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Glossary

Not too infrequently, some of the writings featured on this website contain a smattering of Punjabi, Hindi or Urdu words. Since many of these writings were originally meant for readers expected to be well versed with the vernacular languages, English equivalents were often not provided. However, at certain places now, the English equivalents have been provided within parenthesis but wherever it was felt that the parenthesis will only break the flow of an engrossed reader, the intrusive element has been avoided. Instead, we provide here a glossary for readers not familiar with the vernaculars. It may not be exhaustive right now, and will be updated continuously.

A

adivasi: a tribal or aboriginal person

ahimsa: non-violence

akhand path: a continuous recitation of the Guru Granth sahib, lasting about 48 hours, by a team of readers.

amritdhari: a Sikh who has taken part in the ceremonial initiation into the Khalsa.  

adi granth: the Sikh scriptures, literally meaning “the first book.” it is now considered the “living guru” by the Sikhs.

akal purakh: a synonym for god almighty. means “a timeless being that never dies.”

akal takht: “the throne of the eternal”. of the five temporal seats, this is considered the premier one. most edicts are invariably issued from the ramparts of the Akal Takht. embodies the concept of intertwining of spiritual and temporal powers. this concept is called Miri-Piri.

akali dal: also known as Shiromani Akali Dal. literally means “eternal party”. is a major regional force in Punjab, claims to represent the Sikhs, even though many other political parties also have Sikhs as members. Akali Dal has repeatedly assumed power in Punjab.

amrit: literally “nectar.” often equated with the Christian Baptism  ceremony, the initiation into Sikhism involves drinking Amrit, a sweetened water concoction stirred with a scimitar. can also refer, more generally, to the ambrosia of God's name.

amritsar: literally “pool of nectar.” a border city located in Punjab, and known throughout the world for being the city where the golden temple is located.

anand karaj: the Sikh wedding ceremony, aptly meaning “blissful occasion.” hymn singers in a Sikh place of worship sing four particular hymns, called lavan, as the bride and the groom circumambulate the holy sikh book four times. 

anandpur: a city about 45 km from Chandigarh, known as the place where the tenth Sikh master created the order of the Khalsa in 1699.

ardas: the Sikh congregational prayer, anonymously written during the 18th century. although it is not in the Guru Granth sahib, it occupies a prominent place in Sikh religious functions. it is said with the daily prayers, and often used to initiate or conclude any significant endeavor (i.e. child going away to school, starting a business venture).

B

babu: rather disparaging term for a clerk or official

bandh: a general strike

banyan: Indian fig tree

baniyan: vest worn underneath a shirt

begum: courtesy title for married women in Islamic society

bindi: a dot worn by married women, mostly in India

burqa: a veil sported by women in orthodox Islamic societies

bole so nihal: also transliterated as Jo Bole So Nihal; meaning “Blessed is the One” is part of the traditional greeting used by the followers of the Sikh religion. The full form Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal means, “Blessed is the one who says Truth is God”. The greeting reflects the Sikh religion's belief in one God.

bhangra: a Punjabi folk dance.

bhindranwale, Jarnail Singh: a charismatic preacher and leader of a group of militants who were killed in the Indian army attack on the golden temple complex in 1984.

baisakhi: a spring harvest festival in Punjab, usually held around April 13. it holds special significance for Sikhs, as it serves as a time to commemorate the founding of the Khalsa in 1699. considered the beginning of the Sikh new year, it is a time of religious observances and festive celebration.
 

C

chowkidar: night watchman

crore: ten million 

chuna: lime

caste: a ranked, birth-ascribed group which determines social standing and occupation, based on the tenets of Hindu philosophy. for Sikhs, caste has no religious or social significance.

chandigarh: the capital of the modern-day Indian state of Punjab.

chunni: sort of a stole. a long, flowing veil worn by some Sikh women. also called a dupatta.
 

D

daaku: a dacoit, bandit

darshan: an interview or an audience, often also an opportunity to pay obeisance at a religious place

darzi: a tailor

dhobi: a washer-man

dhoti: a garment, often white, wound around the waist and drawn up between the legs

dasam granth: a sacred book of writings attributed by many Sikhs to Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth guru of the Sikhs. its authenticity is often a subject of bitter debate within the community.

dasvandh: one-tenth of personal income, which a Sikh is religiously obligated to donate to charity.

E

eh garib di ameer de khilaaf larrai hai: this is a poor man’s fight against the rich man’s might

F

fleetfoots/fleetshoes: canvas shoes

G

ghats: riverside steps, often featuring clusters of houses

ghee: clarified butter used in cooking

gherao: to surround a building or a person in the manner of a siege, a form of protest

granthi: a religious caretaker at a Sikh place of worship

gurdwara: a Sikh place of worship

guru: spiritual advisor 

goonda-police: cops specially meant to tackle serious crime

gatka: the Sikh martial art form.

giani: someone learned in the Sikh religion. often leads the congregation in prayers, such as ardas, or in hymn singing.
 
granthi: a ceremonial reader of the Guru Granth Sahib. duties include arranging daily religious services, reading from the Sikh scripture, maintaining the shrine premises. but a granthi is not equivalent to a minister.

gurbani: the revealed wisdom of the Sikh gurus in their own words, found in the Guru Granth sahib; the devotional songs of the gurus

gurdwara: literally translated "home of the guru." any building or room dedicated to housing the devotional songs of the Guru for the purpose of spiritual practice; a Sikh place of worship, open to anyone. provides food and shelter to travelers, and the needy.

gurmukhi: literally "from the mouth of the Guru." the written form of Punjabi, used in the Sikh scripture and in contemporary India.

gurpurab: a sikh holiday to commemorate the birth or death of a Sikh Guru.
 
gursikh: a practicing Sikh. the degree of diligence in observing rituals could greatly vary of course.

guru: literally "teacher." one of the most important words in Sikhism, it has a number of related meanings. it can refer, depending on context of usage, to one of the ten Sikh prophets, the Sikh scripture, the Sikh community (Guru Panth), or god. the Sikhs had ten living gurus, and the 10th guru transferred the guruship to the holy scripture, Guru Granth sahib.

guru arjan dev: the fifth guru of the Sikhs and their first martyr. he compiled the Gguru Granth sahib. it was on his martyrdom day in June 1984 that the Indian army attacked the golden temple.

guru gobind singh (1666-1708): the tenth and last living prophet of the Sikhs, he passed the guruship onto the Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth sahib, and the Sikh community (Guru Panth). Guru Gobind Singh ji founded the order of the Khalsa during Vaisakhi 1699.

guru granth sahib: the Sikh scripture, written in poetry organized in 31 sections, with each section corresponding to a particular melodic scale, or Raag. it includes the poetry of six Sikh Gurus, and 36 other saints, including Muslims and Hindus. it is 1430 pages long and is the embodiment of the spiritual knowledge and authority of all of the Gurus. the words from the Guru Granth Sahib are the central focus at all Sikh Gurdwaras. it is used by Sikhs for meditation, guidance, comfort, and inspiration.

guru hargobind: the 6th Guru of the Sikhs. following the martyrdom of his father, Guru Arjan Dev ji, he was the first guru to maintain a standing army and symbolically wear two swords, representing spiritual and temporal power. responsible for the construction of the Akal Takht.

guru har krishan: the 8th Guru of the Sikhs, who was only 5 years old when he became guru in 1661. he died three years later.

guru nanak: the founder of the Sikh faith. born in 1469, he began his mission by proclaiming that there is "neither Hindu nor Muslim," stressing common truths fundamental to diverse faiths. he preached against caste and advocated the equality of women.

guru panth: literally "Guru’s path." the name used by Sikhs to describe the worldwide Sikh community.

guru teg bahadur: the 9th Guru of the Sikhs, who was killed by Mughal rulers in 1675 for defending Hindus facing forcible conversion to Islam.

H

harijan: child of God, literally; a term coined by Mahatma Gandhi for India’s untouchables

hartal: strike, a form of protest

hukumnama: edict

holi: an Indian festival in which frolicking participants throw colour upon each other. Aimed at spreading convivial feelings, the festival has often led to communal riots between Hindus and Muslims. Sikhs celebrate the festival in the form of Hola Mohalla, a three day conclave at Anandpur Sahib in Punjab, 45 km from Chandigarh

I 

J 

jathedar: a leader of Sikh volunteers. also refers to the appointed leader of one of the five Sikh Takhats.
 

K

kar sewa: voluntary work. A much hailed concept started by Sikh Gurus wherein the devout do manual work on voluntary basis. Most Sikh shrines are built through this system rather than employing paid labour.

khaadi/Khadi: homespun cloth, or woven on handlooms

kotwali: police station

kurta: long shirt, usually worn with pyjama 

kudimaar: one who kills one’s daughter. Sikhs are prohibited from having social contact with one who kills a girl, or indulges in female foeticide or infanticide

kaum/quom: a term used by many Sikhs to refer to the corporate Sikh construct, the Sikh nation or Panth.

kaur: literally "princess." the suffix given to all female Sikhs.

khalistan: the proposed name for an ostensibly sovereign Sikh state in Punjab, which is more of a loosely defined rebellious idea than a well thought out political goal. a radical fringe every few years talks about such an idea. adherents of the idea are often derided as separatists and anti-nationals, often in the same breath, and almost always with a sense that both are the same.

khalsa: literally "belonging only to the divine;" the collective body of all initiated Sikhs, who drink the Amrit instituted by Guru Gobind Singh, and agree to live by the highest ideals of Sikh principles. committed to one's own purity of consciousness and actions.

khanda: double-edged sword. when surrounded by a kirpan on each side and a quoit, a symbol of the Khalsa.

kirpan: miniature ceremonial sword. one of the five Sikh articles of faith, given as gifts of love by Guru Gobind Singh, worn by a baptized Sikh. represents the Sikh commitment to truth and protection of the innocent

kirta: traditional unifrom worn by Sikh men

kirtan: the devotional singing of sacred hymns, or shabads, from the Guru Granth sahib, usually accompanied by instruments.

L

lathi: a stave, three or four feet long, often carried by police

luv & Kush: children of Lord Rama 

langar: community kitchen which is free and open to all. A typical Sikh institution aimed at ameliorating caste distinction and discriminations. Often credited for ensuring a zero starvation rate in the region for decades.

M

morcha: defiance, a form of protest

Mrs.: Often used in India as a synonym for wife (“Meet my Mrs.”)

muchh: moustache

masit: mosque

ma atyachar nahi kardi, samaj atyachari hai: a mother is never cruel, it is the society which is

mela: fair

makki di roti-sarson da saag: typical Punjabi cuisine, the bread made out of corn flour and a dish made out of mashed mustard leaves

N 

namaaz: the Muslim prayer. A devout Muslim is expected to say his Namaaz five times a day

nitnem: the daily Sikh prayers.

O 

operation blue star: the Indian army attack on the golden temple in Amritsar and other Gurdwaras in Punjab, Haryana and Himachel Pradesh in June 1984, ostensibly to flush out militants holed inside the shrines. many were killed as armoured vehicles were employed in the action.

P

pakhi: hand fan, again an Indianism

pan: betel leaf, sold with a variety of fillings, like areca nut or tobacco, mild stimulant and very popular as a digestive

peon: messenger

pugg: turban

puja: worship, prayer, offering to a god

pukka/Pucca: good, genuine; made of bricks, real McCoy

paap: sin

panj piare: "five beloved ones;" five Amritdhari Sikhs. often refers to the first five initiated Sikhs, during the Vaisakhi celebrations of 1699, who volunteered to give up their lives as a sign of their faith and love for their guru. currently, Panj Piare are necessary to perform baptisms, make important corporate decisions, and officiate over special occasions.

panth: the Sikh community.

patit: a lapsed Sikh who has been initiated into the Khalsa, but failed to observe the Khalsa code of conduct.
 
prakash: a short ceremony performed when the Guru Granth sahib is formally opened everyday.
 
punjab: literally "five rivers." fertile, agriculturally productive region in South Asia which today is divided between India and Pakistan. birthplace of the Sikh religious tradition. name of state in both India and Pakistan.

Q

R 

raag: a term used in Indian classical music to refer to a series of five or more notes upon which a melody is based. the poetic works in the Guru Granth sahib are categorized according to the raag in which they are sung.

ragi: a musician who is trained in performing kirtan.

rehat maryada: a formalized code of conduct for the Khalsa way of life.
 

S

sadhu: sometimes a genuine holy man, sometimes a wandering beggar

sarbat da bhala: May all mankind be blessed

shikar: hunting, shooting

sufi: a form of all inclusive tolerant interpretation of Islam; a form of singing praises of the lord in consonance with such interpretation

swami: often leader of a caste or religious group, too often self-styled

shardhanjali samaroh: function meant to pay homage to a departed one

saathi haath badhana: oh friend lend a hand. Words of a lyric from the famous 1957 Dilip Kumar starrer movie Naya Daur, literally meaning The New Age

sangat: literally translated "community." a Sikh congregation. believed to be an essential aspect of living a spiritual and god-centered life.

sat sri akal: a common Sikh greeting, meaning "god is true and timeless."

seva: community service. a central aspect of Sikh theology; selfless service, which is believed to bring one closer to god

shabad: literally "word." a sacred Sikh hymn.

shiromani gurdwara parbandhak committee (s.g.p.c.): established in 1920, this elected governance committee, located in Amritsar, is responsible for the administration of Gurdwaras in India.

sikh: literally "student, disciple." according to the Sikh Rehat Maryada, a Sikh is someone who believes in god, the ten Sikh Gurus, in the Guru Granth Sahib, in the importance of the Khalsa initiation, and in no other religion; "seeker of truth"

singh: literally means lion. the name given to all male Sikhs.

T

tamasha: fuss, disturbance, spectacle

tiffin: lunch

tikka: dot of paste worn on the forehead by mendicants and married women, often Hindu women

tonga: Two-wheeled pony cart 

tonga-wallah: the man who plies a horse-pulled carriage

takhat: literally "throne." one of five centers of Sikh secular authority.

turban: a cloth covering of the head. worn as a sign of devotion to god

U 

V 

W 

waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa: literal translation: The Khalsa belongs to the Almighty. The Sikh salutation.

X 

Y

yaar: friend 

Z
zamindars: feudal landlords

     
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