Sikhism
The Sikh tradition is based on the monotheistic teachings of Guru Nanak Dev, an inspired fifteenth century north India preacher. Nanak taught that the worship of one God (Akal Purakh) should be free of hypocrisy and ritualism. The purpose of human life is to seek and unite with the creator, thus breaking the cycle of birth, death and rebirth, yet Sikhs are also committed to service within the community (sewa). Nanak was succeeded by nine further gurus or teachers culminating in Guru Gobind Singh. It was he that vested spiritual authority in the Sikh scriptures, the Guru Granth Sahib, and temporal authority in the khalsa panth (the ‘community of pure ones’). Regardless of caste, which Guru Gobind Singh sought to abolish, Sikhs initiated into the khalsa take amrit (a sugary drink) and assume the religious name Singh (men – ‘lion’) or Kaur (women - ‘princess’) as a mark of their unity and equality. Belonging to the khalsa also involves wearing the so-called ‘five Ks’: kesh (uncut hair); kangha (a wooden comb); kara (a steel bangle); kachhera (shorts) and kirpan (a curved sword). Sikhs are enjoined to avoid alcohol, tobacco and other intoxicants as well as meat that is ritually slaughtered (such as Muslim halal meat), and many are vegetarian (meat is never served in the communal kitchen of a gurdwara or Sikh temple). In terms of festival, gurpurbs mark the anniversaries of the birth and death of the Gurus, Vaisakhi, the anniversary of the khalsa and, Diwali, the deliverance of Guru Hargobind from his enemies.
Most Sikh migrants to the UK arrived directly from the Punjab in the 1950s and 1960s, although a significant minority came from East Africa and beyond. At the local level gurdwaras are often organised along the lines of different religious reform and caste groupings, e.g. Namdharis, Radhasoamis, Jats, Ramgharias and Ravidasis. In Yorkshire and the Humber 18,711 people identified themselves as Sikhs at the 2001 Census. Leeds (7586) and Bradford (4748) were the largest centres of settlement followed by Kirklees (2726), Doncaster (798), Sheffield (773) and North Lincolnshire (479). There were very small numbers of Sikhs living in North Yorkshire.
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