# SikhiWiki

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/SikhiWiki
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/SikhiWiki.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SikhiWiki
> Source revision: 1295941701
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Sikh online encyclopedia}}
{{Infobox website
| name = SikhiWiki
| logo = SikhiWiki_logo.png
| logo_size = 
| logo_alt = SikhWiki's logo
| owner = [SikhNet](/source/SikhNet) branch of [3HO](/source/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](/source/Sikhism)-centric online encyclopedia operated by the [3HO](/source/3HO) organization under its [SikhNet](/source/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](/source/Khalistan_movement).<ref name=":2" /> Doctrinal discussions and debates also occur on SikhiWiki, such as on the [practice of vegetarianism](/source/Diet_in_Sikhism).<ref name=":0" />

SikhiWiki promotes a mainstream, normative, orthodox, [Khalsa-orientated](/source/Tat_Khalsa) narrative of the Sikh religion.<ref name=":0" /> An example of this is on their article covering the heterodoxical [Namdhari](/source/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](/source/Sects_of_Sikhism), cults, "fake" ''[babas](/source/Baba_(honorific))'', [deras](/source/Dera_(organization)), "fake" Nihangs, [Sanatan Dharmis](/source/Sanatan_Sikh), "pseudo" Akalis and [Mahants](/source/Mahant), "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](/source/guru) or [bhagat](/source/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

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [SikhiWiki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SikhiWiki) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SikhiWiki?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.