Sikh traditions
Sikh traditions come from Punjab and are kept by Sikhs around the world, centred on the gurdwara, the Guru Granth Sahib, the langar kitchen and the five Ks.
Sikh traditions come from Punjab and are kept by Sikhs around the world, centred on the gurdwara, the Guru Granth Sahib, the langar kitchen and the five Ks. Major occasions include Vaisakhi, which marks the founding of the Khalsa in 1699, the birthdays of the Gurus, Bandi Chhor Divas at Diwali and the martyrdom days. Sikh weddings, the Anand Karaj, involve circling the holy book four times. These pages describe Sikh customs with respect, and note the generosity of the langar, which is open to all.
The gurdwara and the langar
Every gurdwara is open to all, with a hall for the Guru Granth Sahib and a free kitchen. Visitors cover their heads, remove shoes and sit on the floor, and share the vegetarian meal served by volunteers. The singing of hymns, kirtan, is the central form of worship. Karah prasad, a sweet pudding, is handed out at the end, and every visitor takes some.
Vaisakhi and the year
Vaisakhi, in mid-April, celebrates the harvest and the creation of the Khalsa, with processions, nagar kirtan and bhangra. The Golden Temple at Amritsar is lit for Bandi Chhor Divas, and Gurpurabs mark the births of the Gurus with readings and langar. Sikh communities in Britain, Canada and Australia hold large public parades. The tradition values service, equality and the courage to stand up for others.
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background on Sikh (faith). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
🇮🇳 Ayodhya, India and 7 moreDiwaliदीपावली (Dīpāvalī)
A five-day festival of lights celebrated across India and its diaspora to mark the victory of light over darkness.Festival · Feasts and festival meals
🇮🇳 Nanded, IndiaGurpurabਗੁਰਪੁਰਬ
A Sikh festival marking the birth or martyrdom of a Guru with prayers, processions and community meals.Festival · Feasts and festival meals
🇲🇦 Marrakesh, Morocco and 5 moreGnawa musicڭْناوة or كْناوة
A spiritual musical tradition of Morocco that blends West African rhythms with Islamic ritual to heal and connect communPerformance
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreAkhand Pathਅਖੰਡ ਪਾਠ
The unbroken, continuous reading of the entire Sikh scripture over two daysSpiritual
🇷🇺 Russia and 2 moreMaslenitsaМасленица
A seven-day Eastern Slavic festival of pancakes and bonfires marking the end of winter before Lent.Festival · Breakfast
🇮🇳 Amritsar, India and 1 moreVaisakhi
A spring harvest and new year festival kept across India and Pakistan by Hindus and Sikhs.Festival
🇮🇳 Prayagraj, India and 6 moreMakar Sankrantiमकरसङ्क्रान्ति (Makarasaṅkrānti)
A mid-winter harvest festival marking the sun's northward journey, celebrated across South and Southeast Asia with fairsFestival · Feasts and festival meals
🇮🇳 India and 2 moreGuru Purnimaगुरुपूर्णिमा
A sacred South Asian festival honouring spiritual guides, teachers, and mentorsSpiritual · Feasts and festival meals
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreLohri
A northern Indian midwinter festival of evening bonfires, folk songs and harvest foodsSeasonal
🇺🇦 Kyiv, UkraineChristmas in UkraineРіздво (Rizdvo)
A Ukrainian Christmas celebration with a twelve-dish vegan supper on Christmas Eve and observance on January 6 or DecembFestival · Supper
🇮🇳 Varanasi, India and 2 moreKartika Purnimaकार्त्तिकपूर्णिमा (Kārttikapūrṇimā)
A full moon festival of lights and holy baths celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains across South Asia.Festival
🇮🇳 Anandpur Sahib, IndiaHola Mohallaਹੋਲਾ-ਮਹੱਲਾ
A three-day Sikh festival of martial arts, poetry, shared meals and grand processionsFestival
🇮🇳 Amritsar, IndiaBandi Chhor Divasਬੰਦੀ ਛੋੜ ਦਿਵਸ
A Sikh festival of liberation marking the release of Guru Hargobind and fifty-two princes from Mughal imprisonment.Festival
🇮🇳 Ujjain, India and 1 moreVikram Samvatविक्रमसंवत्
A lunisolar Hindu calendar of Nepal and India, its years counted 57 ahead of the GregorianSeasonal
🇵🇰 Lahore, PakistanMela Chiraghanمیلہ چراغاں
A three-day Lahore festival honouring the sixteenth-century Sufi poet Shah Hussain.Spiritual
🇮🇳 Chandigarh, India and 3 moreGuru Nanak Gurpurabਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਪੁਰਬ
The birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, kept with processions, hymns and a shared mealSpiritual
🇦🇱 Gjirokastër, Albania and 5 moreDodola and Perperuna
A rainmaking ritual kept across Southeast Europe, where children dressed in greenery lead processions to call for summerSpiritual
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreMayian
A pre-wedding cleansing ritual in Punjabi traditions, using turmeric paste to prepare the couple for marriage.Rite of passage
🇮🇳 Mumbai, IndiaWeddings in India
Marriage rites and festive gatherings celebrated across the diverse communities of India.Rite of passage
🇮🇳 India and 1 morePunjabi wedding traditions
The multi-day marriage customs and rituals of Hindu and Sikh Punjabi familiesRite of passage · Sweets given and shared
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Christmas in Ukraine: Halyna Kuchmanych, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Vikram Samvat: Westindischer Maler um 1400, Public domain, source
- Makar Sankranti: Saloni Desai, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Vaisakhi: Michael Clark, CC BY 2.0, source
- Maslenitsa: Лобачев Владимир, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Kartika Purnima: Pictowrit, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Lohri: Karen Sandhu, CC BY 2.0, source
- Guru Purnima: Yercaud-elango, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Mela Chiraghan: Muhammad Umair Mirza, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Hola Mohalla: Aayush sharma 923, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Bandi Chhor Divas: UrbanUrban_ru, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Akhand Path: William John Howship (1874–1932), Public domain, source
- Gnawa music: Lucyin, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Gurpurab: Gill Gagandeep, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Diwali: Kalli navya, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Guru Nanak Gurpurab: Giridhar Appaji Nag Y, CC BY 2.0, source
- Mayian: Rakzika, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Weddings in India: Jaisingh Rathore, CC BY 2.5, source
- Punjabi wedding traditions: Unknown author, Public domain, source