Sikhs follow the teachings of ten leaders, or Gurus. The Sikh religion was founded by Guru Nanak, who lived in India about 500 years ago. The main religions at that time were Hinduism and Islam, but Guru Nanak rejected the practices of some of their followers. Over the centuries, the Gurus looked for common ground to bring the two religions together, while establishing a different way of thinking for the Sikh religion.
Sikh men wear the five 'Ks': Kes (long hair, wound under a turban), Kangha (a comb), Kirpan (a sword), Kachh (short trousers), and Kara (a steel bracelet). A Sikh temple, or Gurdwara, is where the holy scriptures, the Guru Granth Sahib, are read. It is also a social centre where people may meet to eat and talk.
Sikhs celebrate religious festivals with music, flowers, flags, processions, and readings from the scriptures. Many festivals honour the ten Gurus. Special celebrations are held on the birthdays of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh, the founder of the Sikh Brotherhood, or Khalsa. The deaths of Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadur are also honoured.
Some Sikh festivals are held at the same time as Hindu festivals. At Holi, the Sikh spring festival of Hola Mohalla is celebrated with sporting competitions. At Diwali, Sikhs commemorate the release of Guru Hargobind from prison. Baisakhi, a harvest festival, commemorates Sikhs killed by British troops in the holy city of Amritsar in 1919.
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