Sikhism: A Very Short Introduction
by Eleanor Nesbitt
3.57 · Rating details · 267 ratings · 32 reviews
The Sikh religion has a following of over 20 million people worldwide and is ranked as the world's fifth largest religion. However, events such as the verbal and physical attacks on Sikhs just after September 11 indicated that they were being mistaken for Muslims, and suggests that the raising
of sufficient and appropriate awareness about Sikhism still needs to be addressed. This book is one of the first to introduce newcomers to Sikhism's meanings, beliefs, practices, rituals, and festivals. Eleanor Nesbitt highlights the key threads in the fascinating history, from the Gurus and the
development of the Sikh appearance, to martyrdom and militarization in the 17th and 18th centuries, and the diaspora. She also examines the recent proliferation of Sikh lifestyles in today's news and entertainment media. This book is an essential guide to increasing understanding of the Sikh
religion and culture. (less)
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Paperback, 176 pages
Published December 8th 2005 by Oxford University Press, USA (first published August 12th 2005)
Original TitleSikhism: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
ISBN0192806017 (ISBN13: 9780192806017)
Edition LanguageEnglish
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Bernie Gourley
Apr 11, 2016Bernie Gourley rated it really liked it
Recommends it for: those in need of an introduction to Sikhism.
I picked up this book before a trip to Amritsar. While Sikhs are arguably the most visually distinct religious adherents, it’s one of the least understood world religions with respect to internal aspects like beliefs and practices. And a major religion, it is. With 23 million followers, it’s between the fifth and eighth most widely practiced religion in the world (depending upon whether one aggregates traditional religions in China or Africa.)
This book offers a 150 page overview of what it means to be Sikh, and it explains it not only in religious, but also in cultural, political, and historical, terms. If one needs deep insight and great detail about Sikhism, this may not be the book for you. But it gives one the big picture quite nicely, and with a scholar’s balanced view (as opposed to that of a theologian.)
There are eight chapters in the book. The first chapter introduces one to Sikhism. Besides the basics, this chapter discusses what makes Sikhism a distinct religion, and how it has been influenced by other religions—most significantly Hindu and Islam, in that order. It also discusses what it means to be Punjabi, in contrast to what it means to be Sikh. To understand the subject of the second and third chapters, one has to know how the leadership of this religion unfolded. There were ten human teachers (Guru), and then a book of scriptures assumed the mantle of Guru. The second chapter is about the human Gurus (and mostly about the first one—Guru Nanak, with a little about the next four, and almost nothing about the last five.) The third chapter is about the Guru Granth Sahib, which is the book of scriptures that has served as the religion’s guide since the early 18th century.
Chapter four discusses Sikh religious practices--including the five K’s that serve to give Sikhs such a distinct physical appearance. The 5 K’s are: kesh (uncut hair), kanga (comb), kirpan (sword), kachh (cotton breeches), and kara (steel braclet.) While only the Khalsa (i.e. the community of initiated) necessarily practice all of these, it’s common to see at least some of these features among the community at-large. The wearing of turbans, beards (though often not completely uncut), and steel bangles are ubiquitous in Punjab. The chapter also delves into turbans, ethics, symbols, and the controversial question of vegetarianism (some Sikhs are and some aren’t.)
The fifth chapter offers a history of Sikhism over the past few centuries from the era of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the early 19th century to the dire events of early 1980’s (there was a massacre of Sikhs by government forces in 1982 and in 1984 Indira Gandhi was assassinated by Sikh bodyguards, leading to yet more violence.) Chapter 6 discusses the topic of Sikhs abroad. While Punjab is consider the Sikh homeland, there are Sikhs around the world—but particularly in a few areas where there numbers are sufficient to constitute a community—e.g. in the United Kingdom. Chapter 7 investigates the theory and practice of Sikhism with regards to a few key issues of life on the Indian subcontinent including: the caste system, gender, and attitudes toward other religions. (In many regards, Sikhism is comparatively progressive, but practice hasn’t always followed the scripture—e.g. high girl child infanticide rates.) The last chapter considers the future of Sikhism moving forward.
There are graphics of several types throughout the book—most notably black-&-white photographs. There are a few helpful ancillary features including a “Further Reading” section, a timeline, and a glossary of terms.
I found this book useful, and would recommend it for anyone seeking background on Sikhism.
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Amirography
Nov 29, 2017Amirography rated it it was ok
Shelves: by-the-bed-books, philosophy
A rather boring book, about a relatively boring subject.
This book offered a review of what Sikhs believe. But it was explained in a monotonic voice. It does not give any useful information if one is not just about to meet a Sikh!
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Justin Evans
May 14, 2018Justin Evans rated it liked it
Shelves: history-etc
Solidly fine, but that's about it; this book is very strangely structured, and uninterested in answering even the most basic questions about the beliefs that feed into Sikh practices. It's nice to know about those practices, of course, but without any context, it's hard to see why anyone is doing them. It's as if someone wrote about the various rituals of communion in Christianity without bothering to explain that Jesus is the son of God. Why are these people so obsessed with these little wafers of bread? It doesn't even taste good. (less)
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Ahmad Sharabiani
Jun 05, 2016Ahmad Sharabiani added it
Shelves: 21th-century, non-fiction, culture, philosophy, religion, historical, india
Sikhism: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions #132), Eleanor Nesbitt
The Sikh religion has a following of over 20 million people worldwide and is ranked as the world's fifth largest religion. However, events such as the verbal and physical attacks on Sikhs just after September 11 indicated that they were being mistaken for Muslims, and suggests that the raising of sufficient and appropriate awareness about Sikhism still needs to be addressed. (less)
flag4 likes · Like · comment · see review
Bojan Tunguz
Apr 07, 2011Bojan Tunguz rated it liked it
My interest in Religion stems primarily from the desire to learn about faith and beliefs, and their metaphysical underpinnings. So when I pick up a book in order to learn about a religion that is different from my own, I have an expectation that the major part of that book will deal with the subject matter of those beliefs. Regrettably, that is not the case with this very short introduction. The Sikh beliefs are dealt with briefly and in a very superficial way. Most of the book deals with Sikhism as a social and ethnic category. Of course, those considerations should not be neglected either, but this was not why I decided to pick up and read this book. If, on the other hand, you are interested in those "demographic" aspects of Sikhism, this very short introduction will provide you with plenty of information. This, however, makes for a very boring read. (less)
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Jenny
Oct 15, 2007Jenny rated it really liked it
Shelves: non-fiction, religion
Interesting information about a religion I knew very little about beyond the assassination of Ms. Ghandi. There's a lot more there (obviously), and I found the development of the religion and its mythos fascinating. The book is fairly well organized and easy to read. (less)
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Daniel Wright
May 05, 2018Daniel Wright rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: the-challenge, religion, vsi, female-author, sikhism
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Guru Nanak and his successors
Chapter 3: Guru Granth Sahib
Chapter 4: Turban, Khalsa, and codes of conduct
Chapter 5: The shaping of modern Sikhism
Chapter 6: Sikhism outside India
Chapter 7: Attitudes to caste, gender, and other faiths
Chapter 8: Sikhism and the third millennium
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Nick
Dec 29, 2013Nick rated it it was amazing
Shelves: history, india, philosophy, political-theory, hinduism, liberty, poetry, heresy, sikhism, 2000s
This reminded me why I like Sikhism, and why I like the Very Short Introduction series.
There is this thread of philosophy in Hinduism, most obviously in the Bhagavad Gita, in which people are encouraged to be renunciates while simultaneously living in the world and fulfilling the duties which that entails. Sikhism takes that idea even more seriously than Hinduism (it as no sanyasi stage of life). The commitment to be detached from the consequences of action, but also live in the world. is very nice. It cultivates a meditative and industrious culture, and a strong community (since work is done for the community and the family, not for the self.) These strong communitarian and mutual-aid-type values also make Sikhism awesome. They also believe strongly in generosity, most obviously exhibited in the Langar, where free food is distributed to anyone who stands in line for it. Since its militarization, protecting the weak and standing up to injustice are also Sikh virtues.
Thats just the values and philosophical undercurrents though. The book also talks about the history of Sikhism, from the life of Guru Nanak, till the Khalistan movement. It notes the British role in fomenting the Sikh identity as distinct from Hinduism, but this was just one step in a gradual process whereby Sikhs have tried very hard to distinguish themselves from Hindus and Muslims.
It also gives attention to parts of the Panth which lay outside the Khalsa. Sant gurudwara, and others like namdharis, and nirakaris are given much attention. It describes how Jati (caste/ethnicity) and ethnicity play into sikh beliefs and political affiliation.
Pretty comprehensive and informative for such a little volume. These things are basically extended wikipedia articles.
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Kate F
Sep 04, 2011Kate F rated it really liked it
Another of my OU set books but unlike some of the others that I have had to read, this has explained Sikhism to me in an easy to understand format given the complexities of the subject. It is indeed a very short introduction but it is a very good one too.
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Maan
Jul 16, 2020Maan rated it really liked it
Shelves: religions
As the title suggests, i was hoping it will be an introduction book to sikhism rather than defending or criticising the religion. I carefully read the whole book as it was short and simple in its language.
Eleanor has studied 40 years in Sikhism or maybe more i cant recall exactly! I am sure she has done her homework well before writing this book. But she kept defending the religious hypocrisies of this religion. I don’t think she had the right to indulge in that so now i also must indulge into criticism to defend my point here.
Whenever there comes a certain point of “nowhere?” In its rules and laws, she tried to find alternatives to answer them! When in fact some facts are just facts about some ideologies or religions!
Here are what i concerned most about -
The book doesn’t fundamentally deals with how most of the religious codes and disciplines were just built in that specific time and space. Most were found just to distinugish Sikhism from other religions like Muslim and Hinduism. For ex adultry was just meant “to not marry a muslim woman” until the word denoted a contemporary meaning in late 20th century. As all other religions were using it.
The part of vegetarianism and meats and esp in eating certain ways is again emphasised to distinguish Sikhism from Muslim religion. The religion fails to address this vital question but i spare it since most of the religions are also not able to solve this ethical concern so far.
Except the little lovey-dovey respect for women in history of sikhism, Eleanor failed to show how the whole religion’s image since its religious days has been built as masculine. The women in sikhism are hardly mentioned in any prominent events and if mentioned than have only given that grandmother or mother’s place. An ideol good woman one’s. Nothing individual or a feminst one.
Guru Gobind Singh had three wives and Eleanor didn’t mentioned this fact in even a little brief. No other book so far has dealt with that. Nor i was told about it ever since my childhood. Please take consideration as the actual RELIGION started from around 5th guru and than see how and in which circumstances it ended.
Female foeticide is one of the highest in modern Punjab. And previously when the medical inventions of abortions were not invented, females were a drag on their families. Sikhs followed dowry system absolutely in past and still practices it in considerable terms. I know a married friend who has 6 children out of three are living. Two girls and third or should i say final one a boy. Off course you can assume what happened to other three! Sex-selective abortion is a vital part of sikh identity along with other ones in India.
Eleanor talked a good deal on Sikhism’s attitudes to castes which i think was right as considering the short implication of book in prose. Sikhism has always been strict with other castes and has used this discrimination from its evolving days into a religious code and conduct. In contemporary punjab, lot of lovers had to do collective suicides because of this strict rule. The book mentioned this nowhere not even a little. Those lovers and separated thousands of still needed at least a one freakin line.
Overall, the book deserves a good praise by INTRODUCING short and precisely to the English readers about Sikhism. But far from actual realities of its holier-than-though attitude.
I lost my faith when i was 13 and i am am agnostic to still this day. I read a good deal on Sikhism here and in every while but never able to go back and accept it. Apart of the internal flaws of Sikhism, i also was shocked how Sikhs have been and are still more than ever been intolerant to criticism of their religion. This part must be noted as the followers of this religion.
I personally love the earlier Sikhism which i dont call it a religious doctrine at all. I have no issue with Guru Nanak’s teachings and spiritual awakenings. He was a true saint and an exceptionally ahead wise man of his time. I truly have found nothing in contradiction to his teachings and beliefs and practices. So are his upcoming 3 followers. But after than, due to lot of political circumstances, the spiritual nature of sikhism had to convert to religion. And than so on and on.
If you take the sprititual teachings of sikhism and paste it to modern Punjab, you will be happy. If you take the whole religion, and you will be hugely dissapointed. The faith and practice, in modern sikhism makes it crystal clear how economics, politics, sociology and psychology plays a huge role in every culture and cannot be left untreated.
Guru Nanak had seen somethings and tried to change them in revolutionary (spiritual revolution) ways. He succeded to the only limit he could. It was absolutely neccesary.
Today, the problem with Sikhism is, everything has changed except Sikhism. :)
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Ryan
Jun 08, 2020Ryan rated it really liked it
As stated, this is a very short introduction to a major world religion. So one should not assume that it is comprehensive. All readers should be aware that when reading a work like this, one is only 'scratching the surface' of a subject. However, Nesbitt does a superb job in so short a work of providing an academic look at a religious worldview that also takes seriously the spirituality and lived experience of the people who cherish it. Learning about their faith inspired me to think more deeply about aspects of my own belief and devotion. For example, the story of Baghat Puran Singh was very touching and inspired me to reevaluate my own commitment to caring for those in need. I wish more authors could achieve this balance.
The chapters were very well organized to cover historical and theological background of the Sikhi tradition, as well as discuss its passage into modernity and the issues it has faced in the last century with gender, politics, etc. This work superbly demonstrates that model of religious literacy proposed by Diane Moore and promulgated by many others (including the American Academy of Religion) showing how religions are internally diverse, change over time, and are embedded in culture.
Sikhism is a growing world religion (some estimates place their numbers as high as 30 million), with an increasing population in North America (more than 1 million in the United States and Canada). Good citizens and leaders of the world will need to know something about this worldview and its adherents. I highly recommend this book as a very good place to start! (less)
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Matt Ely
Jul 01, 2018Matt Ely rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: theology, political-science-sociology
It's important to restate my rating rationale here; I try to make the lion's share of my rating based on how well a book achieves what it intends to achieve. So there's a sliding scale, in a sense. This very short introduction has very limited aims, but I found that it executed them well. The introduction clearly lays out the fact that this is not merely an overview of religious beliefs and practices; it also addresses the historical events that made the religion what it is today and the many manifestations of the community worldwide. In a sense, it's as much sociological as it is theological. This is all by design, as the author refutes the idea of treating religious beliefs as unchanging, abstract ideas unimpacted by the people who practice them.
As a well-rounded summary of the faith and its adherents, then, this was quite good. I was reading other material that consistently referred to the Sikhs, but I didn't have a good grasp on what made them unique, aside from the oft-cited physical manifestations. I feel much more conversant in the basics of what makes the community what it is, as well as how they differentiate themselves from the broader religious landscape of India. The purpose of the book is in the title, and if that's what you're looking for, this is a great place to start. (less)
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Laveena Behl
Apr 23, 2018Laveena Behl rated it liked it
The book gives a concise yet comprehensive history of Sikhism as a religion, and the inputs act as good starting points to probe further for people who wish to know more. However I did notice some discrepancies in certain statements, and I felt the author appeared perplexed between the Punjabi culture and Sikhism. Both the aspects share common grounds, but have a different development graph in terms of religious of connotation. I am a Punjabi, hence I do share certain idiosyncrasies with the Sikh way of life. I also revere the religion for a lot of principles that appear logical and are aimed at spreading social harmony. The book had a generic analysis of Sikhism being subjected to ever changing society and lifestyles because it is a challenge that every religion faces, for after all any religion is, to put it in layman's language, a collection of principles to design a disciplined method of living, and certain principles do tend to turn redundant with time. The book offer's a thorough input about the development of Sikh culture and religion. (less)
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Scott Goddard
Feb 02, 2021Scott Goddard rated it liked it
I definitely learnt a lot about Sikhism as a multifaceted belief system - and how it is indelibly connected to its historical timeline. It is certainly an appealing religion, since it does not belief in a God per se, but instead, adherents emulate the values and practices of immortalised gurus that existed throughout history.
So its a thumbs up to the content. What would've made this book an even more enjoyable read was if it was written less haphazardly. I understand it is a Very Short Introduction, but to play the role of an introduction means to provide the reader with a on-the-surface understanding. Instead, the author dived deep into Sikhism and the outcome was that you're overwhelmed with so much information about so many different topics and issues. Less it better, sometimes. (less)
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Ms. Arca
Sep 09, 2019Ms. Arca added it
I love learning about Sikhism and there is some interesting background embedded in this one. That being said, I found the organization / format of this one sort of clunky and in need of rethinking... at least for my brain. I do really like the concept of these short books on all the topics you’d want to know more about though .. it feels very Pokémon gotta catch em all but about these big daunting concepts you didn’t get to take a class in college about but wanted to.
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Nestor
Aug 16, 2021Nestor rated it really liked it
Very informational although it would have been nice if fewer concepts were explored at deeper levels. It felt as if the author was trying to fit a novel into an essay. Nonetheless loved learning about the history of Sikhism and expanding my admiration and respect for Sikh people.
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Daniel
Sep 26, 2017Daniel rated it liked it
Very superficial and quick reference, but can I blame the book?
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Valerie Sherman
Apr 16, 2019Valerie Sherman rated it liked it
An informative introduction to this fascinating spiritual tradition.
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Stephen
Feb 27, 2020Stephen rated it it was amazing
Shelves: religious-studies, manhood, 2020-reads, very-short-intro
This series is stellar. Not one that I hav rad or skimmed has disappointed.
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Doug Bartlett
Sep 18, 2020Doug Bartlett rated it it was amazing
Shelves: i-own, faith_and_religions
Impressive brief and yet thorough coverage of the formation of the Sikh religion and current practices.
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stormin
Aug 16, 2014stormin rated it liked it
Shelves: non-fiction, religion
Although I've been interested in Sikhism for a long time, this is the first book I've read on the topic. Therefore, I'm not remotely qualified to comment on how accurately or comprehensively it covers the subject material.
I feel like it did a pretty good job of introducing me to the history, culture, and theology of the Sikh faith, however. So it got the job down. This is commendable, given how remarkably different Sikhism is from my own faith tradition (Mormonism). There are definitely some su ...more
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Kevin de Ataíde
Aug 03, 2011Kevin de Ataíde rated it liked it
Shelves: philosophy
All religions today are called 'faiths,' the way I perceive that secularists use to equate all religions. Sikhs, I think, would refer to what we call Sikhism as teaching or wisdom. It seems to me that Sikhs would be less receptive to the patronising tone used by Western secularists to address all non-Christian religions.
With as many Sikh friends as I have, it's strange that I don't know much about this religion. Hence my reason for picking this little book up. Perhaps it will lead me to a bigger book. A few notes:
- From a Christian perspective, Sikhism is a step in the right direction away from pagan Hinduism and Sikhism at once has some interesting similarities with Christianity: monotheistic belief in one immortal God (the Guru Nanak is insistent that idolatry be avoided), a line of teachers (Gurus) and a vaguely similar idea of baptism, as given by the tenth Guru.
- The vague theology of the Guru, who seem to have placed a greater emphasis upon social reform than upon theological study, may allow for a more specific Christian view to be inserted in. The focus on the eternal Love, distinctly similar to Love in the Christian tradition was changed slowly, until God became the great guru, the Vahiguru.
- There is a disturbing emphasis on reverence for the Sikh mystical poetry book, the Granth, which the author calls 'Scripture,' a term used for the Hebrew Bible and the Christian New Testament. The book is considered to be the embodiment of the Gurus and the people take it so far as to put it to bed every night. More disturbing is that the book, in embodying not just the teaching of the Gurus but the Guru himself can possibly equate itself with the Eternal God. (less)
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David Glad
Dec 15, 2013David Glad rated it it was amazing
Shelves: exploring-society, culture
This was my first introduction to Oxford's Very Short Introduction line of books.
I had first become aware of Sikhs from Madhur Jefrrey's Curry Nation show where there was a brief mention about them and their hospitality and was curious on learning more. This definitely would be a great source of trying to absorb as much as possible in as little time, similar to trying to learn basics of a language by the time you land in a foreign destination and certainly always great to avoid the appearance of ...more
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Ladan F
Feb 12, 2009Ladan F rated it really liked it
Shelves: religion
This book is titled "A Very Short Introduction to Sikhism" yet manages to cover all of the main points about Sikhism in an interesting and readable manner. A great strength is its contemporary feel, and its up-to-date references ensure that it becomes more than just another book about religion. Dr Nesbitt demonstrates her detailed knowledge about Sikhism describing the evolution of Sikhism from Guru Nanak Dev Ji to the modern day, making this book extremely readable by describing the `story' of ...more
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C. Varn
Jun 29, 2014C. Varn rated it really liked it
Despite being, as the title says, very short, this introduction to Sikhism gives vital historical, religious, and critical context for the emerging world faith. Nesbitt covers both Punjabi and diaspora concerns with an eye for the turbulent role of Sikh nationalism and differentiation from Hindus and Muslims have put pressures on Sikhism. Nesbitt also is quite good at some of the contradictory interactions that the ethnics of the Panth demand on Sikhs class with both Punjabi and diaspora cultura ...more
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Charlie
Feb 23, 2016Charlie rated it it was ok
Shelves: non-fiction, religion, india, books-read-in-2016, spirituality
Undertaking a survey of world religions (more accurately, an investigation into the perennial philosophy), looking to get a better understanding of the faith and beliefs of the respective followers. The first 30 or so pages does a decent job of delivering on that. Unfortunately, for me at least, the rest of this Very Short Introduction delves more into the social and ethnic aspects of Sikhism. That accounts for my two star rating instead of three.
That said, I will certainly look to learn more ab ...more
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Reda Ait Mansour
Feb 21, 2020Reda Ait Mansour rated it it was amazing
Excellent right sized introduction to the system of believe, its founding, history, concetpts and pillars, as well as modern practice and geographical presence.. all stated in organized thoughts and clear language for individuals new to the topic..
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William
Aug 07, 2016William rated it really liked it
I'm really not qualified to judge the content of Nesbitt's "very short introduction", but it seems to fulfil its purpose very well. As an increasing number of Sikh's move into our small community I've found myself in occasional conversation with them and realised that I know next to nothing about their religion and culture. Nesbitt offers a simple introduction and, as is usually the case with this series, provides what appears to be a good list for further reading and a good jumping off point fo ...more
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lulu
Sep 25, 2016lulu rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
A very interesting introduction
Not knowing much about Sikhism, I found this book to be very informative about the subject, particularly when discussing Sikh history.
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Brad Hart
Dec 06, 2014Brad Hart rated it really liked it
Wonderful introductary on a religion few know much (if anything) about.
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Sikhism: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) Paperback – December 8, 2005
by Eleanor Nesbitt (Author)
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Print length
176 pages
Language
English
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Publication date
December 8, 2005
Dimensions
6.8 x 0.4 x 4.4 inches
ISBN-10
0192806017
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Editorial Reviews
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`"This book on Sikhism is a little gem. Nesbitt writes beautifully and succinctly... There will be no excuse for not knowing something about Sikhism in the future."' Carrie Mercer, Shap World Religions in Education
About the Author
Eleanor Nesbitt is a specialist in ethnographic investigation of religio-cultural continuity and change in UK Hindu, Sikh, and ethnically diverse Christian communities. She lectures on Sikhism and is the author of 7 books, including: Interfaith Pilgrims (Quaker Books, London); The Religious Lives
of Sikh Children: A Coventry Based Study (University of Leeds); (with Gopinder Kaur) Guru Nanak (Religious and Moral Education Press, Norwich); (with Robert Jackson) Hindu Children in Britain (Trentham, Stoke on Trent).
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Publisher : Oxford University Press (December 8, 2005)
Language : English
Paperback : 176 pages
ISBN-10 : 0192806017
ISBN-13 : 978-0192806017
Item Weight : 5.2 ounces
Dimensions : 6.8 x 0.4 x 4.4 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #2,762,336 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Customer Reviews: 4.3 out of 5 stars 30 ratings
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prbw
4.0 out of 5 stars This is good to take with you to Amritsar if you're seeing ...
Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2016
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This is good to take with you to Amritsar if you're seeing the Golden Temple and want to know more about the religion. It's thorough enough on the philosophy and teachings, and does a good job of pointing out where and how Sikhism developed and grew in contrast to Hindu and Islamic thought and practice. Yet I would have liked to have known much more about Operation Bluestar, the deadly Indian military operation at the temple in 1984, which was my first awareness of its existence. Instead, there's just a brief summary of it but a more extensive treatment of Sikhism as practiced in disapora communities like in California and Britain. In my view, those topics deserved the brief summary instead. Many purchasers of this type of book are probably non-Sikhs interested in reading this as a companion to the temple and visit to Amritsar. In fact, including a basic map of the temple complex would also be helpful. Still, it's worthwhile as a way to get to know more about Sikhism than its Wikipedia page.
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C. Derick VarnTop Contributor: Graphic Novels
5.0 out of 5 stars very useful
Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2014
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Despite being, as the title says, very short, this introduction to Sikhism gives vital historical, religious, and critical context for the emerging world faith. Nesbitt covers both Punjabi and diaspora concerns with an eye for the turbulent role of Sikh nationalism and differentiation from Hindus and Muslims have put pressures on Sikhism. Nesbitt also is quite good at some of the contradictory interactions that the ethnics of the Panth demand on Sikhs class with both Punjabi and diaspora cultural pressures have put on Sikh practice. Nesbitt also draws out the increasing military image of Sikhism which was largely absent in the early Gurus but emerges with the later gurus war with the Mughals as well as the ambivalent role in the British Raj. Sikhism is much too misunderstood and understudied and this slight book is a start in correcting that.
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Joe Culumber
3.0 out of 5 stars a helpful overview
Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2014
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A short and concise overview. Good perspectives about the Sikhs' desire for a homeland and their relationship to Hinduism. Would have been helpful to have more of the philosophical assumptions of Sikhism, and fewer non-English (Indian) terms. Could have included more about Sikh theology in comparison to other major world religions.
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Lulu
5.0 out of 5 stars A very interesting introduction
Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2016
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Not knowing much about Sikhism, I found this book to be very informative about the subject, particularly when discussing Sikh history.
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CO book lover!
4.0 out of 5 stars Worth learning something of
Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2013
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An interesting read about a subject of which I had no previous knowledge. "Very Short Introductions" do it again with this easy to read book!
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Drew
2.0 out of 5 stars Very disappointed. I wanted more information about Sikh doctrine
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2016
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Very disappointed. I wanted more information about Sikh doctrine. The author acts as if everyone knows their doctrines or perhaps that the history of their religion is ten times more important than their actual belief and practice. This is the only disappointing book I've ever read in this otherwise wonderful series by Oxford University Press.
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Bernie GourleyTop Contributor: Fantasy Books
4.0 out of 5 stars A concise overview of Sikhism as religion, culture, and a political and historical entity
Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2016
I picked up this book before a trip to Amritsar. While Sikhs are arguably the most visually distinct religious adherents, it’s one of the least understood world religions with respect to internal aspects like beliefs and practices. And a major religion, it is. With 23 million followers, it’s between the fifth and eighth most widely practiced religion in the world (depending upon whether one aggregates traditional religions in China or Africa.)
This book offers a 150 page overview of what it means to be Sikh, and it explains it not only in religious, but also in cultural, political, and historical, terms. If one needs deep insight and great detail about Sikhism, this may not be the book for you. But it gives one the big picture quite nicely, and with a scholar’s balanced view (as opposed to that of a theologian.)
There are eight chapters in the book. The first chapter introduces one to Sikhism. Besides the basics, this chapter discusses what makes Sikhism a distinct religion, and how it has been influenced by other religions—most significantly Hindu and Islam, in that order. It also discusses what it means to be Punjabi, in contrast to what it means to be Sikh. To understand the subject of the second and third chapters, one has to know how the leadership of this religion unfolded. There were ten human teachers (Guru), and then a book of scriptures assumed the mantle of Guru. The second chapter is about the human Gurus (and mostly about the first one—Guru Nanak, with a little about the next four, and almost nothing about the last five.) The third chapter is about the Guru Granth Sahib, which is the book of scriptures that has served as the religion’s guide since the early 18th century.
Chapter four discusses Sikh religious practices--including the five K’s that serve to give Sikhs such a distinct physical appearance. The 5 K’s are: kesh (uncut hair), kanga (comb), kirpan (sword), kachh (cotton breeches), and kara (steel braclet.) While only the Khalsa (i.e. the community of initiated) necessarily practice all of these, it’s common to see at least some of these features among the community at-large. The wearing of turbans, beards (though often not completely uncut), and steel bangles are ubiquitous in Punjab. The chapter also delves into turbans, ethics, symbology, and the controversial question of vegetarianism (some Sikhs are and some aren’t.)
The fifth chapter offers a history of Sikhism over the past few centuries from the era of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the early 19th century to the dire events of early 1980’s (there was a massacre of Sikhs by government forces in 1982 and in 1984 Indira Gandhi was assassinated by Sikh bodyguards, leading to yet more violence.) Chapter 6 discusses the topic of Sikhs abroad. While Punjab is consider the Sikh homeland, there are Sikhs around the world—but particularly in a few areas where there numbers are sufficient to constitute a community—e.g. in the United Kingdom. Chapter 7 investigates the theory and practice of Sikhism with regards to a few key issues of life on the Indian subcontinent including: the caste system, gender, and attitudes toward other religions. (In many regards, Sikhism is comparatively progressive, but practice hasn’t always followed the scripture—e.g. high girl child infanticide rates.) The last chapter considers the future of Sikhism moving forward.
There are graphics of several types throughout the book—most notably black-&-white photographs. There are a few helpful ancillary features including a “Further Reading” section, a timeline, and a glossary of terms.
I found this book useful, and would recommend it for anyone seeking background on Sikhism.
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Monique L. Avakian
4.0 out of 5 stars I really enjoyed this book
Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2015
I really enjoyed this book! I knew next to nothing about the history of the Sikhs. Ms. Nesbitt's style of writing was easy to follow and jam-packed with socio-historical context. I learned a lot of world history and also a lot of specifics about various details of Sikh history. I never felt overwhelmed by information. This is a great springboard to learning more, especially with regard to reading about the poetics involved. Wish she had been able to get into the music more, but that's the whole point of this series--to encourage you to seek out more!
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