page_title: Sikhs
section_title: British rule
hierarchical_section_title: Sikhs / History / British rule
caption_attribution_description: The book of history. A history of all nations from the earliest times to the present, with over 8,000 illustrations ([1915?-21]) Author: Bryce, James Bryce, Viscount, 1838-1922; Thompson, Holland, 1873-1940; Petrie, W. M. Flinders (William Matthew Flinders), Sir, 1853-1942 Volume: 3 Subject: World history Publisher: New York&#160;: The Grolier society; London, The Educational book co. Possible copyright status: NOT_IN_COPYRIGHT Language: English Call number: srlf_ucla:LAGE-623290 Digitizing sponsor: MSN Book contributor: University of California Libraries Collection: cdl; americana Full catalog record: MARCXML [Open Library icon]This book has an editable web page on Open Library
context_page_description: Sikhs are people associated with Sikhism, a monotheistic religion that originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term Sikh has its origin in the word śiṣya, meaning 'disciple' or 'student'. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada, a Sikh is:
  Any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru.
  Male Sikhs generally have Singh as their middle or last name, though not all Singhs are necessarily Sikhs; likewise, female Sikhs have Kaur as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the Khanḍe-kī-Pahul which is an initiation ceremony know as Amrit are from the day of their initiation known as Khalsa Amritdhari Sikhs, and they must at all times have on their bodies
  five Ks:
  kesh, uncut hair, which is kept covered usually by a turban;
  kara, an iron or steel bracelet;
  kirpan, a dagger-like sword tucked into a gatra strap or a kamal kasar belt;
  kachera, a cotton undergarment; and
  kanga, a small wooden comb.
context_section_description: After the annexation of the Sikh kingdom by the British, the latter would begin recruiting from that area once recognizing the martial qualities of the Sikhs and Punjabis in general. During the 1857 Indian mutiny, the Sikhs stayed loyal to the British, resulting in heavy recruitment from Punjab to the colonial army for the next 90 years of the British Raj. The distinct turban that differentiates a Sikh from other turban wearers is a relic of the rules of the British Indian Army. The British colonial rule saw the emergence of many reform movements in India, including Punjab, such as the formation of the First and Second Singh Sabha in 1873 and 1879 respectively. The Sikh leaders of the Singh Sabha worked to offer a clear definition of Sikh identity and tried to purify Sikh belief and practice.
  The later years of British colonial rule saw the emergence of the Akali movement to bring reform in the gurdwaras during the early 1920s. The movement led to the introduction of Sikh Gurdwara Bill in 1925, which placed all the historical Sikh shrines in India under the control of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.
caption: Sikh armour and weapons
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