Prejudice and discrimination are attitudes and resulting actions that cause people to be treated differently. Sikhism teaches that people of every community should be treated equally.
Punjabi culture also reinforces the survival of casteThe anglicised term for varna; originally a Hindu social order of higher and lower class. Also followed by some Sikhs., which becomes a consideration during the approval of marriage partners. It may also be significant in elections for the committees of gurdwaras. However, apart from these two instances, caste is irrelevant to Sikh life. For example, people will eat, worship and work together.
The Sikh impulse to include everyone is shown in the langarThe kitchen and place where food is eaten in a Sikh Gurdwara. Often volunteers provide and cook food that is served to all as an act of sewa (charity). where Sikh and non-Sikh can sit and eat together, for free. The food is vegetarian so that everyone can eat every dish. The Guru Granth SahibThe Guru Granth Sahib is the most important Sikh holy book. It is a collection of songs, prayers and hymns from the Sikh Gurus and other holy men, as well as teachings from other faiths. It is treated as a living Guru. says:
After spending time with saints I lost the sense of 'us' and 'them'. No one automatically is my enemy, nor do I regard others as strangers. I am friendly towards everyone.
