{{ethnic group| |group= Sikhs ਸਿੱਖ |flag = |flag_caption = The Nishan Sahib, flag of the Sikhs |population = 30,000,000 (30 million) |region1= |pop1 = 19,215,730 |ref1 = |region2= |pop2 = 760,000 |ref2 = |region3= |pop3 = 600,000 |ref3 = |region4= |pop4 = 700,000 |ref4 = }} |region5= |pop5 = 100,000 |ref5 = |region6= |pop6 = 70,000 |ref6 = |region7= |pop7 = 70,000 |ref7 = |region8= |pop8 = 50,000 |ref8 =

|region9= |pop9 = 30,000 |ref9 =

|region10= |pop10 = 100,000 |ref10 =

|region11= |pop11 = 20,000 |ref11 =

|region12= |pop12 = 15,000 |ref12 =

|region13= |pop13 = 15,000 |ref13 =

|region14= |pop14 = 12,000 |ref14 =

|region15= |pop15 = 9,733 |ref15 =

|region16= |pop16 = 9,507 |ref16 =

|region17= |pop17 = 8,000 |ref17 =

|region18= |pop18 = 5,890 |ref18 =

|region19= |pop19 = 5,000 |ref19 =

|region20= |pop20 = 4,674 |ref20 =

|region21= |pop21 = 3,000 |ref21 =

|region22= |pop22 = 3,000 |ref22 =

|region23= |pop23 = 2,794 |ref23 =

|region24= |pop24 = 1,200 |ref24 = |rels=Sikhism |scrips=Guru Granth Sahib |langs= ;Punjabi (Gurmukhi): Among the Sikh diaspora English,Sindhi, Hindi, Urdu, Swahili, Malay, Thai and others.

|footnotes = † ''Estimated figure as of 2004.'' }}

A Sikh ( or ; , '''' ) is a follower of Sikhism. It is classified under Indian Religions, primarily originating in the 15th century in the Punjab region of Pre-Partition India. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term ''शिष्य ()'', meaning "disciple, student" or ''शिक्ष ()'', meaning "instruction". A Sikh is a disciple of the Guru.

According to Article I of the "Rehat Maryada" (the Sikh code of conduct and conventions), a Sikh is defined as "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak Dev to Sri Guru Gobind Singh; Sri Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru; and who does not owe allegiance to any other religion". Sikhs believe in the equality of humankind, the concept of universal brotherhood of man and One Supreme God (Ik Onkar).

Sikhs are recognized by their 5 Ks. 1) Kesh, hair 2) Kara, steel bangle 3) Kirpan, small sword in a gatra strap. 4) Kashera, specially designed underpants, 5) Kanga, comb under turban. These only apply to Baptised Sikhs. Sikhs are recognized by their distinctively wrapped turban, uncut hair (Kesh), beard and moustache, and they are supposed to wear an iron/steel bracelet (kara). Most men have Singh (lion) and women Kaur (princess) as their surname.

The greater Punjab region is the historical homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

Philosophy

The basis of the religion is the union of soul with God. A Sikh disciplines his thoughts and actions so that the five obstacles—lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego—are dispelled and the soul is united with God. Sikhs believe that the cycle of reincarnation is escaped by this union.

Guru Nanak was the founder of Sikhism. Guru Nanak summed the basis of Sikh lifestyle as: ''Naam Japo'', ''Kirat Karni'' and ''Wand kay Shako'', which means meditate on the holy name (Waheguru), work diligently and honestly, and share one's fruits. The guiding principles of the Sikh faith are Truth, Equality, Freedom, Justice, and Karma.

The Sikhs revere Sri Guru Granth Sahib as their supreme teacher. The tenth Guru appointed Sri Guru Granth Sahib as the final and eternal Guru of the Sikhs. Sri Guru Granth Sahib is revered by Sikhs as their supreme guide. Non-Sikhs can take part fully in Sikh ceremonies, prayer meetings, and social functions. Their daily prayers include the well-being of all of mankind.

Sikhism can be considered one of the more universal religions. The Sri Guru Granth Sahib, in addition to the revelations of the Sikh gurus, contains revelations of various saints and sages of that period. The opening hymn of the holy Sri Guru Granth Sahib expounds the nature and attributes of God:

Sikhs are not required to renounce the world. They aspire to live the life of a householder. Seva (selfless service) is an integral part of Sikh worship, very easily observed in the Gurdwara. Visitors of any religious or socio-economic background are welcomed, where langar (food for all) is always served and is another way to break the caste system (as observed by Hindus) by serving people of all origins the same (vegetarian) food, while sitting together on the same level of the floor.

Protecting the religious and political rights of all people and preventing discrimination is an integral part of the Sikh faith. The 5th Guru Arjan Dev was martyred by the Mughal ruler Jahangir on May 16, 1606. The martyrdom of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji 9th Guru to protect Hindus from religious persecution, in Delhi, on 11 November 1675 AD, is another example of upholding minority religious freedom.He gave his life to protect freedom of worship for all religions mainly Hindu, when Hindu Pandits (priests) came to ask for help

People revered by Sikhs also include:

Bhai Mardana: one of the first followers and lifelong companion of Guru Nanak

Bhai Bala: one of the first followers and lifelong companion of Guru Nanak

Baba Buddha: Sikh saint, held the position of high Granthi in the Sikh religion, conducted the ceremony of guruship of the second guru up to the sixth guru, oversaw the construction of the Akal Takht

Baba Banda Singh Bahadur: fought and defeated the Mughal Governor of Punjab, Wazir Khan, and established a Sikh force in Punjab

Baba Deep Singh: Sikh saint, defended Golden Temple with his head in his hand, first head of the Damdami Taksal

Bhai Mani Singh: Sikh scholar, compiled the Dasam Granth

Bhai Taru Singh: a patron of the poor

Bhai Gurdas: known for his interpretation of Bani and his works (vaars)

Bhai Kanhaiya: known for starting the first action of Red Cross

Bhai Mati Das: known for sacrificing his life for the right of faith

Bhai Sati Das: known for sacrificing his life for the right of faith

Bhai Dayala: known for sacrificing his life for the right of faith

Bhai Bachittar Singh: known for sacrificing his life in battle in bravery, by putting a spear through an intoxicated elephant which was covered in armour

Early Sikh scholars included Bhai Santokh Singh, Bhai Vir Singh and Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha.
(Sant Baba Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale): 14th head of the damdami taksal .

Teachings

Sikhism believes in one supreme being which is real and immanent and only experienceable in this creation, technically there is nothing in this creation which is devoid of it and distinct of it. The Sikh school of thought started by Guru Nanak teaches gender and race equality, sharing, working hard and being honest, contentment, selfless service, talking sweetly, worshiping naam, good etiquette, tradition, prayer, meditation on teachings, the concept of miri-piri, the concept of the saint-soldier/warrior, remembering God all the time in all actions, keeping in good company, proper sexual conduct, the life of a householder instead of becoming a celibate monk or rejecting the world, compassion, faith, justice, mastery, righteous actions, bravery, courage, love for God, humility, salvation, the afterlife, the law of karma (karma) which is counteracted by dharma (dharma), charity, and good will to humanity. It also teaches God's omnipresence, transcendence, omnipotence, and omniscience. It also revolves around the belief in reincarnation. Emphasis is on ethics, morality, and values; the Sikh faith does not accept miracles. Actually Sikh people, those who claim to be Sikhs, does not accept miracle. Otherwise Guru Nanak Dev Ji stopping a large Stone was a miracle, change the taste of Reethas was miracle, testing Bhai Lehnna Ji, Baba Budhdha Ji & Mardana by asking to eat flesh but then turning it into Karah was a miracle, the storm after Guru Arjan Dev Ji's shaheedi was a miracle, 1699 visakhi was a miracle, Baba Deep Singh Ji fighting beheaded was miracle, Shaheedi of Bhai Mati Das, Sati Das, Bhai Taru Singh Ji, Bhai Mani Singh Ji was a miracle. Miracles are prohibitted for Sikh sangat to stay away from pompus. But biding Guru Sahibaad by this is a folish thing as one side we are claiming they can do anything, another side saying they cannot do miracle to save Sikhism. The Sikh school of thought believes in reincarnation based on the foundation of Karma - hell and heaven is all to be experienced right here in this life. In fact the 9th Guru Teg Bahadur was beheaded by the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb as he refused to embrace Islam as well as perform a miracle to justify his holiness and sanctity as a religious leader. As well as believing in an omnipresent God(immanent supreme being), there are numerous references to supernatural beings like angels, demons, and demigods as well as references to otherworldly planes of existence in the Siri Guru Granth Sahib.

Devout Sikhs say 5 prayers(they are strictly not prayers but actually lessons) in the morning between 1am-6am (the 5 prayers can be said in succession within 1 hour for the well-versed) (Japji, Anand Sahib, Jaap Sahib, Tav-Prasad Savaiye, Chaupai and Ardas), 1 prayer in evening from 5-7pm (Rehras and Ardas) and 1 before sleeping, around 8-10pm (Kirtan Sohila and Ardas).

Sikh scriptures teach the concept of moderation, exhorting followers to eat little, sleep little, talk little, consume as little as possible (not to extremes, but in the middle way) and to live pious saintly lives as well as the life of a warrior (understanding the greatest battle is within). Sikhism teaches a person to remove (the Five Evils): (kaam (kam)), krodh, lobh, moh and ahankar) ego (see also Ego (spirituality)), pride, raging anger, sexual lust, worldly attachment, and greed, and to oppose hedonism as well as materialism and indulging one's appetites.

Guru Nanak sought to improve the status of women by spreading this message: "From woman, man is born; within woman, man is conceived; to woman he is engaged and married. Woman becomes his friend; through woman, the future generations come. When his woman dies, he seeks another woman; to woman he is bound. So why call her bad? when she gives rise to nobility. From woman, woman is born; without woman, there would be no one at all. O Nanak, only the True Lord is without a woman." (page 473). In so doing, he promoted women's rights and equality, a remarkable stance in the 15th century which was actually brought into practice by Guru Nanak and following 9 Gurus. Sikhism teaches the Hierarchy of the master and the student as one and the same: a great student is the master's master, an idea which was in place in the western world after the French Revolution. This concept of a democratic society was in place in Sikhism as early as the 17th century.

Sikhism teaches that all of humanity was created by the same God, which is addressed by many names and understood differently. Sikhism teaches to respect all other religions (tolerance) and that one should defend the rights of not just one's own religion, but the religion and faith of others, as a human right. At the end of every Sikh prayer is a supplication for the welfare of all of humanity.

Sikhism believes in the concept of a human Soul (Self (spirituality) or consciousness or spirit or astral body). Sikhs believe they can unite and become one with God in this life, as the consciousness merges with God (Supreme Consciousness) through truthful living and actions and is only a matter of realization. Sikhs always greet each other with the words "Sat Sri Akaal" which literally means "Truth is Time-less being". Truth, truthful living, equality, freedom and justice are the core principles of Sikh philosophy.

Guru Gobind Singh infused a new spirit into the community by creating the Khalsa brotherhood - or the "pure brotherhood". Khalsa Sikhs do not cut their hair kes, this being covered with a turban: the idea is that humans are made in the image of God, to honor God. Thus a person's intact hair is a symbol of honor, warriorhood, saintliness and radiance/aura and an acceptance of the natural form of our bodies, allowing believers to be at peace with themselves at all times and to get rid of vanity relating to outward appearance. Wearing a turban and a distinct identity also made the Sikhs very easily recognizable and in periods of extreme religious persecution by the Mughal rulers, Sikhs were repeatedly massacred in large number. Sikh history is built on examples of brave men and women who defended an ideology built on the fundamentals of human rights and equality of all human beings. For more than 300 years the Sikhs were persecuted endlessly. The Sikh human rights struggle morphed into a political struggle which was one of the dominant causes of the fall of the Mughal empire in India and led to the formation of the strongest kingdom in India before being annexed by the British in 1849. Yet at the peak of their political power the Sikhs under the great Maharaja Ranjit Singh had a large powerful kingdom centered in Lahore which was also secular and egalitarian.

An example of Sikhism's commitment to tolerance is the fact that the foundation stone of the holiest shrine of the Sikhs—Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar also known as the Golden Temple—was laid not by the many eminent Sikh leaders or the 4th Sikh Guru Ramdas who was the leader of the Sikhs at that time, but by a Sufi by the name of Sain Mian Mir.

The Sikh movement started during turbulent periods in the history of empires of India, one of which was the Mughal empire which projected Law and order from an Islamic viewpoint onto a majority Hindu Society where the existence of Buddhism had been wiped out. Sikhism has parallels with the Bhagati (Bhakti) movement, mysticism and Sufism.

Khalsa code of conduct strictly forbids the use of intoxicants, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, narcotics and any other foreign substance which disrupts the body, sexual relationship out of marriage, consuming sacrificial meat, cutting of hairs.

The Sikh religion also teaches human life is very valuable, described as more precious than a diamond which comes after great spiritual deeds and merits are done, to have gone through 8.4 million life cycle of incarnations before human life was attained. Therefore the meaning of life from Sikh teachings is to unite with the supreme being referred to as God.

Five Ks

thumb|left|[[Kanga (Sikhism)|Kanga, Kara and Kirpan—three of the five articles of faith endowed to the Sikhs.]] The Five Ks, or ''panj kakaar/kakke'', are five articles of faith that all ''baptized Sikhs'' (also called Khalsa Sikhs) are typically obliged to wear at all times, as commanded by the tenth Sikh Guru, who so ordered on the day of Baisakhi Amrit Sanskar in 1699. The symbols are worn for identification and representation of the ideals of Sikhism, such as honesty, equality, fidelity, militarism, meditating on God, and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

Kesh (uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in the Sikh Turban, Dastar.)

Kanga (wooden comb, usually worn under the Dastar.)

Katchera (specially made cotton underwear as a reminder of the commitment to purity.)

Kara (iron bracelet, which is a symbol of eternity.)

Kirpan (curved sword, comes in different sizes, for example in the UK Sikhs would wear a small sharp dagger whereas in the Punjab Sikhs would wear the traditional curved sword, from one to three feet in length.)

History

Essentially Sikh history, with respect to Sikhism as a distinct political body, can be said to have begun with the death of the fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan Dev in 1606. Sikh distinction was further enhanced by the establishment of the Khalsa (ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ), by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. The evolution of Sikhism began with the emergence of Guru Nanak as a religious leader and a social reformer during the 15th century in Punjab. The religious practice was formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on March 30, 1699. The latter baptised five people from different social backgrounds to form Khalsa. The first five, Pure Ones, then baptized Gobind Singh into the Khalsa fold. This gives Sikhism, as an organized grouping, a religious history of around 400 years.

Generally Sikhism has had amicable relations with other religions. However, during the Mughal rule of India (1556–1707), the emerging religion had strained relations with the ruling Mughals. Hindu Hill rajahs fought frequent battles against Guru Gobind Singh because they were largely opposed to Guru Gobind Singh's casteless principles of religion. Prominent Sikh Gurus were killed by Mughals for opposing Mughal persecution of minority religious communities. Subsequently, Sikhism militarized to oppose Mughal hegemony. The emergence of the Sikh Empire under reign of the Maharajah Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The establishment of the Sikh Empire is commonly considered the zenith of Sikhism at political level, during this time the Sikh Empire came to include Kashmir, Ladakh, and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the Commander-in-chief of the Sikh army along the North West Frontier, took the boundary of the Sikh Empire to the very mouth of the Khyber Pass. The Empire's secular administration integrated innovative military, economic and governmental reforms.

The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947, were marked by heavy conflict in the Punjab between Sikh and Muslims. The effect was the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims in East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity and rioting between Sikhs and Hindus in India, as the Sikhs agitated for the creation of a Punjab state based on a linguistic basis similar to that by which other states in India had been created. This had also been promised to the Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Nehru in return for Sikh political support during the negotiations for Indian Independence. Sikhs obtained the Punjab but not without losing some Punjabi speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh and Harayana and worst of all Chandigarh was made Union Territory and joint capital of Haryana & Punjab. Punjab on November 1, 1966.

Communal tensions arose again in the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalization by the Hindu dominated Indian National Congress ruling party and the "dictatorial" tactics adopted the then Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. Frank argues that Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government" and her increasing "paranoia" of opposing political groups led her to instigate a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". As a reaction against these actions came the emergence of the Sikh leader Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale who vocalized Sikh sentiment for justice and advocated the creation of a Sikh homeland, Khalistan. This accelerated Punjab into a state of communal violence. Gandhi's 1984 action to defeat Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale led to the attack of the Golden Temple in Operation Bluestar and ultimately led to Gandhi's assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. This resulted in an explosion of violence against the Sikh community in the anti-Sikh riots which resulted in the massacre of thousands of Sikhs throughout India; Khushwant Singh described the actions as being a Sikh pogrom in which he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have reached a rapprochement helped by growing economic prosperity; however in 2002 the claims of the popular right-wing Hindu organization the RSS (which has long played a significant role in protecting Sikhs during riots ), that "Sikhs are Hindus" angered Sikh sensibilities. Many Sikhs still are campaigning for justice for victims of the violence and the political and economic needs of the Punjab espoused in the Khalistan movement.

In 1996 the Special Rapporteur for the Commission on Human Rights on freedom of religion or belief, Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004), visited India in order to compose a report on religious discrimination. In 1997, Amor concluded, "it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Sikh music and instruments

Sikhs have developed their own instruments: Rabab, Dilruba, Taus, Jori and the Sarinda. The Sarangi was also encouraged by Guru Har Gobind. The Rabaab was first used by Bhai Mardana, as he accompanied Guru Nanak Dev on his journeys. Jori and Sarinda were both designed by Guru Arjan Dev. The Taus was made by Guru Har Gobind, it is said that he heard a peacock singing and wished to create such an instrument that could mimic it sounds, Taus is the Persian word for peacock. The Dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his Sikhs. They wished for a smaller instrument as the Taus was hard to carry and maintain, due to constant battles. After Japji Sahib all of the shabd in the Guru Granth Sahib are written in raag. The shabd is typically played in accordance with that particular raag. This style of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When marching into battle, the Sikhs would use drumming to boost their morale and become excited. This was called the Ranjit Nagara (Drum of Victory). Nagaras are large war drums, making a thundering sound and measuring about 2 to 3 feet in diameter, played with two sticks. The special or original Ranjit Nagara, used in past battles, are up to 5 feet across. The beat of the large drums usually meant that the army was marching into battle. It was also taken into the battle sometimes, the Sikhs would raise the Nishan Sahib high, the opposing forces would know the Singhs were coming. While the Sikhs spirit was boosting, the opposing forces would be losing morale.

Distribution

Numbering approximately 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39% of the world population, of which approximately 83% live in India. Approximately 76% of all Sikhs live in the northern Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs, i.e. greater than 200,000, live in the Indian States/Union territories of Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttaranchal, Assam and the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from the then British India began in earnest from the 2nd half of the 19th century when the British had completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj preferentially recruited Sikhs in the Indian Civil Service and, in particular, the British Indian Army, which led to migration of Sikhs to different parts of British India and the British Empire. During the era of the British Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were also transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help in the building of railways. After World War II, Sikhs emigrated from both India and Pakistan, most going to the United Kingdom but many also headed for North America. Some of the Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Subsequently the main 'push' factor for Sikh migration has been economic with significant Sikh communities now being found in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand. thumb|rigth|350px|Map showing world Sikh population areas and historical migration patterns (Est. 2004). While the rate of Sikh migration from the Punjab has remained high, traditional patterns of Sikh migration, that favored English speaking countries, particularly the United Kingdom has changed in the past decade due to factors such as stricter immigration procedures. Moliner (2006) states that as a consequence of the 'fact' that Sikh migration to the UK had "become virtually impossible since the late 1970s", Sikh migration patterns altered to continental Europe. Italy has now emerged as a fast growing area for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and the Vicenza province being areas of significant Sikh population clusters. The Italian Sikhs are generally involved in areas of agriculture, agro-processing, machine tools and horticulture.

Due primarily to socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted decadal growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9% per decade (est. 1991–2001). Johnson and Barrett(2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 Sikhs, i.e. by 1.7% p.a. on 2004 figures, this growth rate takes into account factors such as births, deaths and conversions.

Representation

Sikhs are represented in Indian politics, by the current Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who is the head of the government (the nominal head is the President of India)and wields the supreme authority, including the nuclear button, and the Deputy Chairman of the Indian Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia. The current Chief-minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, is a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India have included former President Giani Zail Singh, India's first Foreign Minister Sardar Swaran Singh, the former President of India, Dr. Gurdial Singh Dhillon, Speaker of the Parliament of India. Pratap Singh Kairon, Union minister, Sikh Indian independence movement leader and former Chief-minister of Punjab (India).

Prominent politicians of the Sikh Diaspora include the first Asian American to be elected as a Member of United States Congress Dalip Singh Saund, the former mayoress of Dunedin Sukhi Turner, the current UK Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Parmjit Dhanda MP and the first couple to ever sit together in any parliament in the history of commonwealth countries Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who sought apology by the Canadian Government for the historical Komagata Maru incident, and the Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla MP. Vic Dhillon, is a Sikh Canadian politician and current member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 through February 2005, and currently serves as a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected as MPs during the 2008 general elections; Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected as assemblymen; Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

In the USA, the current Governor of South Carolina is Republican Nikki Haley, who is of Sikh origin. Haley identifies herself today as a Christian, but also attends both Sikh and Methodist services out of respect for her parents' culture.

Sikhs make up 10–15% of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20% of its officers, while Sikhs only forming 1.87% of the Indian population, which makes them over 10 times more likely to be a soldier and officer in the Indian Army than the average Indian. The Sikh Regiment is one of the highest decorated and believed to be the most courageous, powerful and skilled regiment of the Indian Army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 ''first class'' Indian Order of Merit ''(equivalent to the Victoria Cross)'', 15 Theatre Honours and 5 COAS Unit Citations besides 2 Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, 5 Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1596 other gallantry awards. The highest-ranking General in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Advanced plans by the MOD to raise an Infantry UK Sikh Regiment were scrapped in June 2007 to the disappointment of the UK Sikh community and Prince Charles of Britain.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and even today 66% ''(two-thirds)'' of Indians are farmers. Indian Sikhs are no different and have been predominately employed in the agro-business, India's 2001 census found that 39% of the working population of Punjab were employed in this sector ''(less than the Indian average)''. The success, in the 1960s, of the Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Sikh majority state of Punjab which became known as "the breadbasket of India". The Sikh majority state of Punjab is also statistically the wealthiest ''(per capita)'' with the average Punjabi enjoying the highest income in India, 3 times the national Indian average. The Green Revolution centered upon Indian farmers adapting their farming methods to more intensive and mechanized techniques; note this was aided by the electrification of Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing British Raj developed canal system. Swedish political scientist, Ishtiaq Ahmad, states that a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution transformation was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial, Indian physicist Vandana Shiva argues that the green revolution essentially rendered the "negative and destructive impacts of science [i.e. the green revolution] on nature and society" invisible; thus having been separated from their material and political roots in the science system, when new forms of scarcity and social conflict arose they were linked not to traditional causes but to other social systems e.g. religion. Hence Shiva argues that the green revolution was a catalyst for communal Punjabi Sikh and Hindu tensions; despite the growth in material affluence.

Punjabi Sikhs feature in varied professions such as scientists, engineers and doctors; notable Punjabi Sikhs include nuclear scientist Professor Piara Singh Gill who worked on the Manhattan project; optics scientist ''("the father of fibre optics")'' Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany; physicist and science writer/broadcaster Simon Singh and agricultural scientist Professor Baldev Singh Dhillon.

In the sphere of business, the clothing retailers/brands of UK based New Look and Thai based JASPAL were started by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company Ranbaxy Laboratories is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership, at 82%, out of all UK religious communities. UK Sikhs are the 2nd wealthiest (after the Jews) religious community in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229, 000. In Singapore, Kartar Singh Thakral has built up his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings/Corp, into a commercial concern with total assets of close to $1.4 billion. Thakral is Singapore's 25th richest person. Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire and a Sikh. Perhaps no Sikh diaspora group has had as much success as those who have migrated to North America; especially the Sikhs who have migrated to California’s fertile Central Valley. The farming skills of the Sikhs and their willingness to work hard ensured that they rose from migrant labourers to become landowners who control much agriculture in California. American Sikh agriculturists such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate Californian agriculture and are known colloquially as the "Okra" and "Peach" kings respectively.

Prominent Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include the veteran writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400 m world record holder Milkha Singh, and Harbhajan Singh, India's most successful off spin Cricket bowler, actors Parminder Nagra, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

The Sikhs have migrated to most parts of the world and their vocations are as varied as their appearances. The Sikh community of the Indian subcontinent comprises many diverse sets of peoples as the Sikh Gurus preached for ethnic and social harmony. These include different ethnic peoples, tribal and socio-economic groups. Main groupings (i.e. over 1,000 members) include: Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

In India, the five largest ethnic groups among the Sikh population include:

Jatts at a population of 11,855,000

Mazhabis at 2,701,000

Tarkhans totaling 1,091,000

Rajputs numbering 769,000 Khatris totalling 290,000.

The Ahluwalias, Gujjars, Jatts, Kambojs, Khatris, Lubanas, Lohars, Rajputs and Ramgarhias are related to each other and are of Indo-Scythian origin as well as mythological Aryan race origin.

There has also emerged a specialized group of Punjabi Sikhs calling themselves Akalis, which have existed since Maharaja Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader General Akali Phula Singh, in the early 19th century, they won many battles for the Sikh Empire.

Sikh paintings

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra School of painting. In 1810 Maharaja Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia as his Governor of the Punjab Hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Haripur Guler and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of Sikh Power. With the Sikh Kingdom of Lahore becoming the paramount power, some of the Pahari painters from Guler migrated to Lahore to enjoy the patronage of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh and his Sardars.

The Sikh School of paintings is the adoption of the Kangra Kalam to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and anecdotes from the Janam Sikh. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the adherents of the new faith because of his reckless bravery and unparalleled sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraiture are also common in Sikh painting.

Digital Library

Launched in 2003 under Nanakshahi Trust, the Panjab Digital Library was a result of the early phase of the digital revolution in Punjab. While most saw the Nanakshahi as a small digitization organization, or as an assemblage of some unknown youth working towards capturing some manuscripts on their digital cameras, its founders saw it as a cornerstone of a fundamentally new approach to preserving Punjab’s heritage for future generations. In the shadow of search engines, a Semantic Web approach thought of in the early 2003 reached maturity in 2006. This was when the organization planned to expand its operations from a mere three employee organization to one of the leading NGO’s working in the field of digital preservation all over India.

Digitized collections include manuscripts held by the Punjab Languages Department, items from the Government Museum and Art Gallery Chandigarh, Chief Khalsa Diwan, SGPC, DSGMC and manuscripts in the Jawahr Lal Nehru Library of Kurukshetra University. It also include hundreds of personal collections. With over 5 million pages digitized it is the biggest repository of digital data on Punjab.

Sikhs in the Indian and British Armies

By the advent of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000, i.e. 20% of the British Indian Army. In the years to 1945, 14 Victoria Crosses were awarded to the Sikhs, a per capita record given the size of the Sikh Regiments. In 2002, the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross winners were inscribed on the pavilion monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill next to Buckingham palace, London. Lieutenant Colonel Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial building.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised in World War II, and served at El Alamein and in Burma, Italy and Iraq, winning 27 battle honours. Across the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

Sikhism in the Western world

As Sikhs wear turbans (although different from Middle Eastern turbans) and due to the relatively small number of Sikhs, there have been incidents of Sikhs in Western countries being mistaken for Middle Eastern Muslim men. This has led to mistaken attitudes and acts against Sikhs living in the West especially with respect to the 9/11 terrorist attack and recent Iraq War. Sikhs are neither Muslim nor from Middle East. Sikhism is basically a religion of India. The roots of Sikhism lie in Punjab (India). Sikhs make 60% to 70% of total population of Punjab. Only region in the world where Sikhs are in majority.

After the September 11, 2001 attacks, some people associated Sikhs with terrorists or members of the Taliban. A few days after the attack, Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh man, was gunned down by Frank Roque, who thought that the victim had ties to al-Qaeda. CNN suggests that there has been an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK.

Sikhism has never actively sought converts, thus the Sikhs have remained a relatively ethnically homogeneous group. However, mainly due to the activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi via his Kundalini Yoga focused 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) Organization, Sikhism has witnessed a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents. In 1998 it was estimated that these 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, totaled 7,800 and were mainly centered around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. A law in Oregon was passed banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials. Sikhs and the Council on American-Islamic Relations worked together in successfully overturning the law.

In an attempt to foster strong Sikh leaders in the Western world, many youth initiatives have been begun by various organizations. For example, the Sikh Youth Alliance of North America annually holds the Sikh Youth Symposium, a public speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras around America and Canada.

Art and culture

Sikh art and culture is synonymous with that of the Punjab region. The Punjab itself has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures, such as Greek, Mughal and Persian, that mirrors the confluence of rivers from which the region gets its name. Thus Sikh culture is to a large extent informed by this synthesis of cultures.

Sikhism has forged a unique form of architecture which Bhatti describes as being "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" such that Sikh architecture "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality". The reign of the Sikh Empire was the single biggest catalyst in creating a uniquely Sikh form of expression, with Maharajah Ranjit Singh patronising the building of forts, palaces, bungas (residential places), colleges, etc that can be said to be of the ''Sikh Style''. Characteristics of Sikh architecture are gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks and stone lanterns with an ornate balustrade on square roofs. The "jewel in the crown" of the ''Sikh Style'' is the Harmindar Sahib.

Sikh culture is heavily influenced by militaristic motifs, with Khanda being the most obvious; the majority of Sikh artifacts, independent of the relics of the Gurus, have a military theme. This motif is again evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi which feature marching and practicing displays of valor respectively.

The art and culture of the Sikh diaspora has been merged with that of other Indo-immigrant groups into categories such as 'British Asian', 'Indo-Canadian' and 'Desi-Culture'; however there has emerged a niche cultural phenomenon that can be described as 'Political Sikh'. The art of prominent diaspora Sikhs such as Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra & Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh ('The Singh Twins'), is informed by their Sikhism and the current affairs of the Punjab.

Bhangra and the Gidha are two forms of indigenous Punjabi folk dancing that have been appropriated, adapted and pioneered by Punjabi Sikhs. The Punjabi Sikhs have championed these forms of expression all over the world, such that Sikh culture has become inextricably linked to Bhangra, even though "Bhangra is not a Sikh institution but a Punjabi one."

Notable Sikhs in the modern era

Autar Singh Cheema - first Indian to climb Mount Everest in 1965

Abhinav Bindra – first Indian to win Olympic Gold medal individually (shooting)

Ajit Saini – Punjabi author, journalist, Indian National Army veteran

Alexi Singh Grewal – first American to win an Olympic Gold Medal in cycling

Amarinder Singh - Punjab congress leader, former Chief Minister of Punjab

Amrita Shergil - Eminent Indian painter

Angela Saini - British science journalist and author

Ashbeer Saini - Indian junior golfer

M S Banga, Ex-CEO – Hindustan Lever, Director on Board- Maruti Suzuki India Limited

Ajay Banga, President & COO- Mastercard, Ex CEO- Citi Group- Asia Pacific

Jessie Singh Saini, founder of BJS Electronics and notable American industrialist of Indian decent

Gurbachan Singh Salaria, winner of the Param Vir Chakra

Arjan Singh – Marshal of the Indian Air Force, former Chief of the Air Force Staff

Baldev Singh – Indian independence movement leader, first Defence Minister of India

Baltej Singh Dhillon - first turbaned member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Barjinder Singh Hamdard - Editor-in-Chief of newspaper ''Ajit'', novelist, ex-Rajya Sabha member

Bhagat Singh – Indian independence movement revolutionary leader and martyr

Bishan Singh Bedi - former Indian cricket captain

Chet Singh Chhokar was a doctor in the British Army who fought in World War I who was awarded many medals for his bravery in the war including Member of British Empire and George Cross Medal of those times. He often used Chet Singh not Chet Singh Chhokar as his last name.

Dalip Singh Rana/The Great Kali - professional wrestler, actor, and former powerlifter

Dara Singh - wrestler and Punjabi Bollywood actor

Dharam Singh Hayatpur – prominent member of the Babbar Akali Movement in India

Fauja Singh – 100-year-old Sikh marathon runner

Gurbaksh Chahal – American Punjabi entrepreneur and world's youngest self-made multimillionaire

Gurdas Maan - Punjabi writer, singer and actor

Gurdial Singh Dhillon - Speaker of the Indian Lok Sabha (Lower House of the Parliament)

Gurpareet Bains - chef, food writer, pioneer of the 'Indian Superfood' culinary concept

Harchand Singh Longowal - Sikh leader of non-violent movement for human rights and the rights of Punjab in the 1970s and 80s

Harbhajan Singh – Indian cricketer and India's first hat-trick bowler in Test matches

Harbhajan Singh Yogi - teacher of the holistic doctrine of Sikh teachings, founder of 3HO Foundation, peace activist

Hard Kaur – Bollywood playback singer, rapper and hip hop singer

Hardeep Singh Kohli – Sikh writer, broadcaster and presenter from Scotland

Indarjit Singh - British journalist and broadcaster

Jagjit Singh – Indian ghazal singer

Jay Sean (real name: Kamaljit Singh Jhooti) - British singer/songwriter

Jeev Milkha Singh – golfer and son of Olympian Athlete Milkha Singh

Jinder Mahal (real name: Yuvraj Dhesi) - Professional wrestler for WWE

Joginder Singh Bhachu - Rally Driver, 3 times East African Safari Rally Winner

Joginder Jaswant Singh – Indian Army Chief of Army Staff

Kartar Singh Sarabha – Indian revolutionary executed in November 1915 for his role in the Ghadar Conspiracy

Karpal Singh - Malaysian prominent opposition leader (Democratic Action Party)

Khushwant Singh - Indian novelist and journalist, Punjabi

Manmohan Singh – Prime Minister of India and economist

Manjot Singh - Actor

Milkha Singh ("the flying Sikh") – winner of Padma Shri, former 400 m track record holder, Gold medal (440 yards) at 1958 Commonwealth Games, Gold medal (200 and 400 m) at 1958 Asian Games and Gold medal (200 m) at 1962 Asian Games

Mohan Singh - owner and original franchise owner of Coca Cola, Delhi and builder/contractor

Mohan Singh Deb – founder of Indian National Army

Montek Singh Ahluwalia - economist, Chairman of Planning Commission, India

Monty Panesar – English cricketer

Narinder Singh Kapany – optics scientist and philanthropist

Neha Dhupia – Bollywood actress

Nikki Haley (born Nimrata Nikki Randhawa) - Governor of South Carolina

Pamela Leila Rai - 1984 Olympic bronze medalist for Canada (swimming), first Sikh woman in history to win an Olympic medal

Parkash Singh Badal - Indian politician, current Chief Minister of Punjab

Piara Singh Gill – nuclear scientist

Pratap Singh Kairon – Sikh and Indian independence movement leader

Preet Bharara- U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

Pritam Saini - Punjab historian and journalist

Ranj Dhaliwal (Randheer Singh Dhaliwal) - crime-fiction author from Surrey, British Columbia, Canada

Rabinder Singh QC, English Barrister and High Court of Justice Judge

Ravi Bopara – English cricketer

Sadhu Singh Hamdard - Punjabi journalist, founder of Ajit Group, Padma Shri

Sartaj singh Pannu – Bollywood actor , Director http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soch_Lo

Sardar Swaran Singh - Indian politician, former cabinet minister

Sardar Hukam Singh - former speaker of Lok Sabha

Sardul Singh Caveeshar – Indian independence movement leader

Sardar Ujjal Singh - Indian politician, Governor of Tamil Nadu (1966–1971)

Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale – leader of the Damdami Taksal, a Sikh religious group based in India

Simon Singh - author who has specialised in writing about mathematical and scientific topics in an accessible manner

Snatam Kaur - American singer and songwriter

Sunny Deol – Bollywood actor

Swati Mia Saini - Forbes Video Network anchor/reporter

Tara Singh Malhotra – Sikh and Indian independence movement leader in the first half of the 20th century

Talvin Singh – British electronic musician and tabla player

Udham Singh (Ram Mohamod singh Azad) – Indian independence activist who assassinated Michael O'Dwyer in March 1940

Zail Singh - former Indian President

Sikhs in the military

Bana Singh - awarded the Param Vir Chakra

Gian Singh - awarded the Victoria Cross

Harbaksh Singh - warrior, saved Srinagar 1947, won the Battle of Khemkaran defying orders from Gen. J. N. Chaudhary, repulsing a major Pakistani attack, 1965 war. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Vir Chakra.

Major General Hardev Singh Kler - Indian Army. Was one of few officers directly responsible for Indian victory in liberating Bangladesh.(awarded Ati Vishisht Seva Medal for role in 1965 Indo-Pak war, and then Maha Vir Chakra in 1971 war. Notable for leading the Defence of KamalPur and the liberation of Jamalpur.

Ishar Singh - first Sikh to receive the Victoria Cross

Jagjit Singh Arora - supervised the surrender of more than 90,000 Pakistani personnel in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) during the 1971 India-Pakistan war

Gurmukh Singh Saini - awarded the Cross of St. George

Joginder Singh Sahnan - awarded Param Vir Chakra

Gurbachan Singh Salaria, winner of the Param Vir Chakra

Karamjeet Singh Judge - awarded the Victoria Cross

Karam Singh - awarded the Military Medal in World War II and awarded the Param Vir Chakra (the second person to receive the decoration)

Mohan Singh Deb - founder of the first Indian National Army in WW2

Nand Singh - awarded the Victoria Cross

Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon - the only officer of the Indian Air Force to be awarded the Param Vir Chakra

Parkash Singh - awarded the Victoria Cross

Other notable decorated Sikh soldiers

Kartar Singh Taunque – awarded Distinguished Flying Cross, first air man of the Royal Indian Air Force to be decorated for gallantry

Uday Singh Taunque – awarded Purple Heart and Bronze Star, first Indian to die in Iraq War as part of the US army

Kuldeep Singh Chandpuri- awarded Maha Vir Chakra for leading his company of consisting only 120 men against a strong 2000+ pakistani side

References and notes

Further reading

''The Sikhs In History: A Millennium Study '' by Sangat Singh, Noel Quinton King. New York 1995. ISBN 81-900650-2-5

''A History of the Sikhs: Volume 1: 1469–1838'' by Khushwant Singh. Oxford India Paperbacks (January 13, 2005). ISBN 0-19-567308-5

''The Sikhs'' by Patwant Singh. Image (July 17, 2001). ISBN 0-385-50206-0

''The Sikhs of the Punjab'' by J. S. Grewal. Published by Cambridge University Press (October 28, 1998). ISBN 0-521-63764-3.

''The Sikhs: History, Religion, and Society'' by W.H. McLeod. Published by Columbia University Press (April 15, 1989). ISBN 0-231-06815-8

''The Sikh Diaspora: Tradition and Change in an Immigrant Community (Asian Americans — Reconceptualizing Culture, History, Politics)'' by Michael Angelo. Published by Routledge (September 1, 1997). ISBN 0-8153-2985-7

External links

Sikhs.org — general resource site introducing the main concepts of Sikhism

The BBC page on Sikhism

SikhMuseum.com

SikhPhilosophy.net —An Interactive Resource on Sikh Philosophy

Sikhism Guide

Sikh Kara

All About Sikhs

Sri Granth — Guru Granth Sahib search engine with additional scriptural resources

Sikh-History.com

SikhNet — Sikh community website

About Sikhism

SikhsOnnet Comprehensive Sikh Information

Category:Punjabi words and phrases Category:Ethnoreligious groups Category:Ethno-cultural designations

az:Siqh bn:শিখ bg:Сикхи ca:Sikh ga:Saíceach gu:શીખ hi:सिख ja:シク教徒 ml:സിഖ് nl:Sikh no:Sikher nn:Sikhar pa:ਸਿੱਖ pnb:سکھ ta:சீக்கியர்கள் ur:سکھ zh:锡克人

:''This article is about human hair. For other uses, see Longhair (disambiguation) or Hair'' Long hair is a hairstyle. Exactly what constitutes long hair can change from culture to culture, or even within cultures. For example, a woman with chin-length hair in some cultures may be said to have short hair, while a man with the same length of hair in some of the same cultures would be said to have long hair.

Scientists view long hair as playing a large part in natural selection among many species, since long, thick and healthy hair or fur is frequently a sign of fertility and youth. As hair grows slowly, long hair reveals several years of a person's health status and reproductive fitness. Hair length is significantly correlated with female attractiveness, as rated by men as well as women. Hair length and quality can act as a cue to especially a woman's youth and health, signifying reproductive potential. The prevalence of trichophilia (hair partialism or fetischism) is 7% in the population, and very long hair is a common subject of devotion in this group.

In the context of cultural and social norms, hair can signal gender differences as well as ideological differences. Opposite sexes and opposite ideologies tend to have opposite styles of hair, for example hair lengths.

Ways of life often viewed as more rigid, such as soldiers and religious cultures, often have explicit rules regarding hair length. For example, Buddhist monks shave their heads as part of their order of worship. Even outside religious structures, cultures often associate male long hair with ways of life outside of what is culturally accepted. Subservient cultures, for example, are sometimes detected by their rulers through hair length, as was the case with the Irish under English rule and the Moors under Spanish rule in Medieval Spain.

Again, though, there are exceptions to these rules, notably among the long-haired and religiously devoted Nazarites of the Hebrew Bible (Samson being a famous example) and among the Sikhs.

East Asian cultures have traditionally seen long, unkempt hair in a woman as a sign of sexual intent or a recent sexual encounter, as usually their hair is tied up in styles such as the ponytail, plait, or any bun.

Transferred meaning

The traditional connotation of "long hair" in English meant, roughly, someone artistically knowledgeable or wise, an aesthete. As a descriptive term, it has been applied to Merovingians and classical music enthusiasts, as well as hippies and aesthetes.

Hair lengths

{| | | | | | | |} Hair length is measured (in centimeters or inches) from the line of the scalp on the forehead up over the highest point of the skull to its termination. In cosmetology, hair lengths longer than what is usually considered short are categorized according to the following:

''Chin level'' is considered long for men in some cultures, but usually not for women.

''Shoulder-length'' is hair reaching the shoulders; hair usually takes about 3 years to reach this point.

''Mid-back level'' is hair falling to the widest part of the chest.

''Waist-length'' hair falls to the smallest part of one's waist; for most people approximately 80–90 cm (32–36 inches) long, and taking about 7 years to grow, including occasional trims.

''Hip-length'' hair stretches to the hip.

''Classic length'' extends to almost upper thigh-length, where the legs meet the buttocks.

''Thigh-length'' reaches to the thigh.

''Knee-length'' reaches to the knee.

''Ankle/floor length'' comes to the ankle or beyond.

Maximum hair length

The maximum hair length that is possible to reach is about 15 cm for infants (below the age of 1), about 60 cm for children (below the age of 13), and generally 100 cm for adults. Documentation for decrease of the maximum length with age cannot be found in the literature. Some individuals can reach excessive lengths. Lengths greater than 150 cm are frequently observed in long hair contests. Xie Qiuping had the longest documented hair in the world, measuring 5.627 m (18 ft 5.54 in) in May 2004.

The maximum terminal hair length depends on the length of the anagen (period of hair growth) for the individual. Waist-length hair or longer is only possible to reach for people with long anagen. The anagen lasts between 2 and 7 years, for some individuals even longer, and follows by shorter catagen (transition) and telogen (resting) periods. Between 85% and 90% of the hair strains are in anagen.

Psychological significance

Anthropologists speculate that the functional significance of long head hair may be adornment, a by-product of secondary natural selection once other androgenic/somatic hair (body hair) had largely been lost. Another possibility is that long head hair is a result of Fisherian runaway sexual selection, where long lustrous hair is a visible marker for a healthy individual. For some groups or individuals, however, short hair is the selected trait.

By seven to nine months, infants can tell the sexes apart based on hair length, voice pitch and faces.

Cultural history

Hair is one of the most important ways humans have of presenting themselves, being one of the parts of their body which is easiest to manipulate. Also, having short, cut hair (or a shaven head) is often viewed as being under society's control, such as while in prison or as punishment for a crime, while males having long hair signifies being outside of the mainstream.

In Jewish and Christian scriptures

In the Old Testament, the Nazirites would go for long periods of time without cutting their hair to show devotion to God. Samson is one example; his strength depended upon his refraining from cutting his hair. The New Testament says, "Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering," something followed by women in some apostolic pentecostal denomitations in some countries as an act of holiness.

Western culture

Classical period

In ancient Greece, long male hair was a symbol of wealth and power, while a shaven head was appropriate for a slave. The ancient Greeks had several Gods and heroes who wore their hair long, including Zeus, Achilles, Apollo, and Poseidon. Greek soldiers are said to have worn their hair long in battle. Such warriors considered it a sign of aristocracy and are said to have combed it openly in order to show off. Also, in order to keep enemies from getting a hold of it in battle, they were known to cut the front short, but leave it long in the back, where it was more out of reach. A widely held alternative interpretation of the conventional belief that they cut it short in the front in order to keep their enemies from getting a hold of it during battle is that, they did not in fact cut it in the front, but rather tied it back in a style known as a pony tail in order to keep it out of their enemies' reach. The pony tail method allowed warriors, who often traveled to battle with a minimal amount of equipment in order to avoid excessively heavy loads over long marches, to keep their hair manageable with a small piece of string to hold their pony tail in place and a knife to cut the back to length with one simple slice. Around the sixth century, however, the Greek men shifted to shorter hairstyles, with the exception of the Spartans. Women in the culture remained with the longer style, which for them showed freedom, health, and wealth, as well as good behavior. In men, it was considered a sign of false pride by this time. Women in Roman times valued long hair, usually with a center part. Men's hair was usually shorter than women's, (but in the early times, the custom was quite the same as in Greece) although other cultures of the time, such as Greeks in the east, considered long hair to be typical of philosophers, who were thought to be too engrossed in learning to bother with hair. Strictly in the province of Rome, however the shorter hairstyle was especially popular. When Julius Caesar conquered the Gauls, who favored long hair, he ordered it to be cut short.

Up to the seventeenth century

In the European middle ages, shorter hair often signified servitude and peasantry, while long hair was often attributed to freemen, such as the Germanic Goths and Merovingians. In Ireland, English colonists who wore their hair long in the back were considered to be rejecting their role as English subjects and giving in to the Irish life. Irishmen, in turn, scolded others of their race who moved into English culture by cutting their hair. Thus, hair length was one of the most common ways of judging a true Englishman in this period. Muslims in Christian areas were ordered to keep their hair short and parted, as their longer style was considered rebellious and barbaric. thumb|right|200px|Empress Elisabeth of Austria wearing thigh-length hair in 1865. A long hair fad was widespread among English and French men in the 11th and 12th centuries, though otherwise it was considered, mostly because of endorsement of the Roman Catholic Church, proper for men to have shorter, and women, longer hair. The fad was largely brought about by monarchs who rejected the shorter hairstyle, causing the people to follow. Wulfstan, a religious leader, worried that those with longer hair would fight like women, and be unable to protect England from foreign invasion. (This idea can be found in later military leaders as well, such as those of the American Confederacy.) Knights and rulers would also sometimes cut or pull out their hair in order to show penitence and mourning, and a squire's hair was generally shorter than a knight's. Married women who let their hair flow out were frowned upon, as this was normally reserved for the unwed, although they were allowed to let it out in mourning, to show their distressed state. Through these centuries it was expected of Eastern Christians to wear long hair as well as long beards, which was especially expected from clergy and monks.

In England, during the English Civil War times of 1642 to 1651, male hair length was emblematic of the disputes between Cavaliers and Roundheads (Puritans). Cavaliers wore longer hair, and were less religious minded, thought of by the Roundheads as lecherous. The more devout Roundheads had short hair, although there were exceptions.

Recent meanings

Before World War One men generally had longer hair and beards. However, short hair on men has often been enforced as a mean of control, in police, military and other forces that require obedience and discipline. Slaves and defeated armies were often required to shave their heads. The trench warfare in 1914 to 1918 exposed men to flea and lice infestations, which prompted the order to cut short hair, establishing a norm that has persisted.

Beat poets during the 1950s wore longer hairstyles, as did many of the urban gay culture, although long hair was far from popular. However, the 1960s introduced The Beatles, who started a widespread longer hair fad. The social revolution of the 1960s led to a renaissance of unchecked hair growth, and long hair, especially on men, was worn as a political or countercultural symbol or protest. This cultural symbol extended to several Western countries in the Americas, Western Europe, South Africa, and Australia. Specific long hairstyles such as dreadlocks have been part of counterculture movements seeking to define other alternative cultures and lifestyles since this time. Longer hair in general remained popular among the youth rebellion throughout the liberal decade of the 1960s. Homosexual men, many of whom had adopted a long hairstyle in the early 1950s, have largely abandoned this trend. Some people saw the long hair fad as a threat to gender identity, cultural, and religious norms as it grew with the spread of the hippie movement in the 1960s. Notably, some country-and-western performers during this period (and many fans) also sported longer hair.

In the 1970s, the popularity of Jamaica's reggae music and musician Bob Marley prompted interest in dreadlocks internationally. The anti-establishment philosophy of Rastafari, echoed in much of the reggae of the time, resonated with left-leaning youth of all ethnicities — especially and primarily among African Americans and other Blacks, but among counterculture whites as well. The Eastern Christians are encouraged to wear long hair with long beard. In the 1980s the view of long hair as a solitary signifier of political or counter-cultural identity was countered and parodied in films such as Rambo and many other militaristic heroes of media which challenged then-contemporary views of what was masculine. Today, longer hairstyles remain popular among rock enthusiasts. Long hair may be grown for the purpose of being donated to an organization, such as Locks of Love, for hairpieces to help those who could not have hair otherwise, such as those who are diagnosed with alopecia areata.

Women

Women often have a stronger inclination towards long hair than men do. Younger women tend to have longer hair than older women. Hair length and quality can act as a cue to a woman's youth and health, signifying reproductive potential. Growing and wearing long hair was almost universal among women in the western world until World War One. Some feminists have declared long hair as "irrefutably feminine," while others argue for short hair.

Sikhism

The Sikhs were commanded by Guru Gobind Singh at the Baisakhi Amrit Sanchar in 1699 to wear long uncut hair called Kesh at all times. This was one of the 'five requisites of faith', collectively called Kakars that form the external visible identifiers to clearly affirm a Sikh's commitment and dedication to the order (Hukam) of the tenth master and made one a member of the Khalsa. The Khalsa is the "Saint-Soldier" of Guru Gobind Singh who stated the following: "He does not recognize anyone else except One Lord, not even the bestowal of charities, performance of merciful acts, austerities and restraint on pilgrim-stations; the perfect light of the Lord illuminates his heart, then consider him as the immaculate Khalsa." (Guru Gobind Singh in the Dasam Granth page 1350)

The Kesh or unshorn long hair is an indispensable part of the human body as created by Vaheguru that is the mainstay of the 'Jivan Jaach' and the Rehni that was prescribed by Guru Gobind Singh Sahib by which a Sikh is clearly and quickly identified, Kesh. The kanga, another requisite of faith is usually tucked behind the "Rishi Knot" and tied under the turban. The uncut long head hair and the beard in the case of men forms the main kakar for the Sikhs.

KESADHARI, a term defining a Sikh as one who carries on his head the full growth of his kes (hair) which he never trims or cuts for any reason. Anyone, Sikh or non-Sikh, may keep the hair unshorn, but for the Sikh kes, unshorn hair, is an requisite of faith and an inviolable vow. The Sikh Rahit Maryada published by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, statutory body for the control and management of Sikh shrines and by extension for laying down rules about Sikh beliefs and practices, issued in 1945, after long and minute deliberations among Sikh scholars and theologians, defines a Sikh thus: Every Sikh who has been admitted to the rites of amrit, i.e. who has been initiated as a Sikh, must allow his hair to grow to its full length. This also applies to those born of Sikh families but [who] have not yet received the rites of amrit of the tenth master, Guru Gobind Singh. ".

Islam

In the Muslim world, it seems the trend of hair styles is now favouring short over long in men. In the past, Bedouin Muslims often wore their hair in long braids, but western influences brought on the view that such styles were feminine in nature. Now, Bedouins are much less likely to have long hair. Islamic countries in North Africa such as Egypt view long hair in men as homosexual and in one case the Egyptian police viewed it as satanic and a sign of an infidel, although Western rock music, especially heavy metal, may have contributed to this view.

Muslims regard Prophet Muhammad as the best example to live by, and try to emulate him whenever possible. The Islamic Prophet Muhammad reportedly in Sahih Muslim had hair that "hung over his shoulders and earlobes". Sahih Bukhari, regarded the most authentic of hadith, also supports this. The Prophet Muhammad has also described Jesus as "having long hair reaching his ear lobes."

With regards to women, neither Qur'an nor Sunnah explicitly state that women cannot cut their hair. Hadith does mention that women should not imitate men, and vice versa, and hence many scholars on this assumption, decree that women should let their hair grow longer than the hair of the Prophet, reaching beyond their shoulders, as hadith mentions that the Prophet had his hair between his shoulder and his earlobes. (He described Jesus's hair, which hung to his earlobes, as long.)

However culturally, some Muslims are opposed to men having long hair as it is also important in Islam to have clear differences (in appearance) between sexes. And generally these cultures encourage women to have long hair and men to have short hair. The Taliban viewed long hair for men as a western influence, and punished it by arrest and forced haircuts, albeit this would be a direct contradiction of the sunnah of the Prophet. Similar measures have been taken by Islamists in Iraq. In spite of this, several Taleban affiliated members of the Mehsud clan are recognisable by their long hair. The Saudi Islamist fighter Amir Khattab was also notable for his long hair. Dervishes of some Sufi orders, such as the Kasnazani, often have long hair and whirl it around during rituals.

Native Americans

Many Native American men wore long hair before the arrival of western influences on their culture. (In Cherokee legends, for example, males said to be handsome were often described as having "long hair almost to the ground" or similar formulas.). Both men and women of these cultures have frequently struggled to maintain their tradition, but have faced heavy opposition. Many consider it a sign of giving in to western influences to have their hair cut. Early American settlers saw long-haired, native men as rebelling against their civilized society. Mountain men and trappers who adopted the customs were also considered amoral, and often identified by their long hair. Since the cultural movements of the sixties and seventies, however, Native Americans have felt less pressure to have short hair, as different movements have defended their cultural rights. For example, several states have loosened prison regulations, allowing Native Americans to wear long hair during incarceration, along with other cultural allowances. There has been resistance to these changes, however, as long hair is sometimes used to hide drugs, as well as to identify with a gang.

Sub-Saharan Africans

In West African cultures, women with long hair were highly valued. Long, thick hair was seen as a sign of health, strength, and capability to bear many children. In keeping with this general theme, women who were too young for marriage would shave a portion of their heads to signal so. This tradition, however, did not extend to every African tribe, as several valued shorter hair.

African Americans

When black slaves were freed in the Americas, they struggled to reach the social status of whites. Many former slaves tried to conform their hairstyles as part of this struggle. African-American women felt pressured to make their hair straight like white women, rather than keeping the shorter, curlier style they had known. However, during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s, African-Americans such as Malcolm X advocated hairstyles such as afros and dreadlocks. Social pressures at the time were heavily influencing African-American females to have long, straight hair, like many Caucasians did. Recently, scholars have observed continued pressure on blacks to have long, straight hair. Amelian Jones believes that dolls marketed towards children add to this pressure, citing as an example a new black Barbie with long hair. Jones believes that African-American females should maintain their "African" cultural norms without feeling pressured to "tame" their hair.

Asia

Historically, East Asian cultures viewed long hair as a sign of youth and aesthetic beauty. Long hair is associated with private life and sexuality. East Asian cultures see long, unkempt hair in a woman as a sign of sexual intent or a recent sexual encounter, as usually their hair is tied up. Lay Buddhists have long hair, while Buddhist monks have shaved heads. For Sikhs, Kesh is the practice of allowing one's hair to grow naturally as a symbol of devotion to God and lack of worldliness. In Jewish and other cultures, shortening hair signifies mourning and sadness.

Around the seventeenth century, the Manchu people forced all men in China to adopt a hairstyle called a queue, which was basically a long braid down the back with the hair on the front part of the head shaved. This style lasted well into the nineteenth century, when the Chinese began immigrating to America. Americans at first judged them to be poor workers because their long hair brought an association with women. Both Islamic and Christian missionaries to the Chinese were strong advocates of shorter hair for their converts, but this was a small group. Around the Destruction of Four Olds period in 1964, almost anything seen as part of Traditional Chinese culture would lead to problems with the Communist Red Guards. Items that attracted dangerous attention if caught in the public included jewelry and long hair. These things were regarded as symbols of bourgeois lifestyle, that represented wealth. People had to avoid them or suffer serious consequences such as tortures and beatings by the guards. More recently, long hair was ridiculed in China from October 1983 to February 1984, as part of the Anti-Spiritual Pollution Campaign. Li Yang, an unorthodox Chinese English teacher who brands the popular Crazy English, claims the following on his website:

What [America, England and Japan] want most is for China’s youth to have long hair, wear bizarre clothes, drink soda, listen to Western music, have no fighting spirit, love pleasure and comfort!

In Southeast Asia and Indonesia, male long hair was valued in until the seventeenth century, when the area adopted outside influences including Islam and Christianity. Invading cultures enforced shorter hairstyles on men as a sign of servitude, as well. They were also confused at the short hairstyles among women in certain areas, such as Thailand, and struggled to explain why women in the area had such short hair. They came up with several mythical stories, one of which involved a king who found a long hair in his rice and, in a rage, demanded that all women keep their hair short.

In rural areas in certain Asian countries, for example India, girls still usually let their hair grow long, and knee-length hair is not unusual.

See also

Grooming

Haircut

Hair extensions

Hairstick

Lady Godiva

Long hair fetishism, a form of ''Trichophilia''

Rapunzel

Images

Female long hair in art (Gallery at Wikimedia commons)

Female long hair photos (Gallery at Wikimedia commons)

Male long hair in art (Gallery at Wikimedia commons)

Male long hair photos (Gallery at Wikimedia commons)

References

Category:Hairstyles Category:Pejorative terms for people Category:Heavy metal fashion

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