{{Short description|Sikh online encyclopedia}} {{Infobox website | name = SikhiWiki | logo = SikhiWiki_logo.png | logo_size = | logo_alt = SikhWiki's logo | owner = SikhNet branch of 3HO | founder = Ash Singh<br>Gurumustuk Singh Khalsa | url = {{URL|sikhiwiki.org}} | registration = Optional | users = 93,526 (July 2024) | launch_date = {{Start date and age|df=yes/no|2005}} | current_status = Active | content_license = }} '''SikhiWiki''' is a Sikh-centric online encyclopedia operated by the 3HO organization under its SikhNet umbrella.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Prill |first=Susan Elizabeth |title=The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies |date=27 March 2014 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780191004117 |editor-last=Singh |editor-first=Pashaura |pages=473–474 |chapter=Sikhi Through Internet, Films, and Videos |editor-last2=Fenech |editor-first2=Louis E.}}</ref>
== History == The idea of creating an online Sikh encyclopedia is attributed to Ash Singh after he had a television interview where the importance of documenting Sikh history, from both the distant past and present, was discussed.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/SikhiWiki:About |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=SikhiWiki}}</ref> Ash Singh partnered with Gurumustuk Singh Khalsa, then webmaster of SikhNet, to create SikhiWiki.<ref name=":1" /> SikhiWiki was launched in 2005.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=VanderBeek |first=Conner Singh |title=The Sikh World |publisher=Routledge |year=2023 |isbn=9781032488110 |editor-last=Mandair |editor-first=Arvind-Pal Singh |pages=507–509 |chapter=The Sikh Internet |editor-last2=Singh |editor-first2=Pashaura}}</ref> The website was inspired by Wikipedia and claims to cover "Sikh philosophy, history, culture and lifestyle".<ref name=":1" /> The website is open to the wider community who can freely edit its pages.<ref name=":1" /> The operators used the term 'encyclomedia' to describe their website.<ref name=":1" /> SikhiWiki is maintained by SikhNet and most of the individuals maintaining it are volunteers.<ref name=":1" />
== Statistics == As of March 2012, there were nearly 6,000 articles hosted on SikhiWiki.<ref name=":0" /> As of July 2024, the website contains 6,359 articles and 10,123 uploaded files, with 93,526 registered members.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Statistics |url=https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Special:Statistics |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=SikhiWiki}}</ref>
== Commentary == According to Conner Singh VanderBeek, SikhiWiki provides "... the most comprehensive resource on basic terms, tenets, and histories of the Sikh faith".<ref name=":2" /> SikhiWiki does not absolve Sikh separatists as guiltless in its article covering the Khalistan movement.<ref name=":2" /> Doctrinal discussions and debates also occur on SikhiWiki, such as on the practice of vegetarianism.<ref name=":0" />
SikhiWiki promotes a mainstream, normative, orthodox, Khalsa-orientated narrative of the Sikh religion.<ref name=":0" /> An example of this is on their article covering the heterodoxical Namdhari sect, which contains a disclaimer warning about sects and cults that evolved after the timeline of the Sikh gurus.<ref name=":0" /> This disclaimer is followed by a further explanation warning about sects, cults, "fake" ''babas'', deras, "fake" Nihangs, Sanatan Dharmis, "pseudo" Akalis and Mahants, "pseudo" intellectuals and historians, leftists, and agnostics, which it claims are "not considered a part of Sikhism".<ref name=":0" /> SikhiWiki asserts that these above groups are distortions of ''Gurmat'' (the true teachings of Sikhism) created to damage Sikhism.<ref name=":0" /> It further claims that none of the above groups were created by a guru or bhagat.<ref name=":0" /> This leads to Sikhs belonging to heterodoxical, non-normative Sikh sects to go elsewhere for information.<ref name=":0" />
== References == {{Reflist}}
Category:Internet properties established in 2005 Category:Sikh organizations based in the United States