href="#fn:68">68</a> The Anandpur Resolution was rejected by the government as a secessionist document. Thousands of people joined the movement, feeling that it represented a real solution to demands such as a larger share of water for irrigation and the return of Chandigarh to Punjab.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:69" href="#fn:69">69</a>
After unsuccessful negotiations the Dharam Yuddh Morcha ('righteous campaign')<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:70" href="#fn:70">70</a> was launched on August 4, 1982, by the <a href="/facts/Akali_Dal/ullU7w5M">Akali Dal</a> in partnership with <a href="/facts/Jarnail_Singh_Bhindranwale/CMogkuXd">Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale</a>, with its stated aim being the fulfillment of a set of devolutionary objectives based on the <a href="/facts/Anandpur_Sahib_Resolution/9WyxhWDB">Anandpur Sahib Resolution</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:71" href="#fn:71">71</a> Indian police responded to protestors with high-handed police methods creating state repression affecting a very large segment of Punjab's population. Police brutality resulted in retaliatory violence from a section of the Sikh population, widening the scope of the conflict by the use of violence of the state on its own people.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:72" href="#fn:72">72</a> A "state of chaos and repressive police methods" combined to create "a mood of overwhelming anger and resentment in the Sikh masses against the authorities." Leading to Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale gaining prominence and demands of independence gain currency, even amongst moderates and Sikh intellectuals.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:73" href="#fn:73">73</a> In 1982 and early 1983, extrajudicial killings by the police of orthodox Sikh youth in rural areas in Punjab provoked reprisals.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:74" href="#fn:74">74</a> Over 190 Sikhs had been killed in the first 19 months of the protest movement.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:75" href="#fn:75">75</a>
In May 1984, a Grain Roko morcha was planned and to be initiated on June 3<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:76" href="#fn:76">76</a> with protestors practising civil disobedience by refusing to pay land revenue, water or electricity bills and blocking the flow of grain out of Punjab. Indian Prime minister <a href="/facts/Indira_Gandhi/6oq6fUpR">Indira Gandhi</a> launched <a href="/facts/Operation_Blue_Star/gGqjXpoR">Operation Blue Star</a> on June 1 prior to the Grain Roko morcha in order to remove Bhindranwale from the <a href="/facts/Harmandir_Sahib/zQt7novv">Golden Temple</a>. This subsequently led to Gandhi's assassination by her Sikh bodyguards.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:77" href="#fn:77">77</a> Her assassination was followed by government-sponsored pogroms against Sikh communities across India and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. These events triggered an <a href="/facts/Insurgency_in_Punjab/BIsBBQSI">Insurgency in Punjab</a> which would consume Punjab until the early 1990s.
During the day of <a href="/facts/Vaisakhi/Mo2kU50o">Vaisakhi</a> in 1999, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the <a href="/facts/Khalsa/SHypwNmW">Khalsa</a>. <a href="/facts/Canada_Post/uymMHkyt">Canada Post</a> honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the anniversary. Likewise, on April 9, 1999, Indian president <a href="/facts/K._R._Narayanan/xwJCYR93">K. R. Narayanan</a> issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa as well.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:78" href="#fn:78">78</a>

<h2 id="art-and-culture">Art and culture</h2>
Main articles: <a href="/facts/Sikh_art_and_culture/Kk3R2oFu">Sikh art and culture</a> and <a href="/facts/Punjabi_culture/QBypW3UA">Punjabi culture</a>

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of Punjab and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (<a href="/facts/Dastar/NGDywcJG">Dastar</a>). Punjab has been called India's melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique <a href="/facts/Sikh_architecture/jsJmKu7J">architecture</a>, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by <a href="/facts/Guru_Nanak/WlaxsDrN">Guru Nanak</a>'s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:79" href="#fn:79">79</a> The American non-profit organization <a href="/facts/United_Sikhs/fl3yNyv8">United Sikhs</a> has fought to have Sikh included on the <a href="/facts/United_States/P0sCdLe5">U.S.</a> census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an ethnic minority" and believe "that they are more than just a religion."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:80" href="#fn:80">80</a>
During the <a href="/facts/Mughal_Empire/yRg2kAy5">Mughal</a> and <a href="/facts/Durrani/1TeYwRDJ">Afghan</a> persecution of the Sikhs during the 17th and 18th centuries,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:81" href="#fn:81">81</a> the latter were concerned with preserving their religion and gave little thought to art and culture. With the rise of <a href="/facts/Ranjit_Singh/FWAquX13">Ranjit Singh</a> and the <a href="/facts/Sikh_Raj/RpnHH4Ty">Sikh Raj</a> in <a href="/facts/Lahore/cjHrUPaD">Lahore</a> and <a href="/facts/Delhi/Xa6CKgnf">Delhi</a>, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:82" href="#fn:82">82</a>
The Sikh Confederacy was the catalyst for a uniquely Sikh form of expression, with Ranjit Singh commissioning forts, palaces, bungas (residential places) and colleges in a Sikh style. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate <a href="/facts/Baluster/jFn3tFD1">balusters</a> and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is <a href="/facts/Harmandir_Sahib/zQt7novv">Harmandir Sahib</a> (also known as the Golden Temple) in <a href="/facts/Amritsar/xAGGMTIG">Amritsar</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:83" href="#fn:83">83</a>
Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the <a href="/facts/Khanda_(religious_symbol)/LXmlGd3R">Khanda</a> the most obvious) and most Sikh artifacts—except for the relics of the Gurus—have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of <a href="/facts/Hola_Mohalla/4Fkw5BoG">Hola Mohalla</a> and <a href="/facts/Vaisakhi/Mo2kU50o">Vaisakhi</a>, which feature marching and displays of valor.
Although the art and culture of the Sikh diaspora have merged with that of other Indo-immigrant groups into categories like "British Asian," "Indo-Canadian" and "Desi-Culture," a minor cultural phenomenon that can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:84" href="#fn:84">84</a> The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (<a href="/facts/The_Singh_Twins/eQznlnVj">The Singh Twins</a>)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:85" href="#fn:85">85</a> is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in Punjab.
<a href="/facts/Bhangra_(dance)/ekcWWBYq">Bhangra</a> and <a href="/facts/Giddha/rD7E84gE">Giddha</a> are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi Sikhs have championed these forms of expression worldwide, resulting in Sikh culture becoming linked to Bhangra (although "Bhangra is not a Sikh institution but a Punjabi one").<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:86" href="#fn:86">86</a>

<h3>Painting</h3>
Further information: <a href="/facts/Sikh_art/Kk3R2oFu">Sikh art</a>
<a href="/facts/Sikh_painting/z3bbsTBX">Sikh painting</a> is a direct offshoot of the <a href="/facts/Kangra_painting/Y5lx4Tbc">Kangra school</a> of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied <a href="/facts/Kangra_Fort/tf4Wfv4n">Kangra Fort</a> and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813, the Sikh army occupied <a href="/facts/Guler_State/U2CrbGe1">Guler State</a> and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With the Sikh kingdom of Lahore becoming the paramount power, some of the Pahari painters from Guler migrated to Lahore for the patronage of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh and his Sardars.
The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's <a href="/facts/Janamsakhi/d0VyecoG">Janamsakhis</a>. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

<h3>Shrines</h3>

There is an old Sikh shrine called 'Prachin Guru Nanak Math', which lies at a small hill, just next to <a href="/facts/Bishnumati_River/EEXktJQm">Bishnumati</a> bridge at Balaju. Guru Nanak is said to have visited Nepal during his third Udasi while returning from <a href="/facts/Mount_Kailash/J8R6lyYn">Mount Kailash</a> in Tibet. Nanak is said to have stayed at Balaju and Thapathali in <a href="/facts/Kathmandu/0346ho1j">Kathmandu</a>. The Nanak Math shrine at Balaju is managed by the Guru-Ji and the Udasin Akardha, a sect developed by Guru Nanak's son, Sri Chandra.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:87" href="#fn:87">87</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:88" href="#fn:88">88</a>

<h3>Daily routine</h3>
From the <a href="/facts/Guru_Granth_Sahib/BrSkBs8H">Guru Granth Sahib</a>:<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:89" href="#fn:89">89</a>

<blockquote> One who calls themself a Sikh of the Guru, the True Guru, shall rise in the early morning hours and meditate on the Lord's Name. Upon arising early in the morning, he is to bathe and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, he is to chant the Name of the Lord, "Har, Har." All sins, misdeeds, and negativity shall be then erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, he is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, he is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food and – that GurSikh becomes pleasing to the Guru's Mind. That person, unto whom my Lord and Master is kind and compassionate – upon that GurSikh, the Guru's Teachings are bestowed. Servant Nanak begs for the dust of the feet of that GurSikh, who himself chants the Naam, and inspires others to chant it.— Fourth Mehl (<a href="/facts/Guru_Ram_Das/1WQwKWNU">Guru Ram Das</a>), Guru Granth Sahib, p. 305</blockquote>
The <a href="/facts/Sikh_Rehat_Maryada/AsLUoehS">Sikh Rahit Maryada</a> (Code of Conduct) clearly states that <a href="/facts/Amrit_Sanskar/3V7Mocrp">initiated</a> Amritdhari <a href="/facts/Khalsa/SHypwNmW">Khalsa</a> Sikhs must recite or listen to the recitation of <a href="/facts/Japji_Sahib/cDbXkLbR">Japji Sahib</a>, <a href="/facts/Jaap_Sahib/YGMjcRfW">Jaap Sahib</a>, <a href="/facts/Tav-Prasad_Savaiye/MX3BXVxn">the 10 Sawayyas</a>, Sodar <a href="/facts/Rehras/0wlUITYt">Rehraas</a> and <a href="/facts/Kirtan_Sohila/4zUPWCTw">Sohila</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:90" href="#fn:90">90</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:91" href="#fn:91">91</a> Every Sikh is also supposed take the <a href="/facts/Hukamnama/1KAj6CJQ">Hukam</a> (divine order) from the <a href="/facts/Guru_Granth_Sahib/BrSkBs8H">Guru Granth Sahib</a> after awakening in the <a href="/facts/Amrit_Vel%25C4%2581/PUsvcDs0">ambrosial hours of the morning (three hours before the dawn)</a> before eating.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:92" href="#fn:92">92</a>
In his <a href="/facts/The_52_Hukams_of_Guru_Gobind_Singh/n2lnjdsq">52 Hukams</a>, <a href="/facts/Guru_Gobind_Singh/26qDqoyu">Guru Gobind Singh</a> orders his followers to arise during <a href="/facts/Amrit_Vel%25C4%2581/PUsvcDs0">Amritvela</a> (early morning) and to recite the late evening prayer "<a href="/facts/Kirtan_Sohila/4zUPWCTw">Sohila</a>" and the verse "Pavan guru pani pita..." before sleeping.

<h3>Five Ks</h3>
Main articles: <a href="/facts/The_Five_Ks/ehxXClWA">The Five Ks</a>, <a href="/facts/Khalsa/SHypwNmW">Khalsa</a>, and <a href="/facts/Sahajdhari/aubvfAUR">Sahajdhari</a>

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all initiated (Amritdhari) Sikhs are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on <a href="/facts/Waheguru/kl5Vryzc">Waheguru</a> and never bowing to tyranny.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:93" href="#fn:93">93</a>
The five symbols are:

<ol><li><a href="/facts/Kesh_(Sikhism)/4pHMGw4s">Kesh</a>: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a <a href="/facts/Turban/FHrgyRqt">turban</a>.</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Kangha_(Sikhism)/qef3mqj2">Kanga</a>: A wooden comb, usually worn under a turban to always also keep one's hair clean and well-groomed.</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Kachera/zhWuLwEM">Kachera</a>: Cotton undergarments, worn by both sexes; the kachera is a symbol of chastity and also a symbol of cleanliness. It is also historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility and comfort when compared to a <a href="/facts/Dhoti/J7a1hLvX">dhoti</a>.</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Kara_(Sikhism)/S0o1gbqk">Kara</a>: An iron bracelet, a symbol of eternity, strength and a constant reminder of the strength of will to keep hands away from any kind of unethical practices.</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Kirpan/gkYrh6dx">Kirpan</a>: An iron blade in different sizes. In the UK, Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in Punjab, they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length. Kirpan is only a weapon of defense and religious protection, used to serve humanity and to be used against oppression.</li></ol>

<h3>Music and instruments</h3>

Main article: <a href="/facts/Sikh_music/ocy2R5Bg">Sikh music</a>
The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments, including the <a href="/facts/Seni_rebab/0h1cAbmg">rebab</a>, <a href="/facts/Esraj/7DMSbUgz">dilruba</a>, <a href="/facts/Taus_(instrument)/U25k89xX">taus</a>, jori and <a href="/facts/Sarinda_(instrument)/UFw2djPT">sarinda</a>. Playing the <a href="/facts/Sarangi/e5Rlj9an">sarangi</a> was encouraged by <a href="/facts/Guru_Hargobind/VyXnp9WG">Guru Hargobind</a>. The rebab was played by <a href="/facts/Bhai_Mardana/xPvXNpCd">Bhai Mardana</a> as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were introduced to Sikh devotional music by <a href="/facts/Guru_Arjan/IFD1Uk8V">Guru Arjan</a>. The taus (Persian for "peacock") was designed by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds. The dilruba was designed by <a href="/facts/Guru_Gobind_Singh/26qDqoyu">Guru Gobind Singh</a> at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After <a href="/facts/Japji_Sahib/cDbXkLbR">Japji Sahib</a>, all of the <a href="/facts/Shabad_(hymn)/x31zEJ8q">shabad</a> in the <a href="/facts/Guru_Granth_Sahib/BrSkBs8H">Guru Granth Sahib</a> were composed as <a href="/facts/Raga/BAL7eFMH">raags</a>. This type of singing is known as <a href="/facts/Gurmat_Sangeet/ocy2R5Bg">Gurmat Sangeet</a>.
When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit nagara ('victory drum') to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums and the raising of the <a href="/facts/Nishan_Sahib/5pNEGmxX">Nishan Sahib</a>, meant that the Singhs were on their way.

<h2 id="khalistan-movement">Khalistan movement</h2>

The <a href="/facts/Khalistan_movement/4t6VhSPl">Khalistan movement</a> is a Sikh separatist movement, which seeks to create a separate country called Khalistān ('The <a href="/facts/-stan/TGdJrb00">Land of</a> the <a href="/facts/Khalsa/SHypwNmW">Khalsa</a>') in the <a href="/facts/Punjab%2c_India/bHPSN45a">Punjab</a> state of <a href="/facts/India/QW4TV4sy">India</a> to serve as a homeland for Sikhs.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:94" href="#fn:94">94</a> The territorial definition of the proposed country Khalistan consists of the <a href="/facts/Punjab%2c_India/bHPSN45a">Punjab, India</a> and includes <a href="/facts/Haryana/bo4Qo3c8">Haryana</a>, <a href="/facts/Himachal_Pradesh/QL08g221">Himachal Pradesh</a>, <a href="/facts/Jammu_and_Kashmir_(state)/Rl2eUo1z">Jammu and Kashmir</a> and <a href="/facts/Rajasthan/rC0MvrRD">Rajasthan</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:95" href="#fn:95">95</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:96" href="#fn:96">96</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:97" href="#fn:97">97</a>
Khalistan movement began as an <a href="/facts/Expatriate/DDoVHHHA">expatriate</a> venture.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:98" href="#fn:98">98</a> In 1971, the first explicit call for Khalistan was made in an advertisement published in the New York Times by an expat (<a href="/facts/Jagjit_Singh_Chohan/ETQRjYBw">Jagjit Singh Chohan</a>).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:99" href="#fn:99">99</a> By proclaiming the formation of Khalistan, he was able to collect millions of dollars from the <a href="/facts/Sikh_diaspora/vuPU4uqK">Sikh diaspora</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:100" href="#fn:100">100</a> On April 12, 1980, he declared the formation of the "National Council of Khalistan," at <a href="/facts/Anandpur_Sahib/mJr92kzk">Anandpur Sahib</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:101" href="#fn:101">101</a> He declared himself as the President of the council and named Balbir Singh Sandhu as its Secretary General. In May 1980, Chohan traveled to <a href="/facts/London/KozCCsy9">London</a> and announced the formation of Khalistan. A similar announcement was made by Balbir Singh Sandhu in <a href="/facts/Amritsar/xAGGMTIG">Amritsar</a>, where he began releasing stamps and currency of Khalistan. The inaction of the authorities in Amritsar and elsewhere was decried as a political stunt by the <a href="/facts/Indian_National_Congress/Im1gQksb">Congress(I)</a> party of Indira Gandhi by the Akali Dal, headed by the Sikh leader <a href="/facts/Harchand_Singh_Longowal/L2LWSx9K">Harchand Singh Longowal</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:102" href="#fn:102">102</a>
The movement flourished in the Indian state of Punjab following <a href="/facts/Operation_Blue_Star/gGqjXpoR">Operation Blue Star</a> and the <a href="/facts/Anti_Sikh_Riots/DcWAqg0S">Anti-Sikh Pogroms</a>. As proponents were able to generate funding from a grieving diaspora. In June 1985, <a href="/facts/Air_India_Flight_182/9yjVKvfV">Air India Flight 182 was bombed</a> by <a href="/facts/Babbar_Khalsa/240zFbtn">Babbar Khalsa</a>, a pro-Khalistani terrorist organization.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:103" href="#fn:103">103</a> In January 1986, the Golden Temple was occupied by militants belonging to <a href="/facts/All_India_Sikh_Students_Federation/dVl3BGAm">All India Sikh Students Federation</a> and <a href="/facts/Damdami_Taksal/9hJQRYW2">Damdami Taksal</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:104" href="#fn:104">104</a> On January 26, 1986, a gathering known as the <a href="/facts/Sarbat_Khalsa/9Qw2pTUT">Sarbat Khalsa</a> (a de facto parliament) passed a resolution (gurmattā) favouring the creation of Khalistan. Subsequently, a number of rebel militant groups in favour of Khalistan waged a <a href="/facts/Punjab_insurgency/BIsBBQSI">major insurgency</a> against the government of India. Indian security forces suppressed the insurgency in the early 1990s, but Sikh political groups such as the <a href="/facts/Khalsa_Raj_Party/ETQRjYBw">Khalsa Raj Party</a> and <a href="/facts/Shiromani_Akali_Dal_(Amritsar)/eHECBxrv">SAD (A)</a> continued to pursue an independent Khalistan through non-violent means.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:105" href="#fn:105">105</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:106" href="#fn:106">106</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:107" href="#fn:107">107</a> Pro-Khalistan organisations such as <a href="/facts/Dal_Khalsa_(International)/CHpvgRlw">Dal Khalsa (International)</a> are also active outside India, supported by a section of the Sikh diaspora.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:108" href="#fn:108">108</a>
In the 1990s, the insurgency abated,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:109" href="#fn:109">109</a> and the movement failed to reach its objective due to multiple reasons including a heavy police crackdown on separatists, divisions among the Sikhs and loss of support from the Sikh population.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:110" href="#fn:110">110</a> However, various pro-Khalistan groups, both political and militant, remain committed to the separatist movement. There are claims of funding from <a href="/facts/Sikh_diaspora/vuPU4uqK">Sikhs outside India</a> to attract young people into militant groups.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:111" href="#fn:111">111</a> There have also been multiple claims that the movement is motivated and supported by the Pakistan's external intelligence agency, the ISI.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:112" href="#fn:112">112</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:113" href="#fn:113">113</a>

<h2 id="demographics">Demographics</h2>
Main articles: <a href="/facts/Sikhism_by_country/8FTby6tT">Sikhism by country</a> and <a href="/facts/Punjabi_Sikhs/V7yh2L8b">Punjabi Sikhs</a>
 
Sikhs number about 26–30 million worldwide, of whom 24–28 million live in India, which thus represents around 90 percent of the total Sikh population.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:114" href="#fn:114">114</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:115" href="#fn:115">115</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:116" href="#fn:116">116</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:117" href="#fn:117">117</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:118" href="#fn:118">118</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:119" href="#fn:119">119</a> About 76 percent of all Indian Sikhs live in the northern <a href="/facts/Punjab%2c_India/bHPSN45a">Indian state of Punjab</a>, forming a majority of about 58 per cent of the state's population, roughly around 16 million.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:120" href="#fn:120">120</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:121" href="#fn:121">121</a> Substantial communities of Sikhs live in the Indian states or union territories of <a href="/facts/Haryana/bo4Qo3c8">Haryana</a>, where they number around 1.2 million and form 4.9 percent of the population, <a href="/facts/Rajasthan/rC0MvrRD">Rajasthan</a> (872,000 or 1.3 percent of the population), <a href="/facts/Uttar_Pradesh/vXDwM9Df">Uttar Pradesh</a> (643,000, 0.3 percent), <a href="/facts/Delhi/Xa6CKgnf">Delhi</a> (570,000, 3.4 percent), <a href="/facts/Uttarakhand/n3juS1z4">Uttarakhand</a> (236,000, 2.3 percent), <a href="/facts/Jammu_and_Kashmir_(union_territory)/F1FbqQpw">Jammu and Kashmir</a> (234,000, 1.9 percent), <a href="/facts/Chandigarh/naV8Beal">Chandigarh</a> (138,000, 13.1 percent) and <a href="/facts/Himachal_Pradesh/QL08g221">Himachal Pradesh</a> (86,000, 1.2 percent).
Canada is home to the largest national Sikh proportion (2.1 percent of the total population) in the world.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:122" href="#fn:122">122</a> A substantial community of Sikhs exist in the western province of <a href="/facts/British_Columbia/Ty3e3g1Q">British Columbia</a>, numbering nearly 300,000 persons and forming approximately 5.9 percent of the total population. This represents the third-largest Sikh proportion amongst all global <a href="/facts/Administrative_divisions/s8dnhhYm">administrative divisions</a>, behind only <a href="/facts/Punjab%2c_India/bHPSN45a">Punjab</a> and Chandigarh in India. Furthermore, British Columbia,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:123" href="#fn:123">123</a> <a href="/facts/Manitoba/QuCdIDYB">Manitoba</a> and <a href="/facts/Yukon/JAGCCGCW">Yukon</a> hold the distinction of being three of the only four <a href="/facts/Administrative_divisions/s8dnhhYm">administrative divisions</a> in the world with Sikhism as the second most followed religion among the population.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:124" href="#fn:124">124</a>

<h3>Census data and official statistics</h3>
As a religious minority, Sikhs have fought long and hard to get official status and to be counted in many countries across the world. Through the efforts of Sikh organisations and communities in their respective countries, there is now readily available population data on Sikhs as part of the census or official statistics in the following territories:

Census data / official statistics:<table><tbody><tr><th>Territory</th><th colspan="2">Latest data</th></tr><tr><td> <a href="/facts/India/QW4TV4sy">India</a> (<a href="/facts/Punjab%2c_India/bHPSN45a">Punjab</a>)</td><td>16,004,754</td><td rowspan="2">2011<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:125" href="#fn:125">125</a></td></tr><tr><td> <a href="/facts/India/QW4TV4sy">India</a> (Rest of India)</td><td>4,828,362</td></tr><tr><td> <a href="/facts/Canada/D5P9yqs6">Canada</a></td><td>771,790</td><td>2021<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:126" href="#fn:126">126</a></td></tr><tr><td> <a href="/facts/England/U9mE5bGL">England</a></td><td>520,092</td><td>2021<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:127" href="#fn:127">127</a></td></tr><tr><td> <a href="/facts/Australia/qLHpbppq">Australia</a></td><td>210,400</td><td>2021<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:128" href="#fn:128">128</a></td></tr><tr><td> <a href="/facts/New_Zealand/4mpSlJdg">New Zealand</a></td><td>53,406</td><td>2023<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:129" href="#fn:129">129</a></td></tr><tr><td> <a href="/facts/Singapore/CQDkhUvD">Singapore</a></td><td>12,051</td><td>2020<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:130" href="#fn:130">130</a></td></tr><tr><td> <a href="/facts/Thailand/GCUnN4JK">Thailand</a></td><td>11,124</td><td>2010<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:131" href="#fn:131">131</a></td></tr><tr><td> <a href="/facts/Norway/wlDRKRTR">Norway</a></td><td>4,318</td><td>2021<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:132" href="#fn:132">132</a></td></tr><tr><td> <a href="/facts/Wales/xa3W6PHH">Wales</a></td><td>4,048</td><td>2021<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:133" href="#fn:133">133</a></td></tr><tr><td> <a href="/facts/Fiji/JU8Hs8WH">Fiji</a></td><td>2,577</td><td>2007<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:134" href="#fn:134">134</a></td></tr><tr><td> <a href="/facts/Republic_of_Ireland/k8JzXVze">Ireland</a></td><td>2,183</td><td>2022<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:135" href="#fn:135">135</a></td></tr><tr><td>   <a href="/facts/Nepal/yWCzTBR2">Nepal</a></td><td>1,496</td><td>2021<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:136" href="#fn:136">136</a></td></tr><tr><td> <a href="/facts/Northern_Ireland/Jmr0NRyl">Northern Ireland</a></td><td>389</td><td>2021<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:137" href="#fn:137">137</a></td></tr><tr><td> <a href="/facts/Scotland/VGwbbxB2">Scotland</a></td><td>10,988</td><td>2022</td></tr><tr><td> <a href="/facts/Pakistan/cbIsvJy1">Pakistan</a></td><td>Pending</td><td>2023</td></tr></tbody></table>

Note: Official statistics do not count unregistered arrivals or those who have not completed the census or surveys. However, they do provide for a much more accurate depiction of Sikh communities as opposed to estimates from various Sikh organisations whose estimates can vary vastly with no statistically valuable source. Thus, official statistics and census data is highly important and Sikh communities continue to push for census inclusion in many countries where they are still not counted.

<h3>Migration</h3>
Sikh migration from <a href="/facts/British_India/qdbjMfvI">British India</a> began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab, which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the <a href="/facts/British_Empire/hrsz0j7A">British Empire</a>. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to <a href="/facts/British_East_Africa/LWjfxem4">British East Africa</a> to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India after World War II, most going to the <a href="/facts/Sikhism_in_United_Kingdom/cSzF76lE">United Kingdom</a> but many also to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator <a href="/facts/Idi_Amin/gjvrcmu6">Idi Amin</a> in 1972.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:138" href="#fn:138">138</a> Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, the United States, <a href="/facts/Malaysia/8zbUMzCP">Malaysia</a>, <a href="/facts/East_Africa/WtsAyphI">East Africa</a>, <a href="/facts/Sikhism_in_Australia/VQQ6yGTB">Australia</a>, <a href="/facts/Singapore/CQDkhUvD">Singapore</a> and <a href="/facts/Thailand/GCUnN4JK">Thailand</a>.
After the <a href="/facts/Partition_of_India/c8xmUWfG">Partition of India</a> in 1947, many Sikhs from what would become the <a href="/facts/Punjab_of_Pakistan/ppTkKUTS">Punjab of Pakistan</a> migrated to India as well as to <a href="/facts/Afghanistan/v63Auu1C">Afghanistan</a> due to fear of persecution. Afghanistan was home to hundreds of thousands of Sikhs and Hindus as of the 1970s, but due to the wars in Afghanistan in the 2010s, the vast majority of Afghan Sikhs had migrated to India, Pakistan or the west.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:139" href="#fn:139">139</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:140" href="#fn:140">140</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:141" href="#fn:141">141</a>
Although the rate of Sikh migration from the Punjab has remained high, traditional patterns of Sikh migration favouring English-speaking countries (particularly the United Kingdom) have changed during the past decade due to stricter immigration laws. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK becoming "virtually impossible since the late 1970s," migration patterns evolved to continental Europe.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:142" href="#fn:142">142</a> Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:143" href="#fn:143">143</a> with <a href="/facts/Reggio_Emilia/tsQVQfS2">Reggio Emilia</a> and <a href="/facts/Vicenza/0vWc4ukH">Vicenza</a> having significant Sikh population clusters.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:144" href="#fn:144">144</a> Italian Sikhs are generally involved in <a href="/facts/Agriculture/TGztqzJs">agriculture</a>, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and <a href="/facts/Horticulture/m8qBLuT3">horticulture</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:145" href="#fn:145">145</a>

<h3>Growth</h3>

Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7% per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions. Primarily for <a href="/facts/Socio-economic/ywuuTTUN">socio-economic</a> reasons, <a href="/facts/Sikhism_in_India/nyHYGHJc">Indian Sikhs</a> have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001) and it has further declined to just 8.4 per cent in 2011 census report.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:146" href="#fn:146">146</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:147" href="#fn:147">147</a> Sikhs in the world have the lowest fertility rate of 1.6 children per women as per (2019–20) estimation research.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:148" href="#fn:148">148</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:149" href="#fn:149">149</a> The Sikh population has the lowest gender balance in India, with only 903 women per 1,000 men according to the 2011 Indian census.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:150" href="#fn:150">150</a> The estimated world's Sikh population was over 30 million in 2020 and it will reach 42 million by 2050. It is expected to increase up to 62 million by 2100, given that the anticipated growth rate of 1.7% per year and adding at least 400,000 followers annually.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:151" href="#fn:151">151</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:152" href="#fn:152">152</a>
Since the Sikh growth rate dropped from 1.7% (16.9% in 1991 to 2001 estimate) to 0.8% (8.4% in 2001–2011) in 2011 report, hence based on their growth rate, their population in India will increase 196,316 (0.8% based on 2011 figures) per year and will reach 36 million in 2050, it expected to reach 52 million in 2100 given that the anticipated growth rate of 0.8% and adding at least 200,000 followers annually.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:153" href="#fn:153">153</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:154" href="#fn:154">154</a>

<a href="/facts/Sikhism/obh7aQIr">Sikhism</a> is the fastest growing religion in <a href="/facts/Sikhism_in_Canada/clSc6Etv">Canada</a>, <a href="/facts/Sikhism_in_Australia/VQQ6yGTB">Australia</a> and <a href="/facts/Sikhism_in_New_Zealand/bpBoh5l1">New Zealand</a>. The growth is mainly contributed by the immigration of <a href="/facts/Sikhism_in_India/nyHYGHJc">Indian Sikhs</a> there over the decades. Sikhism is fourth-largest religion in <a href="/facts/Canada/D5P9yqs6">Canada</a>, fifth-largest religion in <a href="/facts/Australia/qLHpbppq">Australia</a> and <a href="/facts/New_Zealand/4mpSlJdg">New Zealand</a>. The decadal growth of Sikhs is more in those countries as compared to the decadal growth of Sikh population in India, thus making them the fastest-growing religion there.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:155" href="#fn:155">155</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:156" href="#fn:156">156</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:157" href="#fn:157">157</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:158" href="#fn:158">158</a> <a href="/facts/Canada/D5P9yqs6">Canada</a> has the highest proportion of Sikhs in the globe, which stands at 2.1% as of 2021, as compared to <a href="/facts/India/QW4TV4sy">India</a> which stands at 1.7% as of 2011 respectively.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:159" href="#fn:159">159</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:160" href="#fn:160">160</a>

<h3>Castes</h3>
Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group with exceptions. <a href="/facts/Caste_system_in_India/WceUIyoX">Caste</a> may still be practiced by some Sikhs, despite Guru Nanak's calls for treating everyone equally in Guru Granth Sahib.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:161" href="#fn:161">161</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:162" href="#fn:162">162</a>
Along with Guru Nanak, other Sikh gurus had also denounced the hierarchy of the caste system, however, they all belonged to the same caste, the <a href="/facts/Khatri/bs9ttBjT">Khatris</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:163" href="#fn:163">163</a> Most Sikhs belong to the <a href="/facts/Jat_Sikh/I3IF9qrV">Jat</a> (Jatt), traditionally Agriculturist class<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:164" href="#fn:164">164</a> in occupation.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:165" href="#fn:165">165</a> Despite being very small in numbers, the <a href="/facts/Khatri/bs9ttBjT">Khatri</a> and <a href="/facts/Arora/sokNhuer">Arora</a> castes wield considerable influence within the Sikh community. Other common Sikh castes include <a href="/facts/Ahluwalia_(caste)/V0dcoCHc">Ahluwalias</a> (Brewers), <a href="/facts/Kamboj/eCUAQ82H">Kambojs</a> or Kambos (Rural caste), <a href="/facts/Ramgarhia/Kl25R5tE">Ramgarhias</a> (Carpenters), <a href="/facts/Brahmins/V3qxzHAP">Brahmins</a> (Priestly class), <a href="/facts/Rajput/wJbTbSPL">Rajputs</a> (Kshatriyas – Warriors), <a href="/facts/Saini/WKgjTny8">Sainis</a>, <a href="/facts/Rai_Sikh/0o1aHjx1">Rai Sikh</a> (Ironsmiths), <a href="/facts/Labana/vzShBRI9">Labanas</a> (Merchants), <a href="/facts/Kumhar/E6c3WHbY">Kumhars</a> (Potters), <a href="/facts/Mazhabi/epqee1d1">Mazhabi</a> (Cleaners) and the <a href="/facts/Ramdasia/w8sPYkUH">Ramdasia</a>/<a href="/facts/Ravidasia/JWhUGxlC">Ravidasias</a>(Chamar – Tanners).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:166" href="#fn:166">166</a>
Some Sikhs, especially those belonging to the landowning dominant castes, have not shed all their prejudices against the Dalit castes such as the Mazhabi and Ravidasia. While Dalits were allowed entry into the village <a href="/facts/Gurdwara/R9K3uCF6">gurdwaras</a>, in some gurdwaras, they were not permitted to cook or serve <a href="/facts/Langar_(Sikhism)/MTTpbInk">langar</a> (communal meal). Therefore, wherever they could mobilize resources, the Sikh Dalits of Punjab have tried to construct their own gurdwara and other local level institutions in order to attain a certain degree of cultural autonomy.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:167" href="#fn:167">167</a> In 1953, Sikh leader and activist Master Tara Singh succeeded in persuading the Indian government to include Sikh castes of the converted untouchables in the list of <a href="/facts/Scheduled_castes/e2tKbqeM">scheduled castes</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:168" href="#fn:168">168</a> In the <a href="/facts/Shiromani_Gurdwara_Prabandhak_Committee/Q1I8D8BN">Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee</a>, 20 of the 140 seats are reserved for low-caste Sikhs.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:169" href="#fn:169">169</a>
Other castes (over 1,000 members) include the <a href="/facts/Arain/Uoqjl32D">Arain</a>, <a href="/facts/Bhatra_Sikhs/4K20wla3">Bhatra</a>, <a href="/facts/Bairagi/XXTmAJtW">Bairagi</a>, <a href="/facts/Vanika/6Hanr8I8">Bania</a>, <a href="/facts/Basith/73Y6kT2J">Basith</a>, Bawaria, <a href="/facts/Bazigar/NXbyk43s">Bazigar</a>, <a href="/facts/Bhabra/QSh5QHz5">Bhabra</a>, <a href="/facts/Chamar/0Y9gqaWJ">Chamar</a>, <a href="/facts/Chhimba/tCpfY1lz">Chhimba (cotton farmers)</a>, Darzi, <a href="/facts/Dhobi/uojIaKWN">Dhobi</a>, <a href="/facts/Gujjar/JXQdRlgJ">Gujar</a>, <a href="/facts/Jhinwar/WxJPYdEI">Jhinwar</a>, <a href="/facts/Kahar/1nygRJl5">Kahar</a>, <a href="/facts/Kalwar%2c_Rajasthan/fVr81zPT">Kalal</a>, <a href="/facts/Kumhar/E6c3WHbY">Kumhar</a>, <a href="/facts/Lohar_(caste)/vFAd4XkG">Lohar</a>, <a href="/facts/Mahtam/jRv9VqX4">Mahtam</a>, <a href="/facts/Meghwal/t7Ub2WCL">Megh</a>, <a href="/facts/Mirasi/4fVwx7YG">Mirasi</a>, <a href="/facts/Mochi_(Sikh)/yBUm2rx0">Mochi</a>, <a href="/facts/Nai_(caste)/wjVpPRf4">Nai</a>, <a href="/facts/Ramgarhia/Kl25R5tE">Ramgharia</a>, <a href="/facts/Sansi_people/fmHAT9XJ">Sansi</a>, <a href="/facts/Sood_(surname)/yXVs13Gc">Sudh</a>, <a href="/facts/Tarkhan_(Punjab)/Q5wT9P77">Tarkhan</a> and <a href="/facts/Kashyap_(caste)/HmBC0qdj">Kashyap</a>
Karnail Singh Panjoli, member of the <a href="/facts/Shiromani_Gurdwara_Parbandhak_Committee/Q1I8D8BN">Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee</a>, says that there are several communities within the term <a href="/facts/Nanakpanthi/GsDFPtnE">Nanakpanthis</a> too. Apart from <a href="/facts/Sindhi_Hindus/zvwghbVk">Sindhi Hindus</a>, "There are groups like Sikhligarh, Vanjaarey, <a href="/facts/Nirmala_(sect)/ztYKyac0">Nirmaley</a>, Lubaney, Johri, Satnamiye, Udaasiyas, <a href="/facts/Punjabi_Hindus/SRamaxgh">Punjabi Hindus</a>, etc. who call themselves Nanakpanthis despite being Hindus.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:170" href="#fn:170">170</a>

<h2 id="diaspora">Diaspora</h2>

As Sikhs wear <a href="/facts/Turban/FHrgyRqt">turbans</a> and keep beards, Sikh men in <a href="/facts/Western_world/UQl4e7du">Western</a> countries have been mistaken for <a href="/facts/Muslim/W2ukq4pg">Muslim</a>, <a href="/facts/Arabs/E77duPsg">Arab</a> and/or <a href="/facts/Afghans/cNRx8NEQ">Afghan</a> since the <a href="/facts/September_11_attacks/PfWQcQNx">September 11 attacks</a> and the <a href="/facts/Iraq_War/dlAgf8at">Iraq War</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:171" href="#fn:171">171</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:172" href="#fn:172">172</a> Several days after the 9/11 attacks, <a href="/facts/Sikhism_in_the_United_States/rcN6vLTw">Sikh-American</a> gas station owner <a href="/facts/Balbir_Singh_Sodhi/BWuXPuqP">Balbir Singh Sodhi</a> was murdered in <a href="/facts/Arizona/6ayM3swJ">Arizona</a> by a man who took Sodhi to be a member of <a href="/facts/Al-Qaeda/CIQSk3D7">al-Qaeda</a>, marking the first recorded hate-crime in America motivated by 9/11. CNN would go on to suggest an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the US and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:173" href="#fn:173">173</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:174" href="#fn:174">174</a>
In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations exist. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual <a href="/facts/Sikh_Youth_Symposium/VK7w7uLb">Sikh Youth Symposium</a>.
The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in the UK, and UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82%) of any religious community.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:175" href="#fn:175">175</a> UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest religious group in the UK (after the <a href="/facts/Jewish/T9Y4wE6A">Jewish</a> community), with a median total household wealth of £229,000.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:176" href="#fn:176">176</a>
In May 2019, the UK government exempted "<a href="/facts/Kirpan/gkYrh6dx">Kirpan</a>" from the list of banned knives. The U.K. government passed an amendment by which Sikhs in the country would be allowed to carry kirpans and use them during religious and cultural functions. The bill was amended to ensure that it would not impact the right of the British Sikh community to possess and supply kirpans or religious swords.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:177" href="#fn:177">177</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:178" href="#fn:178">178</a> Similarly, the <a href="/facts/Sikh_American_Legal_Defense_and_Education_Fund/LIs5PjFT">Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund</a> overturned a 1925 <a href="/facts/Oregon/4Uq446Ko">Oregon</a> law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials in 2010.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:179" href="#fn:179">179</a>

<h2 id="agriculture">Agriculture</h2>
Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 per cent of the Indian population are engaged in <a href="/facts/Agriculture/TGztqzJs">agriculture</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:180" href="#fn:180">180</a> Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 per cent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:181" href="#fn:181">181</a> According to the Swedish political scientist <a href="/facts/Ishtiaq_Ahmed_(political_scientist)/4eeGYrC0">Ishtiaq Ahmad</a>, a factor in the success of the <a href="/facts/Indian_green_revolution/kaMYS1uH">Indian green revolution</a> was the "Sikh cultivator, often the <a href="/facts/Jat_Sikh/I3IF9qrV">Jat</a> and Kamboj or Kamboh, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:182" href="#fn:182">182</a> However, Indian <a href="/facts/Physicist/cQcgvSIm">physicist</a> <a href="/facts/Vandana_Shiva/qopLQeJw">Vandana Shiva</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:183" href="#fn:183">183</a> wrote that the green revolution made the "negative and destructive impacts of science (i.e., the green revolution) on nature and society" invisible and was a catalyst for Punjabi Sikh and Hindu tensions despite a growth in material wealth.

<h2 id="sikhs-in-modern-history">Sikhs in modern history</h2>
Main article: <a href="/facts/List_of_Sikhs/xvwfYwvw">List of Sikhs</a>

<a href="/facts/Manmohan_Singh/fxmyXUqU">Manmohan Singh</a> was an Indian economist, academic and politician who served as the 13th Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014. The first and only Sikh and non-Hindu in office, Singh was also the first prime minister since <a href="/facts/Jawaharlal_Nehru/et3I8NGT">Jawaharlal Nehru</a> to be re-elected after completing a full five-year term.
Notable Sikhs in science include <a href="/facts/Nuclear_physics/fzQbt1aF">nuclear</a> scientist <a href="/facts/Piara_Singh_Gill/4I3Ddt9s">Piara Singh Gill</a>, <a href="/facts/Fibre_optics/5ruuIFbj">fibre-optics</a> pioneer <a href="/facts/Narinder_Singh_Kapany/wwWYFYAp">Narinder Singh Kapany</a>; and physicist, science writer and broadcaster <a href="/facts/Simon_Singh/fFstr4XL">Simon Singh</a>.
In business, the UK-based clothing retailers <a href="/facts/New_Look_(store)/rFTMGhMC">New Look</a> and the Thai-based JASPAL<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:184" href="#fn:184">184</a> were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, <a href="/facts/Ranbaxy_Laboratories/mxNVy1eM">Ranbaxy Laboratories</a>, is headed by Sikhs.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:185" href="#fn:185">185</a> <a href="/facts/Apollo_Tyres/RfuoxVlY">Apollo Tyres</a> is headed by <a href="/facts/Onkar_Singh_Kanwar/DXbd7xpu">Onkar Singh Kanwar</a>. In Singapore, Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:186" href="#fn:186">186</a> into assets totalling almost <a href="/facts/United_States_dollar/naEEDUhC">US$</a>1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh <a href="/facts/Bob_Singh_Dhillon/6PeGkcSJ">Bob Singh Dhillon</a> is the first <a href="/facts/Indo-Canadian/1xzpga0B">Indo-Canadian</a> billionaire. <a href="/facts/Mastercard/M0lofWzy">Mastercard's</a> <a href="/facts/CEO/mg4A8y5M">CEO</a> was a Sikh named <a href="/facts/Ajaypal_Singh_Banga/KK3NQvuv">Ajaypal Singh Banga</a>.
In sports, Sikhs include England cricketer <a href="/facts/Monty_Panesar/KS0Xc6NC">Monty Panesar</a>; former 400-metre runner <a href="/facts/Milkha_Singh/nmDJ8aAx">Milkha Singh</a>; his son, professional golfer <a href="/facts/Jeev_Milkha_Singh/Yj8cKpg1">Jeev Milkha Singh</a>; Indian wrestler and actor <a href="/facts/Dara_Singh/7EmzQDXD">Dara Singh</a>; former Indian hockey team captains <a href="/facts/Sandeep_Singh/DhvDqnuw">Sandeep Singh</a>, Ajitpal Singh and <a href="/facts/Balbir_Singh_Sr./Vfu5Tpw3">Balbir Singh Sr</a>.; former Indian cricket captain <a href="/facts/Bishen_Singh_Bedi/4zyd5L5u">Bishen Singh Bedi</a>; <a href="/facts/Harbhajan_Singh/gjlkfCHq">Harbhajan Singh</a>, India's most successful <a href="/facts/Off_spin/XfbLYnfQ">off spin</a> <a href="/facts/Bowling_(cricket)/pztWTkkg">cricket bowler</a>; <a href="/facts/Yuvraj_Singh/tMqBRu8g">Yuvraj Singh</a>, World Cup winning allrounder; <a href="/facts/Maninder_Singh_(cricketer)/6oM4hMlJ">Maninder Singh</a>, World Cup winning off spinner; and <a href="/facts/Navjot_Singh_Sidhu/ed61zE2c">Navjot Singh Sidhu</a>, former Indian cricketer-turned-politician.
Sikhs in Bollywood, in the arts in general, include poet and lyricist <a href="/facts/Rajkavi_Inderjeet_Singh_Tulsi/TV11Mkcg">Rajkavi Inderjeet Singh Tulsi</a>; <a href="/facts/Gulzar/tfSASE4K">Gulzar</a>; <a href="/facts/Jagjit_Singh/jlwIYh38">Jagjit Singh</a>; <a href="/facts/Dharmendra/dz7N0sv2">Dharmendra</a>; <a href="/facts/Sunny_Deol/0x6jujt5">Sunny Deol</a>; <a href="/facts/Diljit_Dosanjh/u1ez8cAr">Diljit Dosanjh</a> writer <a href="/facts/Khushwant_Singh/YDzefnTy">Khushwant Singh</a>; actresses <a href="/facts/Neetu_Singh/VBPKNQ1d">Neetu Singh</a>, <a href="/facts/Simran_Judge/NuASkcTd">Simran Judge</a>, <a href="/facts/Poonam_Dhillon/oCACvxIv">Poonam Dhillon</a>, <a href="/facts/Mahi_Gill/hXjTHVWa">Mahi Gill</a>, <a href="/facts/Esha_Deol/mor7r5BG">Esha Deol</a>, <a href="/facts/Parminder_Nagra/yk2tYxns">Parminder Nagra</a>, <a href="/facts/Gul_Panag/77as4kjm">Gul Panag</a>, <a href="/facts/Mona_Singh/wJUYSTA3">Mona Singh</a>, <a href="/facts/Namrata_Singh_Gujral/4jm7WwfY">Namrata Singh Gujral</a>; and directors <a href="/facts/Gurinder_Chadha/6UYewSn1">Gurinder Chadha</a> and Parminder Gill.
Sikhs in Punjabi Music industry include <a href="/facts/Sidhu_Moosewala/3yG4fhUm">Sidhu Moosewala</a>, <a href="/facts/Diljit_Dosanjh/u1ez8cAr">Diljit Dosanjh</a>, <a href="/facts/Babu_Singh_Maan/eUxfuUGA">Babu Singh Maan</a>, <a href="/facts/Surjit_Bindrakhia/X2pqgosG">Surjit Bindrakhia</a>, <a href="/facts/Ammy_Virk/pPekUj0o">Ammy Virk</a>, <a href="/facts/Karan_Aujla/1Twcymz7">Karan Aujla</a>, <a href="/facts/Jazzy_B/HAN2Kbtl">Jazzy B</a>, <a href="/facts/Miss_Pooja/p3FycyDS">Miss Pooja</a>.
In December 2022, the <a href="/facts/United_States_Marine_Corps/J8JDlJG2">U.S. Marine Corps</a> was compelled by a court order to allow two Sikhs to wear the turban and grow beards. This was a milestone for religious freedom and in the prevention of employment discrimination against Sikhs.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:187" href="#fn:187">187</a>

<h2 id="in-the-indian-and-british-armies">In the Indian and British armies</h2>
Main article: <a href="/facts/Sikhs_in_the_British_Indian_Army/yw2lCKpB">Sikhs in the British Indian Army</a>
According to a 1994 estimate, Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus comprised 10 to 15% of all ranks in the <a href="/facts/Indian_Army/4a3vrgyL">Indian Army</a>. The Indian government does not release religious or ethnic origins of a military personnel, but a 1991 report by Tim McGirk estimated that 20% of Indian Army officers were Sikhs.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:188" href="#fn:188">188</a> Together with the <a href="/facts/Gurkha/x1wXAl1X">Gurkhas</a> recruited from Nepal, the <a href="/facts/Maratha_Light_Infantry/jeECnNf7">Maratha Light Infantry</a> from Maharashtra and the <a href="/facts/Jat_Regiment/ozbgFnJA">Jat Regiment</a>, the Sikhs are one of the few communities to have exclusive regiments in the Indian Army.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:189" href="#fn:189">189</a> The <a href="/facts/Sikh_Regiment/vcYSu0Gw">Sikh Regiment</a> is one of the most-decorated <a href="/facts/Regiment/cBBUAaKg">regiments</a> in the army, with 73 <a href="/facts/Battle_Honours/4H6CpNxa">Battle Honours</a>, 14 <a href="/facts/Victoria_Cross/abfXKEQl">Victoria Crosses</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:190" href="#fn:190">190</a> 21 first-class <a href="/facts/Indian_Order_of_Merit/bvcWhwms">Indian Orders of Merit</a> (equivalent to the Victoria Cross),<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:191" href="#fn:191">191</a> 15 <a href="/facts/Battle_honour/4H6CpNxa">Theatre Honours</a>, 5 COAS Unit Citations, two <a href="/facts/Param_Vir_Chakra/f9oX9l47">Param Vir Chakras</a>, 14 <a href="/facts/Maha_Vir_Chakra/kMtrv5Ll">Maha Vir Chakras</a>, 5 <a href="/facts/Kirti_Chakra/5Cc61n8h">Kirti Chakras</a>, 67 <a href="/facts/Vir_Chakra/FWgM4x6A">Vir Chakras</a> and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force <a href="/facts/Arjan_Singh/lPyEDJWY">Arjan Singh</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:192" href="#fn:192">192</a> Plans by the <a href="/facts/Ministry_of_Defence_(United_Kingdom)/9TG9a0ss">United Kingdom Ministry of Defence</a> for a Sikh <a href="/facts/Infantry/QAHDDQtk">infantry</a> regiment were scrapped in June 2007.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:193" href="#fn:193">193</a>
Sikhs supported the British during the <a href="/facts/Indian_Rebellion_of_1857/CLMQM4vl">Indian Rebellion of 1857</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:194" href="#fn:194">194</a> By the beginning of <a href="/facts/World_War_I/vITTUanQ">World War I</a>, Sikhs in the <a href="/facts/British_Indian_Army/1Pm2dYQM">British Indian Army</a> totaled over 100,000 (20 per cent of the force). Until 1945, fourteen <a href="/facts/Victoria_Cross/abfXKEQl">Victoria Crosses</a> (VC) were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:195" href="#fn:195">195</a> In 2002, the names of all Sikh VC and <a href="/facts/George_Cross/5XehW9yo">George Cross</a> recipients were inscribed on the monument of the <a href="/facts/Memorial_Gates_(Constitution_Hill)/0yXmdW1L">Memorial Gates</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:196" href="#fn:196">196</a> on <a href="/facts/Constitution_Hill%2c_London/uB561o8C">Constitution Hill</a>, next to <a href="/facts/Buckingham_Palace/mJfLsoNJ">Buckingham Palace</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:197" href="#fn:197">197</a> <a href="/facts/Chanan_Singh_Dhillon/yPnnVxcQ">Chanan Singh Dhillon</a> was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.
During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, <a href="/facts/Gallipoli/MlXCHcem">Gallipoli</a> and France. Six battalions of the <a href="/facts/Sikh_Regiment/vcYSu0Gw">Sikh Regiment</a> were raised during <a href="/facts/World_War_II/2efV5L1U">World War II</a>, serving in the <a href="/facts/Second_Battle_of_El_Alamein/rIyujl07">Second Battle of El Alamein</a>, the <a href="/facts/Burma_Campaign/wUE16dhz">Burma</a> and <a href="/facts/Italian_Campaign_(World_War_II)/FwY1HJDM">Italian campaigns</a> and in <a href="/facts/Anglo-Iraqi_War/xS7tsTVe">Iraq</a>, receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in <a href="/facts/Commonwealth_War_Graves_Commission/ae6y2zTA">Commonwealth</a> cemeteries.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:198" href="#fn:198">198</a>

<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/History_of_Punjab/aBtfmaF9">History of Punjab</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Sikhism_in_Jammu_and_Kashmir/5a3UzgQ6">Sikhism in Jammu and Kashmir</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Ganga_Sagar_(urn)/cNe5gJX6">Ganga Sagar (urn)</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Jat_Sikh/I3IF9qrV">Jat Sikh</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Sikh_diaspora/vuPU4uqK">Sikh diaspora</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Sikh_Empire/RpnHH4Ty">Sikh Empire</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/List_of_British_Sikhs/9QIaAGcN">List of British Sikhs</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Mazhabi_Sikh/epqee1d1">Mazhabi Sikh</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Sects_of_Sikhism/53nwkSo1">Sects of Sikhism</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Sikhism_by_country/8FTby6tT">Sikhism by country</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Sikhism_in_India/nyHYGHJc">Sikhism in India</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Turban_training_centre/BUV6olE6">Turban training centre</a></li></ul>
<h2 id="notes">Notes</h2>

<h3>Citations</h3>

<h3>General and cited sources</h3>

<ul><li>Fair, C. Christine (2005). "Diaspora Involvement in Insurgencies: Insights from the Khalistan and Tamil Eelam Movements". Nationalism and Ethnic Politics. 11: 125–156. <a href="/facts/Doi_(identifier)/muM9Etpq">doi</a>:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1080%2F13537110590927845">10.1080/13537110590927845</a>. <a href="/facts/S2CID_(identifier)/ldJsHa2Y">S2CID</a> <a href="https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:145552863">145552863</a>.</li>
<li>Van Dyke, Virginia (2009). "The Khalistan Movement in Punjab, India, and the Post-Militancy Era: Structural Change and New Political Compulsions". Asian Survey. 49 (6): 975–997. <a href="/facts/Doi_(identifier)/muM9Etpq">doi</a>:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1525%2Fas.2009.49.6.975">10.1525/as.2009.49.6.975</a>.</li></ul>

<h2 id="further-reading">Further reading</h2>
 
<ul><li>The Sikhs in History: A Millennium Study by Sangat Singh, Noel Quinton King. New York, 1995. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 81-900650-2-5.</li>
<li>A History of the Sikhs: Volume 1: 1469–1838 by Khushwant Singh. Oxford India Paperbacks (2005). <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0-19-567308-5.</li>
<li>The Sikhs by Patwant Singh. Image (2001). <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0-385-50206-0</li>
<li>The Sikhs of the Punjab by J. S. Grewal. Published by Cambridge University Press (1998). <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0-521-63764-3.</li>
<li>The Sikhs: History, Religion, and Society by W. H. McLeod. Published by Columbia University Press (1989). <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0-231-06815-8</li>
<li>The Sikh Diaspora: Tradition and Change in an Immigrant Community (Asian Americans – Reconceptualising Culture, History, Politics) by Michael Angelo. Published by Routledge (1997). <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0-8153-2985-7.</li>
<li>Glory of Sikhism by R. M. Chopra, Sanbun Publishers, 2001, <a href="/facts/OCLC_(identifier)/Yqad8waq">OCLC</a> <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/499896556">499896556</a>, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=VGnRPgAACAAJ">Glory of Sikhism</a> at <a href="/facts/Google_Books/lnGRMWXs">Google Books</a>.</li>
<li>The Philosophical and Religious Thought of Sikhism by R. M. Chopra, 2014, Sparrow Publication, Kolkata, <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 978-81-89140-99-1.</li>
<li><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=1NKC9g2ayJEC&dq=udasi+sikh&pg=PR10">The Construction of Religious Boundaries: Culture, Identity, and Diversity in the Sikh Tradition</a> – H Oberoi – 1994 University of Chicago Press, <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0-226-61592-8.</li>
<li>Architectural Heritage of a Sikh State: Faridkot by Subhash Parihar, Delhi: Aryan Books International, 2009, <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 978-81-7305-386-3.</li>
<li>A Study of Religions by R. M. Chopra, Anuradha Prakashan, New Delhi, 2015. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 978-93-82339-94-6.</li></ul>

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>

Look up Sikh in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sikhs.

<ul><li><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/sikhism/">Sikhism</a> at the <a href="/facts/BBC/qFateIz8">BBC</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Sikhs">"Sikhs"</a>. <a href="/facts/Merriam-Webster/yEt22M9H">Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary</a>. Merriam-Webster.</li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1">Barwiński, Marek; Musiaka, Łukasz (30 December 2019). "The Sikhs – religion and nation. Chosen political and social determinants of functioning". Studia z Geografii Politycznej i Historycznej. 8: 167–182. doi:10.18778/2300-0562.08.09. hdl:11089/38783. ISSN 2450-0127. <a href="https://czasopisma.uni.lodz.pl/studiageogr/article/view/7878" target="_blank">https://czasopisma.uni.lodz.pl/studiageogr/article/view/7878</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:2">Crawford, S. Cromwell; Singh, Harbans (July 1971). "Guru Nanak and Origins of the Sikh Faith". Philosophy East and West. 21 (3): 348. doi:10.2307/1398373. ISSN 0031-8221. JSTOR 1398373. <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1398373" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1398373</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:3">Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh (2011). Sikhism: An Introduction. I.B. Tauris. pp. 61–. ISBN 978-0-85773-549-2. <a href="978-0-85773-549-2" target="_blank">978-0-85773-549-2</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:4">"Institute of Sikh Studies, Chandigarh". sikhinstitute.org. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20231020190412/http://sikhinstitute.org/fundamental_issues/ch3.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20231020190412/http://sikhinstitute.org/fundamental_issues/ch3.html</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:5">Singh, Khushwant (2006). The Illustrated History of the Sikhs. India: Oxford University Press. p. 15. ISBN 0-19-567747-1. <a href="0-19-567747-1" target="_blank">0-19-567747-1</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:6">Nabha, Kahan Singh (1930). ਗੁਰ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਰਤਨਾਕਰ ਮਹਾਨ ਕੋਸ਼ [Gur Shabad Ratnakar Mahan Kosh] (in Punjabi). p. 720. Archived from the original on 18 March 2005. Retrieved 29 May 2006. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20050318143533/http://www.ik13.com/online_library.htm#mahankosh" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20050318143533/http://www.ik13.com/online_library.htm#mahankosh</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:7">carolyn (17 March 2022). "Sikh Nationalism: From a Dominant Minority to an Ethno-Religious Diaspora | By Gurharpal Singh and Giorgio Shani". Pacific Affairs (UBC Journal). Retrieved 9 January 2023. <a href="https://pacificaffairs.ubc.ca/book-reviews/sikh-nationalism-from-a-dominant-minority-to-an-ethno-religious-diaspora-by-gurharpal-singh-and-giorgio-shani/" target="_blank">https://pacificaffairs.ubc.ca/book-reviews/sikh-nationalism-from-a-dominant-minority-to-an-ethno-religious-diaspora-by-gurharpal-singh-and-giorgio-shani/</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:8">"Sikh Reht Maryada: Sikh Code of Conduct and Conventions". Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. Archived from the original on 10 October 2008. Retrieved 6 November 2008. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081010042708/http://sgpc.net/rehat_maryada/section_one.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20081010042708/http://sgpc.net/rehat_maryada/section_one.html</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:9">"Athens. Dedication of Soldiers Honoring Generals, 111/0 B.C.?". Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum. doi:10.1163/1874-6772_seg_a40_177. Retrieved 14 September 2024. <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1874-6772_seg_a40_177" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1874-6772_seg_a40_177</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:10">Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (26 October 2022). "Religion by visible minority and generation status: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 1 December 2022. <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810034201" target="_blank">https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810034201</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:11">Nadeem, Reem (21 December 2022). "Key Findings From the Global Religious Futures Project". Pew Research Center. Retrieved 16 May 2024. <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/12/21/key-findings-from-the-global-religious-futures-project/" target="_blank">https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/12/21/key-findings-from-the-global-religious-futures-project/</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:12">ONS (11 December 2012). "Religion in England and Wales 2011". Office for National Statistics. UK Statistics Authority. Retrieved 24 November 2018. <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/articles/religioninenglandandwales2011/2012-12-11" target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/articles/religioninenglandandwales2011/2012-12-11</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:13">Press Trust of India (15 January 2020). "Sikhs to be counted as separate ethnic group in 2020 US Census; community hails recognition of distinct language, culture". Firstpost. <a href="https://www.firstpost.com/world/sikhs-to-be-counted-as-separate-ethnic-group-in-2020-us-census-community-hails-recognition-of-distinct-language-culture-7907961.html" target="_blank">https://www.firstpost.com/world/sikhs-to-be-counted-as-separate-ethnic-group-in-2020-us-census-community-hails-recognition-of-distinct-language-culture-7907961.html</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:14">"Anti-Discrimination (Amendment) Bill – 11/05/1994 – 2R COMM – NSW Parliament". Parliament.nsw.gov.au. 11 May 1994. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 27 April 2015. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110604065733/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/PARLMENT/hansArt.nsf/V3Key/LC19940511036" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20110604065733/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/PARLMENT/hansArt.nsf/V3Key/LC19940511036</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:15">"'Religion or belief': Identifying issues and priorities (Linda Woodhead with the assistance of Rebecca Catto) AHRC/ESRC Religion and Society Programme, Lancaster University". Archived from the original on 16 January 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2010. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20100116121346/http://equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/research/research_report_48_religion_or_belief_identifying_issues_and_priorities.doc" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20100116121346/http://equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/research/research_report_48_religion_or_belief_identifying_issues_and_priorities.doc</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:16">Singh, Khushwant (2006). The Illustrated History of the Sikhs. India: Oxford University Press. pp. 12–13. ISBN 0-19-567747-1. <a href="0-19-567747-1" target="_blank">0-19-567747-1</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:17">"The Khalsa | History of Sikhism | Sikhism". BBC Religion & Ethics. BBC. 29 August 2003. Retrieved 4 April 2008. <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/sikhism/history/history_1.shtml" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/sikhism/history/history_1.shtml</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:18">Singh, Patwant (2000). The Sikhs. New York: Knopf. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-375-40728-4 – via Internet Archive. <a href="978-0-375-40728-4" target="_blank">978-0-375-40728-4</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:19">Richard M. Eaton (2019). India in the Persianate Age: 1000–1765. Penguin. pp. 168–169. ISBN 9780141966557. The Sikh community grew rapidly in the sixteenth century. Nanak's earliest followers had been fellow Khatris engaged in petty trade, shopkeeping, or lower level civil service in the Lodi or Mughal bureaucracies. But as the movement grew, it experienced a significant influx of Jat cultivators. <a href="9780141966557" target="_blank">9780141966557</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:20">Dhavan, Purnima (2011). When Sparrows Became Hawks: The Making of the Sikh Warrior Tradition, 1699–1799. Oxford University Press. pp. 42, 47, 184. ISBN 978-0-19987-717-1. <a href="978-0-19987-717-1" target="_blank">978-0-19987-717-1</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:21">Singh, Pashaura (2006). Life and Work of Guru Arjan: History, Memory, and Biography in the Sikh Tradition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199087808. The 11th var of Bhai Gurdas is extremely useful for assessing the social constituency of the early Panth. Apart from this, there is no other contemporary source which can be used to determine the actual numbers and proportions of various groups within the constitution of the Panth in the period of the early Gurus. Identifying the castes, a general profile of the Panth's leadership may be reconstructed with the help of the 11th var of Bhai Gurdas. In fact, 11 stanzas of this ballad (Var 11:18–28) exclusively provide lists of the actual names and places of prominent followers of Guru Arjan. The Khatri caste (e.g. Sehgal, Ohri, Uppal, Julka, Bhalla, Passi, Khullar, Vohra, Vij, Kapur, Chaddha, Behl, Kohli, Marwah, Mehra, Soni, Jhanjhi, Sodhi, Beri, Nanda, Wadhawan, Tulli, and Puri sub-castes) was particularly prominent among the trading communities, and this was the caste to which all the Gurus belonged. There were certainly some Brahmins (Tiwari Pandit, Wissa, Gopi, and Tulsia of Bhardwaj sub-caste, and Jagna Brahmin from Agra) among the Sikhs, and some outcastes – for instance, the name of Paira Chandal appears in the list of prominent Sikhs. There was a preponderance of Jats (e.g. Randhawa, Khehra, Dhillon, and Pannu sub-castes) among the cultivators, who were followed by members of the artisan castes, notably Tarkhans ('carpenters') and Lohars ('blacksmiths'). In addition, there were Nais ('barbers'), Chhimbas ('cotton-printers'), Machhis ('water-carriers'), Dhobis ('washermen'), Kumhars ('potters'), Telis ('oil pressers'), masons and goldsmiths. The name of a Muslim, Mian Jamal, figures prominently in the list of close associates (hazuri sikhs) of Guru Arjan. It should, however, be emphasized that Bhai Gurdas deals only with the more notable members of the Panth. These leaders will have had their own families, friends, and followers in large numbers from their particular areas, who collectively made up the general constituency of the Panth. On the one hand, there were rich merchants (like Seths and Sarrafs) in cities and towns and Chaudaris ('headmen') in villages; on the other, there were labourers and slaves, with artisans and craftsmen, petty shopkeepers and peasants in between. Not surprisingly, in terms of the social background and the economic means of its members, the Panth was far from homogenous. Nevertheless, the cultural patterns of different sections of Puniabi society played a significant role in the evolution of the Sikh Panth. <a href="9780199087808" target="_blank">9780199087808</a> <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:22">Singh, Pashaura (2006). Life and Work of Guru Arjan: History, Memory, and Biography in the Sikh Tradition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199087808. The 11th var of Bhai Gurdas is extremely useful for assessing the social constituency of the early Panth. Apart from this, there is no other contemporary source which can be used to determine the actual numbers and proportions of various groups within the constitution of the Panth in the period of the early Gurus. Identifying the castes, a general profile of the Panth's leadership may be reconstructed with the help of the 11th var of Bhai Gurdas. In fact, 11 stanzas of this ballad (Var 11:18–28) exclusively provide lists of the actual names and places of prominent followers of Guru Arjan. The Khatri caste (e.g. Sehgal, Ohri, Uppal, Julka, Bhalla, Passi, Khullar, Vohra, Vij, Kapur, Chaddha, Behl, Kohli, Marwah, Mehra, Soni, Jhanjhi, Sodhi, Beri, Nanda, Wadhawan, Tulli, and Puri sub-castes) was particularly prominent among the trading communities, and this was the caste to which all the Gurus belonged. There were certainly some Brahmins (Tiwari Pandit, Wissa, Gopi, and Tulsia of Bhardwaj sub-caste, and Jagna Brahmin from Agra) among the Sikhs, and some outcastes – for instance, the name of Paira Chandal appears in the list of prominent Sikhs. There was a preponderance of Jats (e.g. Randhawa, Khehra, Dhillon, and Pannu sub-castes) among the cultivators, who were followed by members of the artisan castes, notably Tarkhans ('carpenters') and Lohars ('blacksmiths'). In addition, there were Nais ('barbers'), Chhimbas ('cotton-printers'), Machhis ('water-carriers'), Dhobis ('washermen'), Kumhars ('potters'), Telis ('oil pressers'), masons and goldsmiths. The name of a Muslim, Mian Jamal, figures prominently in the list of close associates (hazuri sikhs) of Guru Arjan. It should, however, be emphasized that Bhai Gurdas deals only with the more notable members of the Panth. These leaders will have had their own families, friends, and followers in large numbers from their particular areas, who collectively made up the general constituency of the Panth. On the one hand, there were rich merchants (like Seths and Sarrafs) in cities and towns and Chaudaris ('headmen') in villages; on the other, there were labourers and slaves, with artisans and craftsmen, petty shopkeepers and peasants in between. Not surprisingly, in terms of the social background and the economic means of its members, the Panth was far from homogenous. Nevertheless, the cultural patterns of different sections of Puniabi society played a significant role in the evolution of the Sikh Panth. <a href="9780199087808" target="_blank">9780199087808</a> <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:23">Singh, Pashaura (2006). Life and Work of Guru Arjan: History, Memory, and Biography in the Sikh Tradition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199087808. The 11th var of Bhai Gurdas is extremely useful for assessing the social constituency of the early Panth. Apart from this, there is no other contemporary source which can be used to determine the actual numbers and proportions of various groups within the constitution of the Panth in the period of the early Gurus. Identifying the castes, a general profile of the Panth's leadership may be reconstructed with the help of the 11th var of Bhai Gurdas. In fact, 11 stanzas of this ballad (Var 11:18–28) exclusively provide lists of the actual names and places of prominent followers of Guru Arjan. The Khatri caste (e.g. Sehgal, Ohri, Uppal, Julka, Bhalla, Passi, Khullar, Vohra, Vij, Kapur, Chaddha, Behl, Kohli, Marwah, Mehra, Soni, Jhanjhi, Sodhi, Beri, Nanda, Wadhawan, Tulli, and Puri sub-castes) was particularly prominent among the trading communities, and this was the caste to which all the Gurus belonged. There were certainly some Brahmins (Tiwari Pandit, Wissa, Gopi, and Tulsia of Bhardwaj sub-caste, and Jagna Brahmin from Agra) among the Sikhs, and some outcastes – for instance, the name of Paira Chandal appears in the list of prominent Sikhs. There was a preponderance of Jats (e.g. Randhawa, Khehra, Dhillon, and Pannu sub-castes) among the cultivators, who were followed by members of the artisan castes, notably Tarkhans ('carpenters') and Lohars ('blacksmiths'). In addition, there were Nais ('barbers'), Chhimbas ('cotton-printers'), Machhis ('water-carriers'), Dhobis ('washermen'), Kumhars ('potters'), Telis ('oil pressers'), masons and goldsmiths. The name of a Muslim, Mian Jamal, figures prominently in the list of close associates (hazuri sikhs) of Guru Arjan. It should, however, be emphasized that Bhai Gurdas deals only with the more notable members of the Panth. These leaders will have had their own families, friends, and followers in large numbers from their particular areas, who collectively made up the general constituency of the Panth. On the one hand, there were rich merchants (like Seths and Sarrafs) in cities and towns and Chaudaris ('headmen') in villages; on the other, there were labourers and slaves, with artisans and craftsmen, petty shopkeepers and peasants in between. Not surprisingly, in terms of the social background and the economic means of its members, the Panth was far from homogenous. Nevertheless, the cultural patterns of different sections of Puniabi society played a significant role in the evolution of the Sikh Panth. <a href="9780199087808" target="_blank">9780199087808</a> <a href="#fnref:23" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:24">Singh, Pashaura (2006). Life and Work of Guru Arjan: History, Memory, and Biography in the Sikh Tradition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199087808. The 11th var of Bhai Gurdas is extremely useful for assessing the social constituency of the early Panth. Apart from this, there is no other contemporary source which can be used to determine the actual numbers and proportions of various groups within the constitution of the Panth in the period of the early Gurus. Identifying the castes, a general profile of the Panth's leadership may be reconstructed with the help of the 11th var of Bhai Gurdas. In fact, 11 stanzas of this ballad (Var 11:18–28) exclusively provide lists of the actual names and places of prominent followers of Guru Arjan. The Khatri caste (e.g. Sehgal, Ohri, Uppal, Julka, Bhalla, Passi, Khullar, Vohra, Vij, Kapur, Chaddha, Behl, Kohli, Marwah, Mehra, Soni, Jhanjhi, Sodhi, Beri, Nanda, Wadhawan, Tulli, and Puri sub-castes) was particularly prominent among the trading communities, and this was the caste to which all the Gurus belonged. There were certainly some Brahmins (Tiwari Pandit, Wissa, Gopi, and Tulsia of Bhardwaj sub-caste, and Jagna Brahmin from Agra) among the Sikhs, and some outcastes – for instance, the name of Paira Chandal appears in the list of prominent Sikhs. There was a preponderance of Jats (e.g. Randhawa, Khehra, Dhillon, and Pannu sub-castes) among the cultivators, who were followed by members of the artisan castes, notably Tarkhans ('carpenters') and Lohars ('blacksmiths'). In addition, there were Nais ('barbers'), Chhimbas ('cotton-printers'), Machhis ('water-carriers'), Dhobis ('washermen'), Kumhars ('potters'), Telis ('oil pressers'), masons and goldsmiths. The name of a Muslim, Mian Jamal, figures prominently in the list of close associates (hazuri sikhs) of Guru Arjan. It should, however, be emphasized that Bhai Gurdas deals only with the more notable members of the Panth. These leaders will have had their own families, friends, and followers in large numbers from their particular areas, who collectively made up the general constituency of the Panth. On the one hand, there were rich merchants (like Seths and Sarrafs) in cities and towns and Chaudaris ('headmen') in villages; on the other, there were labourers and slaves, with artisans and craftsmen, petty shopkeepers and peasants in between. Not surprisingly, in terms of the social background and the economic means of its members, the Panth was far from homogenous. Nevertheless, the cultural patterns of different sections of Puniabi society played a significant role in the evolution of the Sikh Panth. <a href="9780199087808" target="_blank">9780199087808</a> <a href="#fnref:24" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:25">Singh, Pashaura (2006). Life and Work of Guru Arjan: History, Memory, and Biography in the Sikh Tradition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199087808. The 11th var of Bhai Gurdas is extremely useful for assessing the social constituency of the early Panth. Apart from this, there is no other contemporary source which can be used to determine the actual numbers and proportions of various groups within the constitution of the Panth in the period of the early Gurus. Identifying the castes, a general profile of the Panth's leadership may be reconstructed with the help of the 11th var of Bhai Gurdas. In fact, 11 stanzas of this ballad (Var 11:18–28) exclusively provide lists of the actual names and places of prominent followers of Guru Arjan. The Khatri caste (e.g. Sehgal, Ohri, Uppal, Julka, Bhalla, Passi, Khullar, Vohra, Vij, Kapur, Chaddha, Behl, Kohli, Marwah, Mehra, Soni, Jhanjhi, Sodhi, Beri, Nanda, Wadhawan, Tulli, and Puri sub-castes) was particularly prominent among the trading communities, and this was the caste to which all the Gurus belonged. There were certainly some Brahmins (Tiwari Pandit, Wissa, Gopi, and Tulsia of Bhardwaj sub-caste, and Jagna Brahmin from Agra) among the Sikhs, and some outcastes – for instance, the name of Paira Chandal appears in the list of prominent Sikhs. There was a preponderance of Jats (e.g. Randhawa, Khehra, Dhillon, and Pannu sub-castes) among the cultivators, who were followed by members of the artisan castes, notably Tarkhans ('carpenters') and Lohars ('blacksmiths'). In addition, there were Nais ('barbers'), Chhimbas ('cotton-printers'), Machhis ('water-carriers'), Dhobis ('washermen'), Kumhars ('potters'), Telis ('oil pressers'), masons and goldsmiths. The name of a Muslim, Mian Jamal, figures prominently in the list of close associates (hazuri sikhs) of Guru Arjan. It should, however, be emphasized that Bhai Gurdas deals only with the more notable members of the Panth. These leaders will have had their own families, friends, and followers in large numbers from their particular areas, who collectively made up the general constituency of the Panth. On the one hand, there were rich merchants (like Seths and Sarrafs) in cities and towns and Chaudaris ('headmen') in villages; on the other, there were labourers and slaves, with artisans and craftsmen, petty shopkeepers and peasants in between. Not surprisingly, in terms of the social background and the economic means of its members, the Panth was far from homogenous. Nevertheless, the cultural patterns of different sections of Puniabi society played a significant role in the evolution of the Sikh Panth. <a href="9780199087808" target="_blank">9780199087808</a> <a href="#fnref:25" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:26">Singh, Pashaura (2006). Life and Work of Guru Arjan: History, Memory, and Biography in the Sikh Tradition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199087808. The 11th var of Bhai Gurdas is extremely useful for assessing the social constituency of the early Panth. Apart from this, there is no other contemporary source which can be used to determine the actual numbers and proportions of various groups within the constitution of the Panth in the period of the early Gurus. Identifying the castes, a general profile of the Panth's leadership may be reconstructed with the help of the 11th var of Bhai Gurdas. In fact, 11 stanzas of this ballad (Var 11:18–28) exclusively provide lists of the actual names and places of prominent followers of Guru Arjan. The Khatri caste (e.g. Sehgal, Ohri, Uppal, Julka, Bhalla, Passi, Khullar, Vohra, Vij, Kapur, Chaddha, Behl, Kohli, Marwah, Mehra, Soni, Jhanjhi, Sodhi, Beri, Nanda, Wadhawan, Tulli, and Puri sub-castes) was particularly prominent among the trading communities, and this was the caste to which all the Gurus belonged. There were certainly some Brahmins (Tiwari Pandit, Wissa, Gopi, and Tulsia of Bhardwaj sub-caste, and Jagna Brahmin from Agra) among the Sikhs, and some outcastes – for instance, the name of Paira Chandal appears in the list of prominent Sikhs. There was a preponderance of Jats (e.g. Randhawa, Khehra, Dhillon, and Pannu sub-castes) among the cultivators, who were followed by members of the artisan castes, notably Tarkhans ('carpenters') and Lohars ('blacksmiths'). In addition, there were Nais ('barbers'), Chhimbas ('cotton-printers'), Machhis ('water-carriers'), Dhobis ('washermen'), Kumhars ('potters'), Telis ('oil pressers'), masons and goldsmiths. The name of a Muslim, Mian Jamal, figures prominently in the list of close associates (hazuri sikhs) of Guru Arjan. It should, however, be emphasized that Bhai Gurdas deals only with the more notable members of the Panth. These leaders will have had their own families, friends, and followers in large numbers from their particular areas, who collectively made up the general constituency of the Panth. On the one hand, there were rich merchants (like Seths and Sarrafs) in cities and towns and Chaudaris ('headmen') in villages; on the other, there were labourers and slaves, with artisans and craftsmen, petty shopkeepers and peasants in between. Not surprisingly, in terms of the social background and the economic means of its members, the Panth was far from homogenous. Nevertheless, the cultural patterns of different sections of Puniabi society played a significant role in the evolution of the Sikh Panth. <a href="9780199087808" target="_blank">9780199087808</a> <a href="#fnref:26" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:27">Singh, Pashaura (2006). Life and Work of Guru Arjan: History, Memory, and Biography in the Sikh Tradition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199087808. The 11th var of Bhai Gurdas is extremely useful for assessing the social constituency of the early Panth. Apart from this, there is no other contemporary source which can be used to determine the actual numbers and proportions of various groups within the constitution of the Panth in the period of the early Gurus. Identifying the castes, a general profile of the Panth's leadership may be reconstructed with the help of the 11th var of Bhai Gurdas. In fact, 11 stanzas of this ballad (Var 11:18–28) exclusively provide lists of the actual names and places of prominent followers of Guru Arjan. The Khatri caste (e.g. Sehgal, Ohri, Uppal, Julka, Bhalla, Passi, Khullar, Vohra, Vij, Kapur, Chaddha, Behl, Kohli, Marwah, Mehra, Soni, Jhanjhi, Sodhi, Beri, Nanda, Wadhawan, Tulli, and Puri sub-castes) was particularly prominent among the trading communities, and this was the caste to which all the Gurus belonged. There were certainly some Brahmins (Tiwari Pandit, Wissa, Gopi, and Tulsia of Bhardwaj sub-caste, and Jagna Brahmin from Agra) among the Sikhs, and some outcastes – for instance, the name of Paira Chandal appears in the list of prominent Sikhs. There was a preponderance of Jats (e.g. Randhawa, Khehra, Dhillon, and Pannu sub-castes) among the cultivators, who were followed by members of the artisan castes, notably Tarkhans ('carpenters') and Lohars ('blacksmiths'). In addition, there were Nais ('barbers'), Chhimbas ('cotton-printers'), Machhis ('water-carriers'), Dhobis ('washermen'), Kumhars ('potters'), Telis ('oil pressers'), masons and goldsmiths. The name of a Muslim, Mian Jamal, figures prominently in the list of close associates (hazuri sikhs) of Guru Arjan. It should, however, be emphasized that Bhai Gurdas deals only with the more notable members of the Panth. These leaders will have had their own families, friends, and followers in large numbers from their particular areas, who collectively made up the general constituency of the Panth. On the one hand, there were rich merchants (like Seths and Sarrafs) in cities and towns and Chaudaris ('headmen') in villages; on the other, there were labourers and slaves, with artisans and craftsmen, petty shopkeepers and peasants in between. Not surprisingly, in terms of the social background and the economic means of its members, the Panth was far from homogenous. Nevertheless, the cultural patterns of different sections of Puniabi society played a significant role in the evolution of the Sikh Panth. <a href="9780199087808" target="_blank">9780199087808</a> <a href="#fnref:27" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:28">Singh, Pashaura (2006). Life and Work of Guru Arjan: History, Memory, and Biography in the Sikh Tradition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199087808. The 11th var of Bhai Gurdas is extremely useful for assessing the social constituency of the early Panth. Apart from this, there is no other contemporary source which can be used to determine the actual numbers and proportions of various groups within the constitution of the Panth in the period of the early Gurus. Identifying the castes, a general profile of the Panth's leadership may be reconstructed with the help of the 11th var of Bhai Gurdas. In fact, 11 stanzas of this ballad (Var 11:18–28) exclusively provide lists of the actual names and places of prominent followers of Guru Arjan. The Khatri caste (e.g. Sehgal, Ohri, Uppal, Julka, Bhalla, Passi, Khullar, Vohra, Vij, Kapur, Chaddha, Behl, Kohli, Marwah, Mehra, Soni, Jhanjhi, Sodhi, Beri, Nanda, Wadhawan, Tulli, and Puri sub-castes) was particularly prominent among the trading communities, and this was the caste to which all the Gurus belonged. There were certainly some Brahmins (Tiwari Pandit, Wissa, Gopi, and Tulsia of Bhardwaj sub-caste, and Jagna Brahmin from Agra) among the Sikhs, and some outcastes – for instance, the name of Paira Chandal appears in the list of prominent Sikhs. There was a preponderance of Jats (e.g. Randhawa, Khehra, Dhillon, and Pannu sub-castes) among the cultivators, who were followed by members of the artisan castes, notably Tarkhans ('carpenters') and Lohars ('blacksmiths'). In addition, there were Nais ('barbers'), Chhimbas ('cotton-printers'), Machhis ('water-carriers'), Dhobis ('washermen'), Kumhars ('potters'), Telis ('oil pressers'), masons and goldsmiths. The name of a Muslim, Mian Jamal, figures prominently in the list of close associates (hazuri sikhs) of Guru Arjan. It should, however, be emphasized that Bhai Gurdas deals only with the more notable members of the Panth. These leaders will have had their own families, friends, and followers in large numbers from their particular areas, who collectively made up the general constituency of the Panth. On the one hand, there were rich merchants (like Seths and Sarrafs) in cities and towns and Chaudaris ('headmen') in villages; on the other, there were labourers and slaves, with artisans and craftsmen, petty shopkeepers and peasants in between. Not surprisingly, in terms of the social background and the economic means of its members, the Panth was far from homogenous. Nevertheless, the cultural patterns of different sections of Puniabi society played a significant role in the evolution of the Sikh Panth. <a href="9780199087808" target="_blank">9780199087808</a> <a href="#fnref:28" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:29">Singh, Pashaura (2006). Life and Work of Guru Arjan: History, Memory, and Biography in the Sikh Tradition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199087808. The 11th var of Bhai Gurdas is extremely useful for assessing the social constituency of the early Panth. Apart from this, there is no other contemporary source which can be used to determine the actual numbers and proportions of various groups within the constitution of the Panth in the period of the early Gurus. Identifying the castes, a general profile of the Panth's leadership may be reconstructed with the help of the 11th var of Bhai Gurdas. In fact, 11 stanzas of this ballad (Var 11:18–28) exclusively provide lists of the actual names and places of prominent followers of Guru Arjan. The Khatri caste (e.g. Sehgal, Ohri, Uppal, Julka, Bhalla, Passi, Khullar, Vohra, Vij, Kapur, Chaddha, Behl, Kohli, Marwah, Mehra, Soni, Jhanjhi, Sodhi, Beri, Nanda, Wadhawan, Tulli, and Puri sub-castes) was particularly prominent among the trading communities, and this was the caste to which all the Gurus belonged. There were certainly some Brahmins (Tiwari Pandit, Wissa, Gopi, and Tulsia of Bhardwaj sub-caste, and Jagna Brahmin from Agra) among the Sikhs, and some outcastes – for instance, the name of Paira Chandal appears in the list of prominent Sikhs. There was a preponderance of Jats (e.g. Randhawa, Khehra, Dhillon, and Pannu sub-castes) among the cultivators, who were followed by members of the artisan castes, notably Tarkhans ('carpenters') and Lohars ('blacksmiths'). In addition, there were Nais ('barbers'), Chhimbas ('cotton-printers'), Machhis ('water-carriers'), Dhobis ('washermen'), Kumhars ('potters'), Telis ('oil pressers'), masons and goldsmiths. The name of a Muslim, Mian Jamal, figures prominently in the list of close associates (hazuri sikhs) of Guru Arjan. It should, however, be emphasized that Bhai Gurdas deals only with the more notable members of the Panth. These leaders will have had their own families, friends, and followers in large numbers from their particular areas, who collectively made up the general constituency of the Panth. On the one hand, there were rich merchants (like Seths and Sarrafs) in cities and towns and Chaudaris ('headmen') in villages; on the other, there were labourers and slaves, with artisans and craftsmen, petty shopkeepers and peasants in between. Not surprisingly, in terms of the social background and the economic means of its members, the Panth was far from homogenous. Nevertheless, the cultural patterns of different sections of Puniabi society played a significant role in the evolution of the Sikh Panth. <a href="9780199087808" target="_blank">9780199087808</a> <a href="#fnref:29" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:30">Singh, Pashaura (2006). Life and Work of Guru Arjan: History, Memory, and Biography in the Sikh Tradition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199087808. The 11th var of Bhai Gurdas is extremely useful for assessing the social constituency of the early Panth. Apart from this, there is no other contemporary source which can be used to determine the actual numbers and proportions of various groups within the constitution of the Panth in the period of the early Gurus. Identifying the castes, a general profile of the Panth's leadership may be reconstructed with the help of the 11th var of Bhai Gurdas. In fact, 11 stanzas of this ballad (Var 11:18–28) exclusively provide lists of the actual names and places of prominent followers of Guru Arjan. The Khatri caste (e.g. Sehgal, Ohri, Uppal, Julka, Bhalla, Passi, Khullar, Vohra, Vij, Kapur, Chaddha, Behl, Kohli, Marwah, Mehra, Soni, Jhanjhi, Sodhi, Beri, Nanda, Wadhawan, Tulli, and Puri sub-castes) was particularly prominent among the trading communities, and this was the caste to which all the Gurus belonged. There were certainly some Brahmins (Tiwari Pandit, Wissa, Gopi, and Tulsia of Bhardwaj sub-caste, and Jagna Brahmin from Agra) among the Sikhs, and some outcastes – for instance, the name of Paira Chandal appears in the list of prominent Sikhs. There was a preponderance of Jats (e.g. Randhawa, Khehra, Dhillon, and Pannu sub-castes) among the cultivators, who were followed by members of the artisan castes, notably Tarkhans ('carpenters') and Lohars ('blacksmiths'). In addition, there were Nais ('barbers'), Chhimbas ('cotton-printers'), Machhis ('water-carriers'), Dhobis ('washermen'), Kumhars ('potters'), Telis ('oil pressers'), masons and goldsmiths. The name of a Muslim, Mian Jamal, figures prominently in the list of close associates (hazuri sikhs) of Guru Arjan. It should, however, be emphasized that Bhai Gurdas deals only with the more notable members of the Panth. These leaders will have had their own families, friends, and followers in large numbers from their particular areas, who collectively made up the general constituency of the Panth. On the one hand, there were rich merchants (like Seths and Sarrafs) in cities and towns and Chaudaris ('headmen') in villages; on the other, there were labourers and slaves, with artisans and craftsmen, petty shopkeepers and peasants in between. Not surprisingly, in terms of the social background and the economic means of its members, the Panth was far from homogenous. Nevertheless, the cultural patterns of different sections of Puniabi society played a significant role in the evolution of the Sikh Panth. <a href="9780199087808" target="_blank">9780199087808</a> <a href="#fnref:30" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:31">Singh, Pashaura (2006). Life and Work of Guru Arjan: History, Memory, and Biography in the Sikh Tradition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199087808. The 11th var of Bhai Gurdas is extremely useful for assessing the social constituency of the early Panth. Apart from this, there is no other contemporary source which can be used to determine the actual numbers and proportions of various groups within the constitution of the Panth in the period of the early Gurus. Identifying the castes, a general profile of the Panth's leadership may be reconstructed with the help of the 11th var of Bhai Gurdas. In fact, 11 stanzas of this ballad (Var 11:18–28) exclusively provide lists of the actual names and places of prominent followers of Guru Arjan. The Khatri caste (e.g. Sehgal, Ohri, Uppal, Julka, Bhalla, Passi, Khullar, Vohra, Vij, Kapur, Chaddha, Behl, Kohli, Marwah, Mehra, Soni, Jhanjhi, Sodhi, Beri, Nanda, Wadhawan, Tulli, and Puri sub-castes) was particularly prominent among the trading communities, and this was the caste to which all the Gurus belonged. There were certainly some Brahmins (Tiwari Pandit, Wissa, Gopi, and Tulsia of Bhardwaj sub-caste, and Jagna Brahmin from Agra) among the Sikhs, and some outcastes – for instance, the name of Paira Chandal appears in the list of prominent Sikhs. There was a preponderance of Jats (e.g. Randhawa, Khehra, Dhillon, and Pannu sub-castes) among the cultivators, who were followed by members of the artisan castes, notably Tarkhans ('carpenters') and Lohars ('blacksmiths'). In addition, there were Nais ('barbers'), Chhimbas ('cotton-printers'), Machhis ('water-carriers'), Dhobis ('washermen'), Kumhars ('potters'), Telis ('oil pressers'), masons and goldsmiths. The name of a Muslim, Mian Jamal, figures prominently in the list of close associates (hazuri sikhs) of Guru Arjan. It should, however, be emphasized that Bhai Gurdas deals only with the more notable members of the Panth. These leaders will have had their own families, friends, and followers in large numbers from their particular areas, who collectively made up the general constituency of the Panth. On the one hand, there were rich merchants (like Seths and Sarrafs) in cities and towns and Chaudaris ('headmen') in villages; on the other, there were labourers and slaves, with artisans and craftsmen, petty shopkeepers and peasants in between. Not surprisingly, in terms of the social background and the economic means of its members, the Panth was far from homogenous. Nevertheless, the cultural patterns of different sections of Puniabi society played a significant role in the evolution of the Sikh Panth. <a href="9780199087808" target="_blank">9780199087808</a> <a href="#fnref:31" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:32">Singh, Pashaura (2006). Life and Work of Guru Arjan: History, Memory, and Biography in the Sikh Tradition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199087808. The 11th var of Bhai Gurdas is extremely useful for assessing the social constituency of the early Panth. Apart from this, there is no other contemporary source which can be used to determine the actual numbers and proportions of various groups within the constitution of the Panth in the period of the early Gurus. Identifying the castes, a general profile of the Panth's leadership may be reconstructed with the help of the 11th var of Bhai Gurdas. In fact, 11 stanzas of this ballad (Var 11:18–28) exclusively provide lists of the actual names and places of prominent followers of Guru Arjan. The Khatri caste (e.g. Sehgal, Ohri, Uppal, Julka, Bhalla, Passi, Khullar, Vohra, Vij, Kapur, Chaddha, Behl, Kohli, Marwah, Mehra, Soni, Jhanjhi, Sodhi, Beri, Nanda, Wadhawan, Tulli, and Puri sub-castes) was particularly prominent among the trading communities, and this was the caste to which all the Gurus belonged. There were certainly some Brahmins (Tiwari Pandit, Wissa, Gopi, and Tulsia of Bhardwaj sub-caste, and Jagna Brahmin from Agra) among the Sikhs, and some outcastes – for instance, the name of Paira Chandal appears in the list of prominent Sikhs. There was a preponderance of Jats (e.g. Randhawa, Khehra, Dhillon, and Pannu sub-castes) among the cultivators, who were followed by members of the artisan castes, notably Tarkhans ('carpenters') and Lohars ('blacksmiths'). In addition, there were Nais ('barbers'), Chhimbas ('cotton-printers'), Machhis ('water-carriers'), Dhobis ('washermen'), Kumhars ('potters'), Telis ('oil pressers'), masons and goldsmiths. The name of a Muslim, Mian Jamal, figures prominently in the list of close associates (hazuri sikhs) of Guru Arjan. It should, however, be emphasized that Bhai Gurdas deals only with the more notable members of the Panth. These leaders will have had their own families, friends, and followers in large numbers from their particular areas, who collectively made up the general constituency of the Panth. On the one hand, there were rich merchants (like Seths and Sarrafs) in cities and towns and Chaudaris ('headmen') in villages; on the other, there were labourers and slaves, with artisans and craftsmen, petty shopkeepers and peasants in between. Not surprisingly, in terms of the social background and the economic means of its members, the Panth was far from homogenous. Nevertheless, the cultural patterns of different sections of Puniabi society played a significant role in the evolution of the Sikh Panth. <a href="9780199087808" target="_blank">9780199087808</a> <a href="#fnref:32" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:33">Singh, Pashaura (2006). Life and Work of Guru Arjan: History, Memory, and Biography in the Sikh Tradition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199087808. The 11th var of Bhai Gurdas is extremely useful for assessing the social constituency of the early Panth. Apart from this, there is no other contemporary source which can be used to determine the actual numbers and proportions of various groups within the constitution of the Panth in the period of the early Gurus. Identifying the castes, a general profile of the Panth's leadership may be reconstructed with the help of the 11th var of Bhai Gurdas. In fact, 11 stanzas of this ballad (Var 11:18–28) exclusively provide lists of the actual names and places of prominent followers of Guru Arjan. The Khatri caste (e.g. Sehgal, Ohri, Uppal, Julka, Bhalla, Passi, Khullar, Vohra, Vij, Kapur, Chaddha, Behl, Kohli, Marwah, Mehra, Soni, Jhanjhi, Sodhi, Beri, Nanda, Wadhawan, Tulli, and Puri sub-castes) was particularly prominent among the trading communities, and this was the caste to which all the Gurus belonged. There were certainly some Brahmins (Tiwari Pandit, Wissa, Gopi, and Tulsia of Bhardwaj sub-caste, and Jagna Brahmin from Agra) among the Sikhs, and some outcastes – for instance, the name of Paira Chandal appears in the list of prominent Sikhs. There was a preponderance of Jats (e.g. Randhawa, Khehra, Dhillon, and Pannu sub-castes) among the cultivators, who were followed by members of the artisan castes, notably Tarkhans ('carpenters') and Lohars ('blacksmiths'). In addition, there were Nais ('barbers'), Chhimbas ('cotton-printers'), Machhis ('water-carriers'), Dhobis ('washermen'), Kumhars ('potters'), Telis ('oil pressers'), masons and goldsmiths. The name of a Muslim, Mian Jamal, figures prominently in the list of close associates (hazuri sikhs) of Guru Arjan. It should, however, be emphasized that Bhai Gurdas deals only with the more notable members of the Panth. These leaders will have had their own families, friends, and followers in large numbers from their particular areas, who collectively made up the general constituency of the Panth. On the one hand, there were rich merchants (like Seths and Sarrafs) in cities and towns and Chaudaris ('headmen') in villages; on the other, there were labourers and slaves, with artisans and craftsmen, petty shopkeepers and peasants in between. Not surprisingly, in terms of the social background and the economic means of its members, the Panth was far from homogenous. Nevertheless, the cultural patterns of different sections of Puniabi society played a significant role in the evolution of the Sikh Panth. <a href="9780199087808" target="_blank">9780199087808</a> <a href="#fnref:33" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:34">Singh, Pashaura (2006). Life and Work of Guru Arjan: History, Memory, and Biography in the Sikh Tradition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199087808. The 11th var of Bhai Gurdas is extremely useful for assessing the social constituency of the early Panth. Apart from this, there is no other contemporary source which can be used to determine the actual numbers and proportions of various groups within the constitution of the Panth in the period of the early Gurus. Identifying the castes, a general profile of the Panth's leadership may be reconstructed with the help of the 11th var of Bhai Gurdas. In fact, 11 stanzas of this ballad (Var 11:18–28) exclusively provide lists of the actual names and places of prominent followers of Guru Arjan. The Khatri caste (e.g. Sehgal, Ohri, Uppal, Julka, Bhalla, Passi, Khullar, Vohra, Vij, Kapur, Chaddha, Behl, Kohli, Marwah, Mehra, Soni, Jhanjhi, Sodhi, Beri, Nanda, Wadhawan, Tulli, and Puri sub-castes) was particularly prominent among the trading communities, and this was the caste to which all the Gurus belonged. There were certainly some Brahmins (Tiwari Pandit, Wissa, Gopi, and Tulsia of Bhardwaj sub-caste, and Jagna Brahmin from Agra) among the Sikhs, and some outcastes – for instance, the name of Paira Chandal appears in the list of prominent Sikhs. There was a preponderance of Jats (e.g. Randhawa, Khehra, Dhillon, and Pannu sub-castes) among the cultivators, who were followed by members of the artisan castes, notably Tarkhans ('carpenters') and Lohars ('blacksmiths'). In addition, there were Nais ('barbers'), Chhimbas ('cotton-printers'), Machhis ('water-carriers'), Dhobis ('washermen'), Kumhars ('potters'), Telis ('oil pressers'), masons and goldsmiths. The name of a Muslim, Mian Jamal, figures prominently in the list of close associates (hazuri sikhs) of Guru Arjan. It should, however, be emphasized that Bhai Gurdas deals only with the more notable members of the Panth. These leaders will have had their own families, friends, and followers in large numbers from their particular areas, who collectively made up the general constituency of the Panth. On the one hand, there were rich merchants (like Seths and Sarrafs) in cities and towns and Chaudaris ('headmen') in villages; on the other, there were labourers and slaves, with artisans and craftsmen, petty shopkeepers and peasants in between. Not surprisingly, in terms of the social background and the economic means of its members, the Panth was far from homogenous. Nevertheless, the cultural patterns of different sections of Puniabi society played a significant role in the evolution of the Sikh Panth. <a href="9780199087808" target="_blank">9780199087808</a> <a href="#fnref:34" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:35">Singh, Pashaura (2006). Life and Work of Guru Arjan: History, Memory, and Biography in the Sikh Tradition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199087808. The 11th var of Bhai Gurdas is extremely useful for assessing the social constituency of the early Panth. Apart from this, there is no other contemporary source which can be used to determine the actual numbers and proportions of various groups within the constitution of the Panth in the period of the early Gurus. Identifying the castes, a general profile of the Panth's leadership may be reconstructed with the help of the 11th var of Bhai Gurdas. In fact, 11 stanzas of this ballad (Var 11:18–28) exclusively provide lists of the actual names and places of prominent followers of Guru Arjan. The Khatri caste (e.g. Sehgal, Ohri, Uppal, Julka, Bhalla, Passi, Khullar, Vohra, Vij, Kapur, Chaddha, Behl, Kohli, Marwah, Mehra, Soni, Jhanjhi, Sodhi, Beri, Nanda, Wadhawan, Tulli, and Puri sub-castes) was particularly prominent among the trading communities, and this was the caste to which all the Gurus belonged. There were certainly some Brahmins (Tiwari Pandit, Wissa, Gopi, and Tulsia of Bhardwaj sub-caste, and Jagna Brahmin from Agra) among the Sikhs, and some outcastes – for instance, the name of Paira Chandal appears in the list of prominent Sikhs. There was a preponderance of Jats (e.g. Randhawa, Khehra, Dhillon, and Pannu sub-castes) among the cultivators, who were followed by members of the artisan castes, notably Tarkhans ('carpenters') and Lohars ('blacksmiths'). In addition, there were Nais ('barbers'), Chhimbas ('cotton-printers'), Machhis ('water-carriers'), Dhobis ('washermen'), Kumhars ('potters'), Telis ('oil pressers'), masons and goldsmiths. The name of a Muslim, Mian Jamal, figures prominently in the list of close associates (hazuri sikhs) of Guru Arjan. It should, however, be emphasized that Bhai Gurdas deals only with the more notable members of the Panth. These leaders will have had their own families, friends, and followers in large numbers from their particular areas, who collectively made up the general constituency of the Panth. On the one hand, there were rich merchants (like Seths and Sarrafs) in cities and towns and Chaudaris ('headmen') in villages; on the other, there were labourers and slaves, with artisans and craftsmen, petty shopkeepers and peasants in between. Not surprisingly, in terms of the social background and the economic means of its members, the Panth was far from homogenous. Nevertheless, the cultural patterns of different sections of Puniabi society played a significant role in the evolution of the Sikh Panth. <a href="9780199087808" target="_blank">9780199087808</a> <a href="#fnref:35" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:36">Singh, Pashaura (2006). Life and Work of Guru Arjan: History, Memory, and Biography in the Sikh Tradition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199087808. The 11th var of Bhai Gurdas is extremely useful for assessing the social constituency of the early Panth. Apart from this, there is no other contemporary source which can be used to determine the actual numbers and proportions of various groups within the constitution of the Panth in the period of the early Gurus. Identifying the castes, a general profile of the Panth's leadership may be reconstructed with the help of the 11th var of Bhai Gurdas. In fact, 11 stanzas of this ballad (Var 11:18–28) exclusively provide lists of the actual names and places of prominent followers of Guru Arjan. The Khatri caste (e.g. Sehgal, Ohri, Uppal, Julka, Bhalla, Passi, Khullar, Vohra, Vij, Kapur, Chaddha, Behl, Kohli, Marwah, Mehra, Soni, Jhanjhi, Sodhi, Beri, Nanda, Wadhawan, Tulli, and Puri sub-castes) was particularly prominent among the trading communities, and this was the caste to which all the Gurus belonged. There were certainly some Brahmins (Tiwari Pandit, Wissa, Gopi, and Tulsia of Bhardwaj sub-caste, and Jagna Brahmin from Agra) among the Sikhs, and some outcastes – for instance, the name of Paira Chandal appears in the list of prominent Sikhs. There was a preponderance of Jats (e.g. Randhawa, Khehra, Dhillon, and Pannu sub-castes) among the cultivators, who were followed by members of the artisan castes, notably Tarkhans ('carpenters') and Lohars ('blacksmiths'). In addition, there were Nais ('barbers'), Chhimbas ('cotton-printers'), Machhis ('water-carriers'), Dhobis ('washermen'), Kumhars ('potters'), Telis ('oil pressers'), masons and goldsmiths. The name of a Muslim, Mian Jamal, figures prominently in the list of close associates (hazuri sikhs) of Guru Arjan. It should, however, be emphasized that Bhai Gurdas deals only with the more notable members of the Panth. These leaders will have had their own families, friends, and followers in large numbers from their particular areas, who collectively made up the general constituency of the Panth. On the one hand, there were rich merchants (like Seths and Sarrafs) in cities and towns and Chaudaris ('headmen') in villages; on the other, there were labourers and slaves, with artisans and craftsmen, petty shopkeepers and peasants in between. Not surprisingly, in terms of the social background and the economic means of its members, the Panth was far from homogenous. Nevertheless, the cultural patterns of different sections of Puniabi society played a significant role in the evolution of the Sikh Panth. <a href="9780199087808" target="_blank">9780199087808</a> <a href="#fnref:36" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:37">Singh, Pashaura (2006). Life and Work of Guru Arjan: History, Memory, and Biography in the Sikh Tradition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199087808. The 11th var of Bhai Gurdas is extremely useful for assessing the social constituency of the early Panth. Apart from this, there is no other contemporary source which can be used to determine the actual numbers and proportions of various groups within the constitution of the Panth in the period of the early Gurus. Identifying the castes, a general profile of the Panth's leadership may be reconstructed with the help of the 11th var of Bhai Gurdas. In fact, 11 stanzas of this ballad (Var 11:18–28) exclusively provide lists of the actual names and places of prominent followers of Guru Arjan. The Khatri caste (e.g. Sehgal, Ohri, Uppal, Julka, Bhalla, Passi, Khullar, Vohra, Vij, Kapur, Chaddha, Behl, Kohli, Marwah, Mehra, Soni, Jhanjhi, Sodhi, Beri, Nanda, Wadhawan, Tulli, and Puri sub-castes) was particularly prominent among the trading communities, and this was the caste to which all the Gurus belonged. There were certainly some Brahmins (Tiwari Pandit, Wissa, Gopi, and Tulsia of Bhardwaj sub-caste, and Jagna Brahmin from Agra) among the Sikhs, and some outcastes – for instance, the name of Paira Chandal appears in the list of prominent Sikhs. There was a preponderance of Jats (e.g. Randhawa, Khehra, Dhillon, and Pannu sub-castes) among the cultivators, who were followed by members of the artisan castes, notably Tarkhans ('carpenters') and Lohars ('blacksmiths'). In addition, there were Nais ('barbers'), Chhimbas ('cotton-printers'), Machhis ('water-carriers'), Dhobis ('washermen'), Kumhars ('potters'), Telis ('oil pressers'), masons and goldsmiths. The name of a Muslim, Mian Jamal, figures prominently in the list of close associates (hazuri sikhs) of Guru Arjan. It should, however, be emphasized that Bhai Gurdas deals only with the more notable members of the Panth. These leaders will have had their own families, friends, and followers in large numbers from their particular areas, who collectively made up the general constituency of the Panth. On the one hand, there were rich merchants (like Seths and Sarrafs) in cities and towns and Chaudaris ('headmen') in villages; on the other, there were labourers and slaves, with artisans and craftsmen, petty shopkeepers and peasants in between. Not surprisingly, in terms of the social background and the economic means of its members, the Panth was far from homogenous. Nevertheless, the cultural patterns of different sections of Puniabi society played a significant role in the evolution of the Sikh Panth. <a href="9780199087808" target="_blank">9780199087808</a> <a href="#fnref:37" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:38">Singh, Pashaura (2006). Life and Work of Guru Arjan: History, Memory, and Biography in the Sikh Tradition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199087808. The 11th var of Bhai Gurdas is extremely useful for assessing the social constituency of the early Panth. Apart from this, there is no other contemporary source which can be used to determine the actual numbers and proportions of various groups within the constitution of the Panth in the period of the early Gurus. Identifying the castes, a general profile of the Panth's leadership may be reconstructed with the help of the 11th var of Bhai Gurdas. In fact, 11 stanzas of this ballad (Var 11:18–28) exclusively provide lists of the actual names and places of prominent followers of Guru Arjan. The Khatri caste (e.g. Sehgal, Ohri, Uppal, Julka, Bhalla, Passi, Khullar, Vohra, Vij, Kapur, Chaddha, Behl, Kohli, Marwah, Mehra, Soni, Jhanjhi, Sodhi, Beri, Nanda, Wadhawan, Tulli, and Puri sub-castes) was particularly prominent among the trading communities, and this was the caste to which all the Gurus belonged. There were certainly some Brahmins (Tiwari Pandit, Wissa, Gopi, and Tulsia of Bhardwaj sub-caste, and Jagna Brahmin from Agra) among the Sikhs, and some outcastes – for instance, the name of Paira Chandal appears in the list of prominent Sikhs. There was a preponderance of Jats (e.g. Randhawa, Khehra, Dhillon, and Pannu sub-castes) among the cultivators, who were followed by members of the artisan castes, notably Tarkhans ('carpenters') and Lohars ('blacksmiths'). In addition, there were Nais ('barbers'), Chhimbas ('cotton-printers'), Machhis ('water-carriers'), Dhobis ('washermen'), Kumhars ('potters'), Telis ('oil pressers'), masons and goldsmiths. The name of a Muslim, Mian Jamal, figures prominently in the list of close associates (hazuri sikhs) of Guru Arjan. It should, however, be emphasized that Bhai Gurdas deals only with the more notable members of the Panth. These leaders will have had their own families, friends, and followers in large numbers from their particular areas, who collectively made up the general constituency of the Panth. On the one hand, there were rich merchants (like Seths and Sarrafs) in cities and towns and Chaudaris ('headmen') in villages; on the other, there were labourers and slaves, with artisans and craftsmen, petty shopkeepers and peasants in between. Not surprisingly, in terms of the social background and the economic means of its members, the Panth was far from homogenous. Nevertheless, the cultural patterns of different sections of Puniabi society played a significant role in the evolution of the Sikh Panth. <a href="9780199087808" target="_blank">9780199087808</a> <a href="#fnref:38" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:39">McLeod, Hew (1987). "Sikhs and Muslims in the Punjab". South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies. 22 (s1): 155–165. doi:10.1080/00856408708723379. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:39" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:40">"The Sikh-Mughal Wars". dvnetwork.org. Archived from the original on 24 March 2025. Retrieved 3 June 2025. <a href="https://dvnetwork.org/page/the-sikh-mughal-wars" target="_blank">https://dvnetwork.org/page/the-sikh-mughal-wars</a> <a href="#fnref:40" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:41">Lafont, Jean-Marie (16 May 2002). Maharaja Ranjit Singh: Lord of the Five Rivers (French Sources of Indian History Sources). New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 23–29. ISBN 0-19-566111-7. <a href="0-19-566111-7" target="_blank">0-19-566111-7</a> <a href="#fnref:41" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:42">Ballantyne, Tony (2006). Between Colonialism and Diaspora: Sikh Cultural Formations in an Imperial World. United states: Duke University Press. p. 66. ISBN 0822388111. Retrieved 21 January 2015. <a href="0822388111" target="_blank">0822388111</a> <a href="#fnref:42" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:43">Cohn, Bernard S (1996). Colonialism and Its Forms of Knowledge: The British in India. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. pp. 107–109. ISBN 0691000433. Retrieved 26 January 2015. <a href="0691000433" target="_blank">0691000433</a> <a href="#fnref:43" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:44">Oberoi, Harjot (1994). The Construction of Religious Boundaries: Culture, Identity, and Diversity in the Sikh Tradition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 494. ISBN 9780226615929. Retrieved 18 September 2013. <a href="9780226615929" target="_blank">9780226615929</a> <a href="#fnref:44" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:45">Nesbitt, Eleanor (2005). Sikhism: A Very Short Introduction. Very Short Introductions. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-280601-7. Retrieved 14 January 2016 – via Google Books. <a href="0-19-280601-7" target="_blank">0-19-280601-7</a> <a href="#fnref:45" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:46">"An undivided India?". NDTV. 29 August 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2020. <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/video/news/the-big-fight/an-undivided-india-100356" target="_blank">https://www.ndtv.com/video/news/the-big-fight/an-undivided-india-100356</a> <a href="#fnref:46" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:47">Kudaisya, Gyanesh; Yong, Tan Tai (2004). The Aftermath of Partition in South Asia. Abingdon-on-Thames, England: Routledge. p. 100. ISBN 978-1-134-44048-1. No sooner was it made public than the Sikhs launched a virulent campaign against the Lahore Resolution. Pakistan was portrayed as a possible return to an unhappy past when Sikhs were persecuted and Muslims the persecutor. Public speeches by various Sikh political leaders on the subject of Pakistan invariably raised images of atrocities committed by Muslims on Sikhs and of the martyrdom of their gurus and heroes. Reactions to the Lahore Resolution were uniformly negative and Sikh leaders of all political persuasions made it clear that Pakistan would be "wholeheartedly resisted". The Shiromani Akali Dal, the party with a substantial following amongst the rural Sikhs, organized several well-attended conferences in Lahore to condemn the Muslim League. Master Tara Singh, leader of the Akali Dal, declared that his party would fight Pakistan "tooth and nail". Not be outdone, other Sikh political organizations, rivals to the Akali Dal, namely the Central Khalsa Young Men Union and the moderate and loyalist Chief Khalsa Dewan, declared in equally strong language their unequivocal opposition to the Pakistan scheme. <a href="978-1-134-44048-1" target="_blank">978-1-134-44048-1</a> <a href="#fnref:47" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:48">Abid, Abdul Majeed (29 December 2014). "The forgotten massacre". The Nation. On the same dates, Muslim League-led mobs fell with determination and full preparations on the helpless Hindus and Sikhs scattered in the villages of Multan, Rawalpindi, Campbellpur, Jhelum and Sargodha. The murderous mobs were well supplied with arms, such as daggers, swords, spears, and firearms. (A former civil servant mentioned in his autobiography that weapon supplies had been sent from NWFP and money was supplied by Delhi-based politicians.) They had bands of stabbers and their auxiliaries, who covered the assailant, ambushed the victim and if necessary disposed of his body. These bands were subsidized monetarily by the Muslim League, and cash payments were made to individual assassins based on the numbers of Hindus and Sikhs killed. There were also regular patrolling parties in jeeps that went about sniping and picking off any stray Hindu or Sikh. ... Thousands of non-combatants including women and children were killed or injured by mobs, supported by the All India Muslim League. <a href="https://nation.com.pk/29-Dec-2014/the-forgotten-massacre" target="_blank">https://nation.com.pk/29-Dec-2014/the-forgotten-massacre</a> <a href="#fnref:48" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:49">Dutt, Amitava; Devgun, Surinder (23 September 1977). "Diffusion of Sikhism and recent migration patterns of Sikhs in India". GeoJournal. 1 (5): 81–89. doi:10.1007/BF00704966. ISSN 1572-9893. S2CID 189881872. [dead link] <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:49" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:50">Doad 1997, p. 392. sfn error: no target: CITEREFDoad1997 (help) <a href="#fnref:50" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:51">Grewal 1998, p. 186. sfn error: no target: CITEREFGrewal1998 (help) <a href="#fnref:51" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:52">Deol 2000, p. 93. sfn error: no target: CITEREFDeol2000 (help) <a href="#fnref:52" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:53">Deol 2000, p. 96. sfn error: no target: CITEREFDeol2000 (help) <a href="#fnref:53" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:54">Grewal 1998, p. 188. sfn error: no target: CITEREFGrewal1998 (help) <a href="#fnref:54" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:55">Dhillon, Kirpal S. (2006). Identity and Survival: Sikh Militancy in India, 1978–1993. London, United Kingdom: Penguin Books. p. 60. ISBN 9780143100362. <a href="9780143100362" target="_blank">9780143100362</a> <a href="#fnref:55" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:56">Bal 1985, p. 426. sfn error: no target: CITEREFBal1985 (help) <a href="#fnref:56" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:57">Bal 1985, p. 426. sfn error: no target: CITEREFBal1985 (help) <a href="#fnref:57" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:58">Grewal 1998, p. 189. sfn error: no target: CITEREFGrewal1998 (help) <a href="#fnref:58" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:59">Grewal 1998, p. 189. sfn error: no target: CITEREFGrewal1998 (help) <a href="#fnref:59" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:60">Grewal 1998, p. 189. sfn error: no target: CITEREFGrewal1998 (help) <a href="#fnref:60" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:61">Ray, Jayanta Kumar (2007), Aspects of India's International Relations, 1700 to 2000: South Asia and the World, Pearson Education India, p. 484, ISBN 978-81-317-0834-7 <a href="978-81-317-0834-7" target="_blank">978-81-317-0834-7</a> <a href="#fnref:61" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:62">Singh, Atamjit. "The Language Divide in Punjab". South Asian Graduate Research Journal. 4 (1, Spring 1997). Apna. Retrieved 4 April 2013. <a href="http://www.apnaorg.com/book-chapters/language/" target="_blank">http://www.apnaorg.com/book-chapters/language/</a> <a href="#fnref:62" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:63">Grewal 1998, p. 205. sfn error: no target: CITEREFGrewal1998 (help) <a href="#fnref:63" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:64">Dutta, Swarup (June 2012). "Green Revolution Revisited: The Contemporary Agrarian Situation in Punjab, India". Social Change. 42 (2): 229–247. doi:10.1177/004908571204200205. ISSN 0049-0857. S2CID 55847236. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:64" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:65">Sumit Ganguly; Larry Diamond; Marc F. Plattner (2007). The State of India's Democracy. JHU Press. p. 56. ISBN 978-0-8018-8791-8. Retrieved 18 August 2013. <a href="978-0-8018-8791-8" target="_blank">978-0-8018-8791-8</a> <a href="#fnref:65" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:66">Ray, Jayanta Kumar (2007), Aspects of India's International Relations, 1700 to 2000: South Asia and the World, Pearson Education India, p. 484, ISBN 978-81-317-0834-7 <a href="978-81-317-0834-7" target="_blank">978-81-317-0834-7</a> <a href="#fnref:66" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:67">Karim 1991, p. 30. sfn error: no target: CITEREFKarim1991 (help) <a href="#fnref:67" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:68">Ray, Jayanta Kumar (2007), Aspects of India's International Relations, 1700 to 2000: South Asia and the World, Pearson Education India, p. 484, ISBN 978-81-317-0834-7 <a href="978-81-317-0834-7" target="_blank">978-81-317-0834-7</a> <a href="#fnref:68" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:69">Akshayakumar Ramanlal Desai (1991). Expanding Governmental Lawlessness and Organized Struggles. Popular Prakashan. pp. 64–66. ISBN 978-81-7154-529-2. <a href="978-81-7154-529-2" target="_blank">978-81-7154-529-2</a> <a href="#fnref:69" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:70">Bakke 2015, p. 143. sfn error: no target: CITEREFBakke2015 (help) <a href="#fnref:70" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:71">Bakke 2015, p. 143. sfn error: no target: CITEREFBakke2015 (help) <a href="#fnref:71" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:72">Karim 1991, pp. 32–33. sfn error: no target: CITEREFKarim1991 (help) <a href="#fnref:72" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:73">Karim 1991, pp. 32–33. sfn error: no target: CITEREFKarim1991 (help) <a href="#fnref:73" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:74">Pettigrew, Joyce (1987). "In Search of a New Kingdom of Lahore". Pacific Affairs. 60 (1): 24. doi:10.2307/2758827. JSTOR 2758827. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:74" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:75">Dhillon, Gurdarshan Singh (1996). Truth about Punjab: SGPC White Paper (1st ed.). Amritsar, Punjab: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. p. 198. ISBN 978-0836456547. <a href="978-0836456547" target="_blank">978-0836456547</a> <a href="#fnref:75" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:76">Grewal 1998, p. 226. sfn error: no target: CITEREFGrewal1998 (help) <a href="#fnref:76" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:77">Pace, Eric (1 November 1984). "Assassination in India: Sikhs at the centre of the drama; Sikh separation dates back to '47". The New York Times. p. 24. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1984/11/01/world/assassination-india-sikhs-center-drama-sikh-separation-dates-back-47.html" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/1984/11/01/world/assassination-india-sikhs-center-drama-sikh-separation-dates-back-47.html</a> <a href="#fnref:77" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:78">"Canada Post to honour Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp". Tribune India. The Tribune. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2013. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210129050454/https://www.tribuneindia.com/error/Error404?aspxerrorpath=%2Fkhalsa%2Fpage16.htm" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20210129050454/https://www.tribuneindia.com/error/Error404?aspxerrorpath=%2Fkhalsa%2Fpage16.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:78" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:79">"The Magnificence of Sikh Architecture". Archived from the original on 14 December 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2008. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071214193843/http://www.punjabheritage.org/catagories/architectural-heritage/the-magnificence-of-sikh-architecture.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20071214193843/http://www.punjabheritage.org/catagories/architectural-heritage/the-magnificence-of-sikh-architecture.html</a> <a href="#fnref:79" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:80">"Memorandum Regarding the Tabulation of Sikh Ethnicity in the United States Census" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 February 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140224220633/http://www.unitedsikhs.org/petitions/Memo%20re%20Sikh%20Ethnicity.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20140224220633/http://www.unitedsikhs.org/petitions/Memo%20re%20Sikh%20Ethnicity.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:80" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:81">Sian, Katy (2013). Unsettling Sikh and Muslim Conflict: Mistaken Identities, Forced Conversions, and Postcolonial Formations. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 32. ISBN 9780739178744. <a href="9780739178744" target="_blank">9780739178744</a> <a href="#fnref:81" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:82">Srivastava, R. P. (1983). Punjab Painting: Study in Art and Culture. Abhinav Publications. p. 13. ISBN 9788170171744. <a href="9788170171744" target="_blank">9788170171744</a> <a href="#fnref:82" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:83">"Golden Temple (Sri Harmandir Sahib) | EBSCO Research Starters". www.ebsco.com. Retrieved 22 June 2025. <a href="https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/literature-and-writing/golden-temple-sri-harmandir-sahib" target="_blank">https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/literature-and-writing/golden-temple-sri-harmandir-sahib</a> <a href="#fnref:83" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:84">"Art and Culture of the Diaspora". Retrieved 4 April 2008. <a href="http://www.sikhchic.com/" target="_blank">http://www.sikhchic.com/</a> <a href="#fnref:84" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:85">"Singh Twins Art Launches Liverpool Fest". Retrieved 4 April 2008. <a href="http://sikhchic.com/article-detail.php?id=168&cat=1" target="_blank">http://sikhchic.com/article-detail.php?id=168&cat=1</a> <a href="#fnref:85" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:86">"Bhangra & Sikhi by Harjinder Singh". Retrieved 4 April 2008. <a href="http://www.sikhwomen.com/sikhism/culture_arts/bhangra.htm" target="_blank">http://www.sikhwomen.com/sikhism/culture_arts/bhangra.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:86" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:87">"Guru Nanak Math On Verge Of Vanishing". New Spotlight Magazine. Nepal. Retrieved 19 March 2022. <a href="https://www.spotlightnepal.com/2019/08/02/guru-nanak-math-verge-vanishing/" target="_blank">https://www.spotlightnepal.com/2019/08/02/guru-nanak-math-verge-vanishing/</a> <a href="#fnref:87" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:88">"Gurudwara Guru Nanak Math, Kathmandu". World Gurudwaras. Retrieved 19 March 2022. <a href="https://www.worldgurudwaras.com/gurudwaras/gurudwara-guru-nanak-math-kathmandu/" target="_blank">https://www.worldgurudwaras.com/gurudwaras/gurudwara-guru-nanak-math-kathmandu/</a> <a href="#fnref:88" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:89">"Sri Guru Granth Sahib Translation". Sikhs.org. p. 305. Retrieved 29 January 2016. <a href="http://www.sikhs.org/english/eg28.htm" target="_blank">http://www.sikhs.org/english/eg28.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:89" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:90">"Sikh Reht Maryada, the Definition of Sikh, Sikh Conduct & Conventions, Sikh Religion Living, India". <a href="https://old.sgpc.net/rehat_maryada/section_six.html" target="_blank">https://old.sgpc.net/rehat_maryada/section_six.html</a> <a href="#fnref:90" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:91">"Sikh Reht Maryada, The Definition of Sikh, Sikh Conduct & Conventions, Sikh Religion Living, India". old.sgpc.net. Archived from the original on 6 January 2024. Retrieved 5 April 2022. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240106033711/https://old.sgpc.net/rehat_maryada/section_one.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20240106033711/https://old.sgpc.net/rehat_maryada/section_one.html</a> <a href="#fnref:91" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:92">"Sikh Reht Maryada, The Definition of Sikh, Sikh Conduct & Conventions, Sikh Religion Living, India". old.sgpc.net. <a href="https://old.sgpc.net/rehat_maryada/section_three_chap_five.html" target="_blank">https://old.sgpc.net/rehat_maryada/section_three_chap_five.html</a> <a href="#fnref:92" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:93">Nesbitt, Eleanor (2005). Sikhism: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press. pp. 40–43. ISBN 978-0-19-280601-7. <a href="978-0-19-280601-7" target="_blank">978-0-19-280601-7</a> <a href="#fnref:93" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:94">Kinnvall, Catarina (2007). Globalization and Religious Nationalism in India. Routledge. ISBN 9781134135707. <a href="9781134135707" target="_blank">9781134135707</a> <a href="#fnref:94" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:95">Crenshaw, Martha (1995). Terrorism in Context. Pennsylvania State University. p. 364. ISBN 978-0-271-01015-1. <a href="978-0-271-01015-1" target="_blank">978-0-271-01015-1</a> <a href="#fnref:95" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:96">The foreign policy of Pakistan: ethnic impacts on diplomacy, 1971–1994 ISBN 1-86064-169-5 – Mehtab Ali Shah "Such is the political, psychological and religious attachment of the Sikhs to that city that a Khalistan without Lahore would be like a Germany without Berlin." <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:96" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:97">Amritsar to Lahore: A Journey Across the India-Pakistan Border – Stephen Alter ISBN 0-8122-1743-8 "Ever since the separatist movement gathered force in the 1980s, Pakistan has sided with the Sikhs, the territorial ambitions of Khalistan have at times included Chandigarh, sections of the Indian Punjab, including whole North India and some parts of western states of India." <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:97" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:98">Pruthi, Raj (2004). Sikhism and Indian Civilization. Discovery Publishing House. p. 169. ISBN 9788171418794. Retrieved 25 October 2018. <a href="9788171418794" target="_blank">9788171418794</a> <a href="#fnref:98" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:99">Van Dyke 2009, p. 976. - Van Dyke, Virginia (2009). "The Khalistan Movement in Punjab, India, and the Post-Militancy Era: Structural Change and New Political Compulsions". Asian Survey. 49 (6): 975–997. doi:10.1525/as.2009.49.6.975. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1525%2Fas.2009.49.6.975" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1525%2Fas.2009.49.6.975</a> <a href="#fnref:99" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:100">Haresh Pandya (11 April 2007). "Jagjit Singh Chauhan, Sikh Militant Leader in India, Dies at 80". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 August 2008. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/11/world/asia/11chauhan.html?_r=1&fta=y&oref=slogin" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/11/world/asia/11chauhan.html?_r=1&fta=y&oref=slogin</a> <a href="#fnref:100" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:101">Nayar, Kuldip; Kushwant Singh (1985). Tragedy of Punjab. Vision Books. p. 51. ISBN 1-85127-069-8. <a href="1-85127-069-8" target="_blank">1-85127-069-8</a> <a href="#fnref:101" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:102">Singh, Satinder (1982). Khalistan: An Academic Analysis. Delhi & Punjab: Amar Prakashan. p. 114. <a href="#fnref:102" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:103">"Jagmeet Singh Now Rejects Glorification of Air India Bombing mastermind". CBC News. 15 March 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2018. The 18-month long Air India inquiry, led by former Supreme Court justice John Major, pointed to Parmar as the chief terrorist behind the bombing. A separate inquiry, carried out by former Ontario NDP premier and Liberal MP Bob Rae, also fingered Parmar as the architect of the 1985 bombing that left 329 people dead 268 of them Canadians. <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/jagmeet-singh-air-india-bombing-accepts-1.4578030" target="_blank">http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/jagmeet-singh-air-india-bombing-accepts-1.4578030</a> <a href="#fnref:103" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:104">Sikh Temple Sit-In Is a Challenge for Punjab, The New York Times 2 February 1986 <a href="#fnref:104" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:105">"Amnesty International report on Punjab". Amnesty International. 20 January 2003. Archived from the original on 3 December 2006. Retrieved 11 January 2010. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20061203184445/http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA200022003?open&of=ENG-IND" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20061203184445/http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA200022003?open&of=ENG-IND</a> <a href="#fnref:105" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:106">"The Tribune, Chandigarh, India – Punjab". Tribuneindia.com. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2015. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110605221542/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060310/punjab1.htm#2" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20110605221542/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060310/punjab1.htm#2</a> <a href="#fnref:106" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:107">"SAD (A) to Contest the Coming SGPC Elections on Khalistan Issue: Mann". PunjabNewsline.com. 14 January 2010. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2010. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110715132020/http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/22588/38/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20110715132020/http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/22588/38/</a> <a href="#fnref:107" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:108">Punj, Balbair (16 June 2005). "The Ghost of Khalistan". Sikh Times. Retrieved 11 January 2010. <a href="http://www.sikhtimes.com/news_061605a.html" target="_blank">http://www.sikhtimes.com/news_061605a.html</a> <a href="#fnref:108" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:109">"India gives Trudeau list of suspected Sikh separatists in Canada". Reuters, The Sikh insurgency petered out in the 1990s. He told state leaders his country would not support anyone trying to reignite the movement for an independent Sikh homeland called Khalistan. 22 February 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2018. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-canada-trudeau/india-gives-trudeau-list-of-suspected-sikh-separatists-in-canada-idUSKCN1G61K7" target="_blank">https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-canada-trudeau/india-gives-trudeau-list-of-suspected-sikh-separatists-in-canada-idUSKCN1G61K7</a> <a href="#fnref:109" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:110">"New brand of Sikh militancy: Suave, tech-savvy pro-Khalistan youth radicalised on social media". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 27 April 2018. <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/a-new-brand-of-sikh-militancy-rears-its-head/story-JH3XbAGk6sSxlYrVEDyISK.html" target="_blank">https://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/a-new-brand-of-sikh-militancy-rears-its-head/story-JH3XbAGk6sSxlYrVEDyISK.html</a> <a href="#fnref:110" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:111">"Sikh separatists 'funded from UK'". BBC. 4 March 2008. Retrieved 28 August 2008. <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/file_on_4/7263211.stm" target="_blank">http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/file_on_4/7263211.stm</a> <a href="#fnref:111" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:112">"ISI trying to revive Khalistan movement, says government". The Indian Express. 27 December 2017. Retrieved 23 March 2023. <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/isi-trying-to-revive-khalistan-movement-says-government-5001401/" target="_blank">https://indianexpress.com/article/india/isi-trying-to-revive-khalistan-movement-says-government-5001401/</a> <a href="#fnref:112" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:113">Singh, Dalip (15 May 2022). "Pakistan ISI tapping into J&K terror network to fuel pro-Khalistan sentiments: Sources". www.thehindubusinessline.com. Retrieved 23 March 2023. <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/pakistan-isi-tapping-into-jk-terror-network-to-fuel-pro-khalistan-sentiments-sources/article65416775.ece" target="_blank">https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/pakistan-isi-tapping-into-jk-terror-network-to-fuel-pro-khalistan-sentiments-sources/article65416775.ece</a> <a href="#fnref:113" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:114">"Sikh Population in World | Sikh Population in India 2023". 22 December 2021. <a href="https://www.findeasy.in/sikh-population-in-india/" target="_blank">https://www.findeasy.in/sikh-population-in-india/</a> <a href="#fnref:114" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:115">"Sikhism | History, Doctrines, Practice, & Literature". 30 November 2023. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sikhism" target="_blank">https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sikhism</a> <a href="#fnref:115" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:116">"Why Sikhism as registered religion in Austria matters". The Times of India. <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/why-sikhism-as-registered-religion-in-austria-matters/articleshow/80021881.cms" target="_blank">https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/why-sikhism-as-registered-religion-in-austria-matters/articleshow/80021881.cms</a> <a href="#fnref:116" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:117">"The source state: Out of approximately 30 million Sikhs in the world, the majority of them, 22 million, live in India". Times of India. 23 November 2019. <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/mind-the-gap/sikhs-and-hindus-at-the-crossroads/" target="_blank">https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/mind-the-gap/sikhs-and-hindus-at-the-crossroads/</a> <a href="#fnref:117" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:118">"Why Sikhism As Registered Religion in Austria Matters". Indian Express. 10 November 2019. <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-who-are-nanak-naam-lewa-and-why-kartarpur-corridor-cant-be-limited-to-sikhs-6100351/" target="_blank">https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-who-are-nanak-naam-lewa-and-why-kartarpur-corridor-cant-be-limited-to-sikhs-6100351/</a> <a href="#fnref:118" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:119">"Why Sikhism as registered religion in Austria matters". The Times of India. <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/why-sikhism-as-registered-religion-in-austria-matters/articleshow/80021881.cms" target="_blank">https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/why-sikhism-as-registered-religion-in-austria-matters/articleshow/80021881.cms</a> <a href="#fnref:119" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:120">"Nearly 10 million Sikhs have lost their religion because of this organisation". 12 May 2016. <a href="https://scroll.in/article/807847/nearly-10-million-sikhs-have-lost-their-religion-because-of-this-organisation" target="_blank">https://scroll.in/article/807847/nearly-10-million-sikhs-have-lost-their-religion-because-of-this-organisation</a> <a href="#fnref:120" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:121">"Pak invites Sikh community to invest in commercial projects along Nankana-Kartarpur Corridor". Business Standard India. 13 January 2019.[permanent dead link] <a href="https://wap.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/pak-invites-sikh-community-to-invest-in-commercial-projects-along-nankana-kartarpur-corridor-119011300615_1.html" target="_blank">https://wap.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/pak-invites-sikh-community-to-invest-in-commercial-projects-along-nankana-kartarpur-corridor-119011300615_1.html</a> <a href="#fnref:121" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:122">Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (26 October 2022). "Religion by visible minority and generation status: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 1 December 2022. <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810034201" target="_blank">https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810034201</a> <a href="#fnref:122" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:123">"B.C. breaks records when it comes to religion and the lack thereof". vancouversun. <a href="https://vancouversun.com/news/staff-blogs/b-c-breaks-records-when-it-comes-to-religion-and-the-lack-thereof" target="_blank">https://vancouversun.com/news/staff-blogs/b-c-breaks-records-when-it-comes-to-religion-and-the-lack-thereof</a> <a href="#fnref:123" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:124">Per the 2021 Canadian census, Sikhism is the second-largest religion in British Columbia, Manitoba, and Yukon.[13] Per the 2011 Indian census, Sikhism is the largest religion in Punjab and second in Chandigarh. These are the only two Indian states/UTs where Sikhism is one of the two most common religions.[181][182] <a href="/wiki/2021_Canadian_census" target="_blank">/wiki/2021_Canadian_census</a> <a href="#fnref:124" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:125">"Census of India Website : Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India". censusindia.gov.in. Archived from the original on 1 April 2022. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220401023703/https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20220401023703/https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01.html</a> <a href="#fnref:125" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:126">Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (26 October 2022). "Religion by visible minority and generation status: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 26 October 2022. <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810034201" target="_blank">https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810034201</a> <a href="#fnref:126" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:127">"Religion, England and Wales – Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 29 November 2022. <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/bulletins/religionenglandandwales/census2021" target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/bulletins/religionenglandandwales/census2021</a> <a href="#fnref:127" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:128">"Australian Bureau of Statistics : 2021 Census of Population and Housing : General Community Profile" (XLSX). Abs.gov.au. Retrieved 2 July 2022. <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/community-profiles/2021/AUS/download/GCP_AUS.xlsx" target="_blank">https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/community-profiles/2021/AUS/download/GCP_AUS.xlsx</a> <a href="#fnref:128" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:129">"Stats NZ Aotearoa Data Explorer". <a href="https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?tm=occupation%2C%202023%20census&pg=0&hc%5bSociety%5d=2023%20Census&hc%5bCensus%20year%5d=2023&snb=4&vw=tb&df%5bds%5d=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df%5bid%5d=CEN23_TBT_004&df%5bag%5d=STATSNZ&df%5bvs%5d=1.0&dq=ra80601.2023&to%5bTIME%5d=false" target="_blank">https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?tm=occupation%2C%202023%20census&pg=0&hc%5bSociety%5d=2023%20Census&hc%5bCensus%20year%5d=2023&snb=4&vw=tb&df%5bds%5d=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df%5bid%5d=CEN23_TBT_004&df%5bag%5d=STATSNZ&df%5bvs%5d=1.0&dq=ra80601.2023&to%5bTIME%5d=false</a> <a href="#fnref:129" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:130">""Religion by Ethnic in Singapore 2020"". Archived from the original on 17 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021. <a href="https://archive.today/20210617123031/https://www.singstat.gov.sg/publications/reference/cop2020/cop2020-sr1/census20_stat_release1" target="_blank">https://archive.today/20210617123031/https://www.singstat.gov.sg/publications/reference/cop2020/cop2020-sr1/census20_stat_release1</a> <a href="#fnref:130" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:131">"Population by religion, region and area, 2010" (PDF). NSO. Retrieved 10 January 2018. <a href="#fnref:131" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:132">"06326: Members of congregations in religious and philosophical communities outside the Church of Norway, by religion/philosophy 2006–2023. Statbank Norway". SSB. Retrieved 19 July 2023. <a href="https://www.ssb.no/en/system/" target="_blank">https://www.ssb.no/en/system/</a> <a href="#fnref:132" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:133">"Religion, England and Wales – Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 29 November 2022. <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/bulletins/religionenglandandwales/census2021" target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/bulletins/religionenglandandwales/census2021</a> <a href="#fnref:133" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:134">"Religion – Fiji Bureau of Statistics". www.statsfiji.gov.fj. Archived from the original on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 20 July 2023. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180417193329/http://www.statsfiji.gov.fj/statistics/social-statistics/religion" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20180417193329/http://www.statsfiji.gov.fj/statistics/social-statistics/religion</a> <a href="#fnref:134" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:135">"Irish census". Irish census. Retrieved 31 May 2023. <a href="https://data.cso.ie/table/FY030" target="_blank">https://data.cso.ie/table/FY030</a> <a href="#fnref:135" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:136">"Table − 1: Population by Religion and sex, NPHC 2021". censusnepal.cbs.gov.np. <a href="https://censusnepal.cbs.gov.np/results/files/caste/Religion_NPHC_2021.xlsx" target="_blank">https://censusnepal.cbs.gov.np/results/files/caste/Religion_NPHC_2021.xlsx</a> <a href="#fnref:136" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:137">"MS-B21: Religion – full detail". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. <a href="#fnref:137" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:138">"Sikhism". Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-253167/Sikhism. <a href="http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-253167/Sikhism" target="_blank">http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-253167/Sikhism</a> <a href="#fnref:138" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:139">"Afghan Sikhs are targeted by the Taliban and unable to even bury their dead". The Week. 12 November 2019. <a href="https://www.theweek.in/theweek/cover/2019/11/02/afghan-sikhs-are-targeted-by-the-taliban-and-unable-to-even-bury-their-dead.html" target="_blank">https://www.theweek.in/theweek/cover/2019/11/02/afghan-sikhs-are-targeted-by-the-taliban-and-unable-to-even-bury-their-dead.html</a> <a href="#fnref:139" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:140">"Nearly 99% Of Hindus, Sikhs Left Afghanistan in Last Three decades". TOLOnews. 20 June 2016. <a href="https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/nearly-99-hindus-sikhs-left-afghanistan-last-three-decades" target="_blank">https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/nearly-99-hindus-sikhs-left-afghanistan-last-three-decades</a> <a href="#fnref:140" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:141">"Little reason to migrate to India, say Afghan Sikhs". AA. 17 December 2019. <a href="https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/little-reason-to-migrate-to-india-say-afghan-sikhs/1675903" target="_blank">https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/little-reason-to-migrate-to-india-say-afghan-sikhs/1675903</a> <a href="#fnref:141" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:142">Moliner, Christine (2006). "Sikhs in France". Migration Patterns – Workshop on Indian Migration. Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS): Laboratoire d'Anthropologie Urbaine/CNRS. abstract. Archived from the original on 17 November 2006. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20061117150414/http://www.ivry.cnrs.fr/lau/IMG/rtf/Abstracts.rtf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20061117150414/http://www.ivry.cnrs.fr/lau/IMG/rtf/Abstracts.rtf</a> <a href="#fnref:142" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:143">Ciprani, Ralph (14 May 2006). "Sikh Storia e immigrazione – The Sikhs: History and Immigration". International Sociology. 21 (3): 474–476. doi:10.1177/026858090602100331. S2CID 144768462. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:143" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:144">IANS (15 September 2004). "Now, Sikhs Do a Canada in Italy". NRIinternet. Retrieved 4 April 2008. <a href="http://www.nriinternet.com/EUROPE/ITALY/2004/111604Gurdwara.htm" target="_blank">http://www.nriinternet.com/EUROPE/ITALY/2004/111604Gurdwara.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:144" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:145">Singh, Kulwinder (11 August 2007). "Italy may open VISA office in Chandigarh very soon". NRIinternet. Retrieved 4 April 2008. <a href="http://www.nriinternet.com/EUROPE/ITALY/2007/0701_Visa_office_in_Chandigarh.htm" target="_blank">http://www.nriinternet.com/EUROPE/ITALY/2007/0701_Visa_office_in_Chandigarh.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:145" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:146">"We need to worry about the decline in Sikh numbers". Dailyo.in. 27 August 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2022. <a href="https://www.dailyo.in/politics/census-2011-sikhs-giani-gurbachan-singh-akal-takht-family-planning-migration-nris-dera-sacha-sauda/story/1/5911.html" target="_blank">https://www.dailyo.in/politics/census-2011-sikhs-giani-gurbachan-singh-akal-takht-family-planning-migration-nris-dera-sacha-sauda/story/1/5911.html</a> <a href="#fnref:146" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:147">"Proportion and growth rate of population by religious communities, India, 1961–2001" (PDF). Office of the Registrar General, India. CensusIndia. 6 September 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2008. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070927201349/http://www.censusindia.net/religiondata/statement.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20070927201349/http://www.censusindia.net/religiondata/statement.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:147" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:148">"India witnesses decline in population growth rate and fertility across religious groups". The News Minute. 4 October 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2022. <a href="https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/india-witnesses-decline-population-growth-rate-and-fertility-across-religious-groups-156058" target="_blank">https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/india-witnesses-decline-population-growth-rate-and-fertility-across-religious-groups-156058</a> <a href="#fnref:148" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:149">Krishna Veera Vanamali (18 May 2022). "India's fertility rate dips below replacement level: What does it mean? | Business Standard News". Business Standard India. Wap.business-standard.com. Retrieved 25 May 2022.[permanent dead link] <a href="https://wap.business-standard.com/podcast/current-affairs/india-s-fertility-rate-dips-below-replacement-level-what-does-it-mean-122051800062_1.html" target="_blank">https://wap.business-standard.com/podcast/current-affairs/india-s-fertility-rate-dips-below-replacement-level-what-does-it-mean-122051800062_1.html</a> <a href="#fnref:149" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:150">Tandon, Aditi (27 August 2015). "Census shocker: Sikhs report lowest sex ratio". Tribune India. Archived from the original on 21 February 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170221225348/http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/census-shocker-sikhs-report-lowest-sex-ratio/125040.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20170221225348/http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/census-shocker-sikhs-report-lowest-sex-ratio/125040.html</a> <a href="#fnref:150" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:151">Singh, Rupinder Mohan (28 January 2016). "There could be more Sikhs in the future – maybe". American Turban. <a href="https://americanturban.com/2016/01/28/there-might-be-more-sikhs-in-the-future-maybe/" target="_blank">https://americanturban.com/2016/01/28/there-might-be-more-sikhs-in-the-future-maybe/</a> <a href="#fnref:151" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:152">"Proportion and growth rate of population by religious communities, India, 1961–2001" (PDF). Office of the Registrar General, India. CensusIndia. 6 September 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2008. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070927201349/http://www.censusindia.net/religiondata/statement.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20070927201349/http://www.censusindia.net/religiondata/statement.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:152" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:153">"Behind the decline". frontline.thehindu.com. 16 September 2015. <a href="https://frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/behind-the-decline/article7654960.ece" target="_blank">https://frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/behind-the-decline/article7654960.ece</a> <a href="#fnref:153" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:154">"We need to worry about the decline in Sikh numbers". www.dailyo.in. <a href="https://www.dailyo.in/politics/census-2011-sikhs-giani-gurbachan-singh-akal-takht-family-planning-migration-nris-dera-sacha-sauda-5911" target="_blank">https://www.dailyo.in/politics/census-2011-sikhs-giani-gurbachan-singh-akal-takht-family-planning-migration-nris-dera-sacha-sauda-5911</a> <a href="#fnref:154" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:155">Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (23 January 2019). "2011 National Household Survey: Data tables Religion (108), Immigrant Status and Period of Immigration (11), Age Groups (10) and Sex (3) for the Population in Private Households of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2011 National Household Survey". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 8 September 2022. <a href="https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/dt-td/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=0&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=0&GC=0&GID=0&GK=0&GRP=1&PID=105399&PRID=0&PTYPE=105277&S=0&SHOWALL=0&SUB=0&Temporal=2013&THEME=95&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF=" target="_blank">https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/dt-td/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=0&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=0&GC=0&GID=0&GK=0&GRP=1&PID=105399&PRID=0&PTYPE=105277&S=0&SHOWALL=0&SUB=0&Temporal=2013&THEME=95&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF=</a> <a href="#fnref:155" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:156">Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (26 October 2022). "Religion by visible minority and generation status: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 1 December 2022. <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810034201" target="_blank">https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810034201</a> <a href="#fnref:156" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:157">"What is the Fastest Growing Religion in Australia?". Worldatlas. 10 June 2020. <a href="https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-is-the-fastest-growing-religion-in-australia.html" target="_blank">https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-is-the-fastest-growing-religion-in-australia.html</a> <a href="#fnref:157" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:158">"Sikhs fastest-growing minority in NZ: Census". <a href="https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/punjab/sikhs-fastest-growing-minority-in-nz-census-837571" target="_blank">https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/punjab/sikhs-fastest-growing-minority-in-nz-census-837571</a> <a href="#fnref:158" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:159">"Why Sikhs ought to be happy, not worried : The Tribune India". <a href="https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/features/why-sikhs-ought-to-be-happy-not-worried-126229" target="_blank">https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/features/why-sikhs-ought-to-be-happy-not-worried-126229</a> <a href="#fnref:159" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:160">Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (26 October 2022). "Religion by visible minority and generation status: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 1 December 2022. <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810034201" target="_blank">https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810034201</a> <a href="#fnref:160" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:161">Jodhka, Surinder S (11–17 May 2002). "Caste and Untouchability in Rural Punjab". Economic and Political Weekly. 37 (19): 1822. JSTOR 4412102. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:161" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:162">Guru Nanak has mentioned in his first composition of Jap Ji Sahib, which is recited daily by all practicing Sikhs that all souls are to be treated with care and respect as Waheguru is the Giver of all souls.

"The Guru has given me this one understanding: there is only the One, the Giver of all souls. May I never forget Him!", Guru Granth Sahib, 2[216]

Guru Nanak said that blessings are rained down when the lowly person, regardless of any background are cared for.

"In that place where the lowly are cared for-there, the Blessings of Your Glance of Grace rain down.", Guru Granth Sahib, 15[217]

Guru Nanak had spoken we need to prize humility above all and thus caste is not an issue.

"One who takes pride in wealth and lands is a fool, blind and ignorant.
One whose heart is mercifully blessed with abiding humility,
O Nanak, is liberated here, and obtains peace hereafter." Granth Sahib, 278.[218]
 <a href="#fnref:162" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:163">Oberoi, Harjot (1994). The Construction of Religious Boundaries: Culture, Identity, and Diversity in the Sikh Tradition. Chicago: Oxford. p. 109. ISBN 978-0226615936. Retrieved 15 January 2017.id <a href="978-0226615936" target="_blank">978-0226615936</a> <a href="#fnref:163" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:164">Khanna, Sunil K. (2004). "Jat". In Ember, Carol R.; Ember, Melvin (eds.). Encyclopedia of Medical Anthropology: Health and Illness in the World's Cultures. Vol. 2. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers. p. 777. ISBN 978-0-306-47754-6. Notwithstanding social, linguistic, and religious diversity, the Jats are one of the major landowning agriculturalist communities in South Asia. <a href="978-0-306-47754-6" target="_blank">978-0-306-47754-6</a> <a href="#fnref:164" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:165">Don (2015). South Asian Politics and Religion. Princeton University Press. p. 155. <a href="#fnref:165" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:166">"Sikhism | History, Doctrines, Practice, & Literature". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 26 December 2017. <a href="http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/543916/Sikhism/253170/The-rejection-of-caste" target="_blank">http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/543916/Sikhism/253170/The-rejection-of-caste</a> <a href="#fnref:166" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:167">Jodhka, Surinder S (11–17 May 2002). "Caste and Untouchability in Rural Punjab". Economic and Political Weekly. 37 (19): 1822. JSTOR 4412102. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:167" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:168">Puri, Harish K. (2003). "The Scheduled Castes in the Sikh Community: A Historical Perspective". Economic & Political Weekly 38(26):2693–2701. JSTOR 4413731.

Republished in Dalits in Regional Context (2004). ISBN 978-81-7033-871-0. <a href="http://apnaorg.com/research-papers/harish-puri/" target="_blank">http://apnaorg.com/research-papers/harish-puri/</a> <a href="#fnref:169" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:170">"Explained: Who are Nanak Naam Lewa, and why Kartarpur Corridor can't be limited to Sikhs". 10 November 2019. <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-who-are-nanak-naam-lewa-and-why-kartarpur-corridor-cant-be-limited-to-sikhs-6100351/" target="_blank">https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-who-are-nanak-naam-lewa-and-why-kartarpur-corridor-cant-be-limited-to-sikhs-6100351/</a> <a href="#fnref:170" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
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<li id="fn:172">"Sikhs Urging Action on Faith Hate". UK News. BBC News. 5 November 2006. Retrieved 4 April 2008. <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6117820.stm" target="_blank">http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6117820.stm</a> <a href="#fnref:172" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:173">"Hate crime reports up in wake of terrorist attacks". US News. CNN. 17 September 2001. Archived from the original on 15 April 2008. Retrieved 4 April 2008. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080415215239/http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/09/16/gen.hate.crimes/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20080415215239/http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/09/16/gen.hate.crimes/</a> <a href="#fnref:173" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:174">"Sikhs Urging Action on Faith Hate". UK News. BBC News. 5 November 2006. Retrieved 4 April 2008. <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6117820.stm" target="_blank">http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6117820.stm</a> <a href="#fnref:174" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:175">ONS (11 October 2004). "Housing: Sikhs most likely to own their own homes | Religion". Office for National Statistics. UK Statistics Authority. Archived from the original on 26 February 2008. Retrieved 4 April 2008. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080226140123/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?ID=962&Pos=2&ColRank=2&Rank=800" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20080226140123/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?ID=962&Pos=2&ColRank=2&Rank=800</a> <a href="#fnref:175" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:176">"An Anatomy of Economic Inequality in the UK" (PDF). Report of the National Equality Panel. The London School of Economics – The Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion. 29 January 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2010. <a href="http://sticerd.lse.ac.uk/dps/case/cr/CASEreport60.pdf" target="_blank">http://sticerd.lse.ac.uk/dps/case/cr/CASEreport60.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:176" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:177">"U.K. gets a new law, secures rights of Sikhs to carry kirpans". newstracklive.com. 19 May 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2019. <a href="https://english.newstracklive.com/news/uk-gets-a-new-law-secures-rights-of-sikhs-to-carry-kirpans-sc57-nu-1010762-1.html" target="_blank">https://english.newstracklive.com/news/uk-gets-a-new-law-secures-rights-of-sikhs-to-carry-kirpans-sc57-nu-1010762-1.html</a> <a href="#fnref:177" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:178">"UK gets new weapons act, secures Sikh right to carry kirpans". The Economic Times. 18 May 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2019. <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/uk-gets-new-weapons-act-secures-sikh-right-to-carry-kirpans/articleshow/69387189.cms" target="_blank">https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/uk-gets-new-weapons-act-secures-sikh-right-to-carry-kirpans/articleshow/69387189.cms</a> <a href="#fnref:178" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:179">Sikh Teachers Are Now Able to Teach in Oregon Public Schools « SALDEF. Saldef.org (2 April 2010). Retrieved on 6 October 2011. <a href="http://www.saldef.org/news/sikh-teachers-are-now-able-to-teach-in-oregon-public-schools/" target="_blank">http://www.saldef.org/news/sikh-teachers-are-now-able-to-teach-in-oregon-public-schools/</a> <a href="#fnref:179" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:180">"World Bank Loan for India Farmers". BBC News. 27 June 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2008. <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6245366.stm" target="_blank">http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6245366.stm</a> <a href="#fnref:180" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:181">Government of Punjab. "Agriculture and Allied Sector | Economy and Infrastructure". Government of Punjab. Archived from the original on 10 March 2008. Retrieved 4 April 2008. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080310012330/http://punjabgovt.nic.in/ECONOMY/AGRICULTURE_ALLIED.HTM" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20080310012330/http://punjabgovt.nic.in/ECONOMY/AGRICULTURE_ALLIED.HTM</a> <a href="#fnref:181" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:182">Ishtiaq, Ahmad (8 February 2005). "West and East Punjab Agriculture: A Comparison | Comment". Daily Times. Archived from the original on 3 February 2008. Retrieved 4 April 2008. <a href="/wiki/Ishtiaq_Ahmad_(political_scientist)" target="_blank">/wiki/Ishtiaq_Ahmad_(political_scientist)</a> <a href="#fnref:182" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:183">Guus Geurts Studentnummer (5 March 2001). "The cause and effects of the Green Revolution in Punjab (India) – critical analysis of "The Violence of the Green Revolution" by Vandana Shiva (1991)". Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen. Archived from the original (MS Word) on 26 March 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2007. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090326031348/http://www.guusgeurts.nl/inhoud/artikelen/EssayVandanaShiva.doc" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20090326031348/http://www.guusgeurts.nl/inhoud/artikelen/EssayVandanaShiva.doc</a> <a href="#fnref:183" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:184">JASPAL Group (2011). "About JASPAL Group". JASPAL Group. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2020. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200417083414/http://jaspalgroup.com/about/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20200417083414/http://jaspalgroup.com/about/</a> <a href="#fnref:184" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:185">"India's Richest: #24 Malvinder & Shivinder Singh". Forbes. 16 November 2006. Archived from the original on 5 May 2008. Retrieved 4 April 2008. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080505134317/http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/77/biz_06india_Malvinder-Shivinder-Singh_DN7N.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20080505134317/http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/77/biz_06india_Malvinder-Shivinder-Singh_DN7N.html</a> <a href="#fnref:185" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:186">"Singapore's 40 Richest: #25 Kartar Singh Thakral". Forbes. 24 August 2006. Retrieved 4 April 2008. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/79/06singapore_Kartar-Singh-Thakral_UEZJ.html" target="_blank">https://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/79/06singapore_Kartar-Singh-Thakral_UEZJ.html</a> <a href="#fnref:186" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:187">U.S. Marine Corps compelled to allow Sikh Americans to begin basic training with turbans, beards in PBS' Nation, Jan. 6, 2023 <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/u-s-marine-corps-compelled-to-allow-sikh-americans-to-begin-basic-training-with-turbans-beards" target="_blank">https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/u-s-marine-corps-compelled-to-allow-sikh-americans-to-begin-basic-training-with-turbans-beards</a> <a href="#fnref:187" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:188">Kundu, Apurba (Spring 1994). "The Indian Armed Forces' Sikh and Non-Sikh Officers' Opinions of Operation Blue Star". Pacific Affairs. 67 (1): 48–49. doi:10.2307/2760119. JSTOR 2760119. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:188" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:189">Kundu, Apurba (Spring 1994). "The Indian Armed Forces' Sikh and Non-Sikh Officers' Opinions of Operation Blue Star". Pacific Affairs. 67 (1): 48–49. doi:10.2307/2760119. JSTOR 2760119. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:189" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:190">TNN. "The success story that UK's 4 lakh Sikhs are". NRI Internet (excerpts from talk by British High Commissioner Michael Arthur). Retrieved 4 April 2008. <a href="http://www.nriinternet.com/Section4HistoryNRI/UK%20History/5_1016_SuccessStory.htm" target="_blank">http://www.nriinternet.com/Section4HistoryNRI/UK%20History/5_1016_SuccessStory.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:190" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:191">"History of Sikh Gallantry". The Daily Telegraph. London. 24 June 2007. Archived from the original on 27 February 2008. Retrieved 4 April 2008. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080227020801/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2007%2F06%2F24%2Fnsikh224.xml" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20080227020801/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2007%2F06%2F24%2Fnsikh224.xml</a> <a href="#fnref:191" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
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</ol>

Sikhs open-in-new

Sikhs