The Encyclopedia of World Religions

Sikhism S 423

(June 17), and various forms of horse races at the Soma Wild Horse Chase Festival (July 23–25).

include water, salt, sake (rice wine), vegetables, and seafood products, but nothing that has blood, such as meat. Worshippers commune with the kami by drinking sake that has been presented at the shrine. Festivals also resemble great fairs. It is very common to celebrate festivals with a procession in which several worshippers carry portable shrines for the kami in parades through the streets. Other common events at festivals include plays, sumo wrestling, and feasting. Some festivals have events that are peculiar to them. Examples include kite battles at the Hamamatsu Kite-Flying Festival (May 3–5), dances performed by unmarried women hold ing lilies for the Lily Festival at the Isakawa Shrine

Sikhism A religion from northwest India that traces itself back to 10 GURUS , beginning with Guru N ANAK (1469–1539). Today the Sikhs vener ate above all a book of writings known as the A DI G RANTH or Guru Granth Sahib. HISTORY Guru Nanak lived in the Punjab, “the region of the five rivers” in northwest India. At the age of 30 he had an extraordinary religious experience. After ward, he began to preach a distinct religious path

From the Illustrations to One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets: Emperor Sanjo (r. 1012–1016). A ritual for the full autumn moon; a priest holds a gohei, a paper or cloth offering used in Shinto rituals, and an acolyte offers a cup of sake. Courtiers kneel in prayer. (Erich Lessing/Art Resource, N.Y.)