Indian religious leader who founded Sikhism in dissent from the caste system of Hinduism; he taught that all men had a right to search for knowledge of God and that spiritual liberation could be attained by meditating on the name of God (1469-1538)

(1469-1539)—The founder of Sikhism, born in the village of Talwandi, near Lahore in the Pumjab. A scion of a Khatri family, he had close associations with Kabir and like his great contemporary, he preached monotheistic faith, compounded out of Hindu and Muslim elements and as such, was equally acclaimed and admired by both.