1. 10 HISTORICAL GURUS OF SIKHISM

2. What is a Sikh? The word Sikh means someone who learns. What is a Guru? The word Guru means teacher.

3. Guru Nanak  Born in Punjab area of India in 1469.  Raised a Hindu, but learned a lot about Islam.  At age 30, he went to bathe in the river and disappeared for three days. He said he had been taken to God.  When he returned he spent his remaining years preaching that what really mattered was knowing God and living in a right way.

4. Guru Angad  Taught that salvation came from performing one’s worldly duties.  Opened Sikh schools

5. Guru Amar Das  Wrote the Anand Sahib, which is said at the end of every service of worship.

6. Guru Ram Das  Spread Sikhism by sending teachers all over India.  Developed the city of Amritsar, the centre of Sikhism.

7. Guru Arjan Dev  Built the Golden Temple at Amritsar, the most important building in Sikhism.  Collected hymns, creating the Adi Granth, the Sikh scriptures

8. Guru Hargobind  Worked hard to make sure that Sikhs could defend themselves in order to survive.

9. Guru Har Rai  Spread Sikhism widely into Northern India

10. Guru Har Krishan  Died at age 8 of smallpox, while caring for those who were sick.

11. Guru Tegh Bahadur  Was Guru while Sikhs were being persecuted, and was beheaded for refusing to change his religion.

12. Guru Gobind Singh  Began the Khalsa, a community of devout Sikhs.  Said there would be no more human Gurus, and instead the holy book would be the future Guru, called the Guru Granth Sahib.