jjares reviewed History of the Sikhs: A Captivating Guide to the Origins of Sikhism in India, the Sikh Empire, Colonialism, and Modern Times (Exploring India?s Past) on + 3275 more book reviews
The reason I wanted to read about the Sikhs is because the first Sikh Houston sheriff's deputy was murdered in 2019. I was surprised by Sandeep Dhaliwal's choice of career and shocked that he was murdered. Everyone interviewed talked about his goodness and piety. I wanted to know more about the religion he espoused. I was profoundly moved by the description of his life and service to the community.
The Sikhs are an ethnoreligious group of about 25 million (they are the 5th largest religion in the world). Their religion started in the Punjab region of India in the late 15th century. They call their religion Gurmat, meaning "way of the guru." This monotheistic religion believes in only one God, but God is both within and all-encompassing. This book explains the beginning of the religion, the first guru, and the ten gurus that followed Guru Nanak.
Like Buddhists, Sikhs utilize meditation to calm the mind, become truthful, and live a pious life. However, most of this eBook was about their struggles against the Mughals. They were heavily persecuted. The Sikh empire rose and fell. Then, they had confrontations with the British in India. They served with honor in WWI and WWII. The partition of India and Pakistan was incredibly difficult for the Sikhs because, as a large minority, they did not receive a homeland like the Muslims and Hindi.
Sikh religious authority is based on the religious texts, not the priesthood. The family is at the heart of their lives; most marriages are still arranged. The final chapter provides information about the Sikh diaspora and highlights the challenges of living in the UK, Canada, Asia, and the US. There is mention of Sikhs having a difficult time working in law enforcement due to their wearing turbans. From the story above, Sandeep Dhaliwal was given permission to wear his turban as a Houston sheriff's deputy.
This is a fascinating story of a misunderstood group of pious people who call themselves Sikhs.
The Sikhs are an ethnoreligious group of about 25 million (they are the 5th largest religion in the world). Their religion started in the Punjab region of India in the late 15th century. They call their religion Gurmat, meaning "way of the guru." This monotheistic religion believes in only one God, but God is both within and all-encompassing. This book explains the beginning of the religion, the first guru, and the ten gurus that followed Guru Nanak.
Like Buddhists, Sikhs utilize meditation to calm the mind, become truthful, and live a pious life. However, most of this eBook was about their struggles against the Mughals. They were heavily persecuted. The Sikh empire rose and fell. Then, they had confrontations with the British in India. They served with honor in WWI and WWII. The partition of India and Pakistan was incredibly difficult for the Sikhs because, as a large minority, they did not receive a homeland like the Muslims and Hindi.
Sikh religious authority is based on the religious texts, not the priesthood. The family is at the heart of their lives; most marriages are still arranged. The final chapter provides information about the Sikh diaspora and highlights the challenges of living in the UK, Canada, Asia, and the US. There is mention of Sikhs having a difficult time working in law enforcement due to their wearing turbans. From the story above, Sandeep Dhaliwal was given permission to wear his turban as a Houston sheriff's deputy.
This is a fascinating story of a misunderstood group of pious people who call themselves Sikhs.
