Sikhs and Hindus and the followers of Hinduism and Sikhism, two religions that originated on the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism claims an existence of more than 30 centuries ago, but wasn't clearly formed until around 800–200 BC, while Sikhism came into being around five centuries ago.
Both share some similarities in that they are classified as Indian religions. However, Sikhism is not merely a denomination of Hinduism. It is a distinctly unique religion that was formed much more recently. Sikhs are not Hindus, they have differences in scriptures, social status, worship, religious appearance, and so on.
Hinduism vs Sikhism Comparison Overview
Hinduism | Sikhism | |
---|---|---|
Similarities | Started on the Indian Subcontinent | |
1) Belief that life is a cycle of death and rebirth (samsara), which can be ended by enlightenment (mukti/ moksha) | ||
2a) Worship in a temple (mandir/ gurdwara) | ||
2b)Tendency towards vegetarianism | ||
Differences | 1a) Not founded by a single person | Founded by Guru NanakFounded by Guru Nanak |
1b) An old religion formed about 2,200–2,800 years ago, with earlier origins | A new religion started in the 16th century | |
2a) Recognizes many gods | Recognizes the existence of one god | |
2b) Can use images and statues to facilitate worship | Cannot use images and statues for worship | |
3) Vedas are the holy scriptures | The Guru Granth Sahib contains the holy scriptures | |
4/5) Divides society into a caste system | Recognizes that all humans are equal, including men and women | |
6) Don't wear a turbans and women wear saris | Male followers wear turbans | |
7) Fasting is spiritual act | Fasting is not encouraged |
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Very great experience our driver D was…
Very great experience our driver D was never late and always had waters and a cold towel for us and our tour guide Som was very informative and had amazing English I recommend them both highly for anyone else traveling More
Rylan Coache, Feb 2024
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Excellent guide in Siem Reap
Our recent time spent in Siem Reap was made even more memorable by our expert guide, Som Piseth. Som was knowledgeable, attentive, flexible and super helpful - we learnt so much about Siem Reap and Cambodia in our 3 days with him. His English was excellent and his knowledge of, and pride in, his country was outstanding. We would highly recommend Som for anyone wanting an excellent guide in Siem Reap! More
Sharon Townshend, Feb 2024
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Asia Highlights trip to Thailand
Our first tour guide in Bangkok, Marie, was great to tour around with. She was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. Our next stop in Chang Mai we were greeted by our new tour guide, Rafael. He too was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. He made it feel as if we were traveling around with a long time friend. Every time we arrived at a new destination, we were greeted at the airport by someone with a sign with our name making our travels easy. I would definitely recommend Asia Highlights to anyone looking for a well planned trip of a lifetime! More
Tricia, Feb 2024
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Amazing Thailand experience
The tour guides were all knowledgeable and accommodating, especially Mayuree in Bangkok- absolutely wonderful. We felt taken care of and every step of the way was catered to our needs. More
Ashley White, Feb 2024
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Private tour perfect for our times
Asia highlights organized a private tour with our requests. Everything was perfect ?? the driver Tom and the guide Ying were always on time with a smile in their face. Always willing to help and make our trip perfect. Bangkok is a very hot city so we minimized the time outside. The driver always had cold towels for us in the van and cold beverages. More
Virginia, Feb 2024
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Thailand
We loved Chiang Mai and Susie did a great job showing us several temples, taking many pictures of us with the elephants at the sanctuary (a definite highlight of the entire trip!), and making sure we were well fed, which became a running joke between us.We had a very relaxing few days in Phuket enjoying the beautiful beaches. Kai was great, answering all of our questions and giving us a nice tour of the old town. The all-day speedboat tour of the Phi Phi islands started off a little shaky as the sea was quite rough so if you’re at all uncomfortable bouncing around in a speedboat, you might want to skip that tour. Things did calm down as the day went on and some of the areas they took us to for swimming, snorkeling, etc were really beautiful. A couple of the islands were too crowded with people. More
Andrea Roberts, Feb 2024
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What a Wonderful Trip
What a Wonderful Trip! We booked with Sharon and our trip was great - guides were waiting for us at each stop, and they were all very nice and helpful. I cannot stress how amazing the guides were - they made the trip. More
Rachel, Feb 2024
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Ask for Victor!
If you are traveling to Bangkhok you need to request Victor. He made our trip amazing! My family completed bucket list items with his guidance. He knew exactly how to get us places, kept us on time, made us feel safe, educated us on history, spoke excellent English and was genuinely a nice man! Everyone we encountered was awesome- but Victor is the reason for my 5 star review! More
Sandy, Jan 2024
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Thank you Alisa for helping us plan a…
Thank you Alisa for helping us plan a wonderful trip to Thailand. We had a great time. The tour guides were wonderful as were the hotels you booked for us. We will definitely contact you to plan our next trip More
Carol Yeung, Jan 2024
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Ying was the best
Ying was the best. She was really knowledgeable and kind. Thank you Ying for wonderful experience in Thailand! More
Sylvester Yeung, Jan 2024
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Very well organized
Very well organized. Our tour guide, Ying, was amazing! She had full knowledge of every location we visited and made sure our itinerary was fulfilled as expected. She was extremely helpful for our airport experiences, and made sure we arrived at an appropriate time. More
David M. Kang, Jan 2024
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Family trip to Thailand
We were lucky to be greeted by Marie and her driver.In Marie, we have made a friend for life. She is incredibly smart and knowledgeable about her home country. From the vast number of temples to safely traversing Chinatown.She helped give us tips on our free days, locate left behind lost clothing and arrange for pickup. She even helped check us in for our flight to Chiang Mai.She prepared us ahead of time for every event we had scheduled and bonded with our kids, 3x 13 year olds. More
Justin Levenbrook, Jan 2024
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Thailand with and amazing tour guide Ying
I highly recommend Ying as a tour guide in Thailand. Her expertise in Thai culture, combined with her passion for food and genuine love for her country, made the tour an exceptional experience. If you're looking for a guide who will not only show you the sights but also immerse you in the local culture and help you discover delicious Thai cuisine, Ying is the perfect choice. More
Diana Irizarry, Jan 2024
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Asia Highlights Thailand trip
Asia Highlights provided us with a great travel trip. They made it very easy to navigate through Thailand with everything going very smoothly. From the easy transportation to the great day itinerary everything was awesome. Will definitely look to use this agency again in the future. More
Taylor Jones, Jan 2024
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Perfect 2 WK Thailand Trip for a Solo Female Traveler
Bank was our guide in Bangkok and he showed us around the city with ease and we were able to see and try things I never would have planned on my own. After Bangkok, our small group flew to Chiang Mai for Yi Peng lantern festival and that was a breathtaking experience that I will never forget! Pop was our guide in this city and she was knowledgeable, kind and caring which made our experience even more memorable. More
Tia, Dec 2023
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We recently have just returned from Thailand
We recently have just returned one from a 5 week trip to Thailand through Asia Highlights. We had a wonderful time and Asia Highlights went beyond our expectations. They truly tried their best to make sure everything went smoothly and we were taken care of! Everyone was amazing and we would definitely use them in the future!! Many thanks to everyone that helped to make this an incredible once in a lifetime experience!! More
Karen Rocque, Dec 2023
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Indochina Experience
On our 5th day of our trip with Asiahighlights. We felt well taken care of before and it hasn’t changed since we started from Bangkok to Hanoi (guide Kim was verrry knowledgeable!) to Halong Bay (spectacular scenery) to Hoi An (guide Nhieu Tran, giving great local (shopping) tips and insights). More
Stefan Eisenhut, Dec 2023
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Accommodations by Asia highlights have
Accommodations by Asia highlights have been terrific so far. The Khmer Residence in Siem Reap as well as Eastin Grand hotel in Bangkok. Both had excellent pools and breakfasts.Tours in Siem Reap were particularly well given with an amazing mix of culture, history and humor throughout (Mr Poly). Tours in Bangkok by Mr Banks were informative and well organized with samples of Thai fruit and treats throughout. More
Chris Williams, Nov 2023
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Seeing Bangkok with ease
In Bangkok, our tour guide, Ying, was wonderful. She navigated all the sights with ease, gave us interesting tidbits on Thai culture and history, helped us pick the right food at all the restaurants, and was just a pleasure to be around. We had a great time, and it was so nice to not have to worry about any of the details. More
Diane Elkins, Nov 2023
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Thailand- October 2023!
The team in Thailand was also great. Shout out to our tour guides (Monchai in Bangkok, Indy in Chang Mai and Sonia in Phuket) they were the best!! It was 6 of us and they make us all feel right at home! Kudos! More
Mori P, Nov 2023
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Similarities Between Sikhs and Hindus
Sikhs shares many concepts with Hindus as their religion emerged from a society and culture that was influenced by Hinduism for thousands of years. Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, was born in a Hindu family and grew up listening to Hindu as well as Muslim preachers. It is thus unsurprising that there are many common ideas shared between Sikhism and Hinduism.
1.Similar Concepts
Both Hinduism and Sikhism believe that a human is not only made of a physical body, but also an individual soul. This individual soul is referred to as atma or atman.
The atman doesn't end with death but continues through the cycle of rebirth. This cycle is called samsara and can only be broken by enlightenment, which Hindus refer to as 'moksha', and Sikhs refer to as 'mukti'.
Along with samsara, both religions share the idea of karma, that a person's actions affect what happens to the individual's soul in a future life. This principle is similar to the English (Jewish/Christian) 'You will reap what you sow.'
In summary, Karma, samsara, and atman, are the common concepts shared by the two religions.
2.Similar Practices
Both Hinduism and Sikhism have religious temples. For Hindus, they are called mandirs, while for Sikhs, they are called gurdwaras. Sikh temples are open to people of any faith as long as they abide by the expected courtesies. The most famous Sikh temple is The Golden Temple, or Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar.
Another similarity in their practice is that both religions have a tendency towards vegetarianism, even though it is not compulsory in either. The Hindu preference for the vegetarian or lacto-vegetarian diet is due to their stance of non-violence towards animals.
Likewise, a Sikh is free to choose their own dietary lifestyle, but many choose to be vegetarian. The food served in a Sikh communal kitchen, or Langar, is vegetarian to cater to everyone's dietary needs.
More information about the religions in India for your reference
Differences Between Sikhs vs Hindus
Although there are similarities between Hinduism and Sikhism, there are also some key differences between the two religions. The main predominant differences for in the Sikhs vs Hindus comparison are as mentioned belowthe following:.
1. Different Origins
Hinduism is considered as the oldest religion in the world whose origins can be dated back around 1500 BC in the Indus Valley after the Indo-Aryan people migrated to the Indus Valley. The Vedas were written from 1500 to 500 BC. From around 500 BC to 500 AD, Hindus began the worship of various deities, especially Vishnu, Shiva, Ganesh and Devi and formed many branches.
Not founded by any single person, Hinduism is a multi-faceted religion combining several varying systems of philosophy, belief, and ritual.
This means that it is difficult to define Hinduism as there are many variations in beliefs. However, there are a few core principles that most Hindus believe in. These include the existence of numerous gods, the idea of Brahman as the universal soul, and the idea of samsara, which is the cycle of rebirth.
Unlike Hinduism which is a very old religion Sikhism is a much newer religion formed in the 15th century by one founder, Guru Nanak. The term 'Guru' means teacher and gurus are not seen by Sikhs as divine, but as wise and respectable teachers. After Guru Nanak, nine more Sikh gurus propagated the religion.
Guru Nanak disapproved of Hindu practices and one day had a miraculous vision of a new way to live. After this, he started teaching a new philosophy that was different from Hinduism and would later become Sikhism.
Sikh is mainly distributed in the state of Punjab in modern day India and in Pakistan with over 30 million Sikhs. As the birthplace of Sikhism, about 60% of the population of Punjab is Sikh. Punjabi Sikhs follow Punjabi culture such as use the Punjabi calendar for the festivals and the traditional dress like Punjabi salwar suit (for women) including Patiala salwar (women's trousers), Punjabi tamba and kurta (skirt and shirt for men), and Punjabi juttis (embroidered shoes).
2. Different Perspectives on God(s)
Hinduism recognizes thousands of gods and goddesses and Hindus can decide on their god or goddess of preference. Because of this, there are denominations of Hinduism including Vishnu worshipers, Shiva worshipers, and so on.
Hindus do not refrain from depicting their gods in the form of an image or statue. It is very common for Hindus to use images or statues to facilitate worship. This is evident when you see a Hindu's home.
On the other hand, Sikhs believe that there is only one god who has many names. They emphasize this with their symbolic phrase Ik Onkar, which means 'there is one God'. Moreover, they believe that god is without form and that the worship of statues or images is immoral.
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3. Different Scriptures
Hindus consider the Vedas to be their main holy scripture. A Veda is considered divine and Vedic mantras are often recited during prayers or rituals. Sikhs do not believe in the Vedas and instead consider the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib to be their guiding scripture.
While the Vedas contain a large collection of ancient hymns often used for ritual purposes, the Guru Granth Sahib is more practical and teaches its followers how to be humble, free of egoism, and how to achieve enlightenment.
4. Different Views on the Caste System
Traditionally, there was a rigid caste system in Hindu culture which divided everyone into five groups: Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaisyas, Shudras, and untouchables. Each caste is assigned a certain 'dharma', or duty, and expected behavior. This system once even directed people's decisions including with regards to who they would marry.
Sikhs, on the other hand, believe that all human beings are equal. There is no caste system to dictate that a certain person's status is higher than the other. This is reiterated through the practice of serving free food in the communal kitchen of their temples called a Langar. In the kitchen, people of any background, gender, or wealth sit next to each other cross-legged, eating the same food. This symbolizes the equality of everyone.
The largest Langar in India is located at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. There they serve free food for up to 100,000 people every day. The food is all served and provided by volunteers. Non-Sikhs and people of different backgrounds are also welcome to participate.
5.Different Views on Women and Marriage
Most women in India have a distinctly different and separate role from men. This is because Hindus traditionally believe that women are always dependent on men and that their purpose is to assist men in their lives, whether as a daughter, wife, or mother. While this is changing with modernization as more women enter the workforce, this cultural belief is still deeply ingrained.
Hindu marriage usually happened within the same caste and the same region and usually the dowry needed to be paid by the woman's family, and if the man was not satisfied with the dowry, he could refuse to marry.
Sikhs believe that women have an equal status to men and are encouraged to be independent and capable. They are allowed to participate in Sikh religious and cultural activities. Many historical figures in Sikhism are women.
In Sikhism, marriage is a sacred institution. Sikhs believe that marriage is an equal partnership that helps them to unite each other's souls in the presence of God and a dowry is not necessary. Instead of that, the bride's and the groom's families exchange gifts.
In Hinduism, menstruation is perceived as something defiling and women who are menstruating are not allowed to participate in religious activities or even touch other people due to their impurity. However, Guru Nanak believed otherwise. He argued that the menstrual cycle is a natural and essential process, thus Sikh women can participate in religious activities during their menstruation.
6. Different (Religious) Appearances
Hindus are more flexible in regards to their appearance. Men can go bare-headed, wear a cap, or dress in any way they like. Hindu women traditionally wear saris. A sari is not only cultural, but also a spiritually significant attire for women. It is believed to offer many benefits including increasing modesty, maternal feelings, and even spiritual energy.
On the other hand, Sikhs are very distinct in their appearance because of the turban and facial hair typically seen on men. Both Sikh men and women wear a turban to cover their long hair, but for women it is not mandatory. Sikhs are also expected to follow the rule of not cutting their hair no matter their gender.
The Sikhs' standardized appearance was initiated by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth guru, in order to keep his followers accountable so that they are more likely to abide by a high moral standard.
7. Different Views on Fasting
Fasting is a moral and spiritual act for Hindus to purify their body and mind and acquire divine grace from God like young woman will do fast on Mondays for good husband in the future. The most common fast is Ekadashi that take place on the eleventh day of each ascending and descending moon.
While in Sikhism, fasting is not encouraged and is not considered a spiritual act. Sikhs think fasting is merely a form of austerity and that the hungering of the body cannot achieve anything spiritually. They call only for moderation when eating and in choice of food.
How Do Sikhs and Hindus Get Along?
Sikhs and Hindus believe in different religions, but they are intertwined with similarities. Their religious relationship is somewhat like father and estranged son. DNA testing has shown that 63 percent of the ancestors of Sikhs are Hindus.
There was a conflict between Hindus (other Indians) and Sikhs for political reasons centered around Punjabi autonomy in the early 1980s. In general though, Sikhs and Hindus have always co-existed peacefully. Now marriage between Sikhs and Hindus is quite common both in India and abroad.
Exploring India with Asia Highlights
India is the birth-place of Sikhism and Hinduism, and visiting India is an excellent way to learn about these two religions in context. You will be able to see clearly that Sikhs and Hindus share many intriguing similarities, but also have distinct differences in their beliefs and practices.
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It was a whirlwind across a number of cities, but a very comprehensive experience across the many sides and cultures of China. Most days had sufficient activities, but weren’t overwhelming, which was great.Across cities, we had excellent tour guides, like Kitty (Beijing), Jenny (Xian), William (Guilin/Yangshuo), Kris (Shanghai), and Tony (Yellow Mountains.)
moreFrom the time we landed in Beijing until we left, we were well taken care of. My wife and I had Lily Liu as our guide and she was amazing. From arranging visits to all the different sights, to teaching us the history, it was fantastic.
moreThe tour was excellent. Selinda was very knowledgeable about all the aspects of our tour. Selinda was very interesting and knew so much Chinese history
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moreOther highlights are too many to mention but here are a few Ken taking us to the Terracotta Warriors and our food tour in Xian was amazing,
moreOur day volunteering at the Panda Base was truly unforgettable. Helen, our guide, provided us with invaluable insights about Chengdu and the pandas, enriching our tour with her knowledge and expertise. We're grateful to Helen for accompanying us throughout the day and showcasing the highlights of China.
moreWe had a booking with China Highlights through Silvia Ye who guarenteed a perfect organisation. In Chengdu our guide was Helen. She was the diamond of all. Speaking fluently English, full of interesting stories, laughing and talking all the time. We missed her the rest of our tour. We highly recommend to go to Chengdu for 3 days when visiting China, especially with Helen.
moreWe traveled to China during the Chinese new year and we had Kris as our guide and he is simply knowledgeable,helpful and great.
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moreAmazing tour and the guide Mr. 贺霄 was very accommodating with our needs and request as we have bought our 2 years old with us. Well explained for all the place we visited. Any additional cost were informed well ahead and didn't felt any pressure if we opt not to go for additional detour. The trip was relaxing/ laid back/no rushing with zero shopping!
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