A Brief Background on Sikhism

The religious tradition of Sikism emerged from the teachings of Guru Nanak in the 15th century in Northern India. Tradition has it that Guru Nanak was born to a Hindu family. From a young age, Nanak brought his inquisitive mind to everything. At the age of 28, he is said to have been overcome by the presence of the Divine, realizing that the divisions between people were utterly false in the presence of the one God. He uttered the famous words, "Neither Hindu nor Musselman [Muslim], only man. Whose path shall I follow? It is God's." Seeking to challenge the divisions between Hindus and Muslims, Nanak preached the oneness of God and the equality of all before the Ultimate.