10 HISTORICAL GURUS OF SIKHISM

What is a Sikh?The word Sikh means someone who

learns.

What is a Guru?The word Guru means teacher.

Guru Nanak Born in Punjab area of India

in 1469. Raised a Hindu, but

learned a lot about Islam. At age 30, he went to

bathe in the river and disappeared for three days. He said he had been taken to God.

When he returned he spent his remaining years preaching that what really mattered was knowing God and living in a right way.

Guru Angad Taught that

salvation came from performing one’s worldly duties.

Opened Sikh schools

Guru Amar Das Wrote the Anand

Sahib, which is said at the end of every service of worship.

Guru Ram Das Spread Sikhism

by sending teachers all over India.

Developed the city of Amritsar, the centre of Sikhism.

Guru Arjan Dev Built the Golden

Temple at Amritsar, the most important building in Sikhism.

Collected hymns, creating the Adi Granth, the Sikh scriptures

Guru Hargobind Worked hard to

make sure that Sikhs could defend themselves in order to survive.

Guru Har Rai Spread Sikhism

widely into Northern India

Guru Har Krishan Died at age 8 of

smallpox, while caring for those who were sick.

Guru Tegh Bahadur Was Guru while

Sikhs were being persecuted, and was beheaded for refusing to change his religion.

Guru Gobind Singh Began the Khalsa,

a community of devout Sikhs.

Said there would be no more human Gurus, and instead the holy book would be the future Guru, called the Guru Granth Sahib.