Enter the Sikhs

That is pronounced Sicks for the curious among those following this little travelogue, and before you get a picture in your head, this is not a leaper colony, it is a religious group. :P

Although this is not the first experience I have had with the Sikhs, as Rahul and I haphazardly stumbled upon one of their more important temples in Chandni Chauwk earlier in our trip, it was the longest and most direct contact I have had with them.

The Sikhs are a religious group that sought to bring together the best of Muslim and Hindu beliefs. Through a combination of these religions, Guru Gobind Singh developed a religion that follows one God, does away with idol worship, removes the caste structure, and aids others to the best of their ability. After persecution from Muslim forces as they began to attack India approximately 400 years ago, a subset of the religion was formed to protect all of those who were helpless. Some modern day Sikhs still belong to this group of warriors, and the Sikh army commonly supports the Allied forces in the times of war, through which many Sikhs have become martyred.
It was this warrior-like subset that brought about the common iconography of the Sikh religion. Although business Sikhs are identified through the wearing of a head dressing, commonly found as a tightly bound turbine, the warriors maintain their look from the early days. Brandishing either a sword or polearm, wearing shorts, and maintaining well-kempt, yet excessively long beards, the warrior Sikh is hard to miss. The weapons are mostly ceremonial in nature, but represent their promise to help those in need. This is a bold way to make a statement, one that gains respect from at least this traveler.

I really respect the basic guidelines of the religion, and believe that many people could use to follow them in their lives. The major overarching rule is to help others, even if it is in some small way.

Have you helped someone today?