Khalsa
Khalsa ( word Punjabi origin Persian meaning "pure"), is the name originally given by Guru Gobind Singh , the order of chivalry of the Sikhs that he created in 1699. By extension, the word means each member of that order, every Sikh (man or woman) who has been baptized or initiated by receiving the amrit ceremony during the Amrit Sanchar.
Birth of Khalsa
In 1699 , during the celebration of Baisakhi, the harvest festival in mid-April, Guru Gobind Singh asked all his followers, the Sikhs , to join him in his home town of Anandpur , in Punjab , on Himalayan foothills. There he tries to pitch his military campaign and appeared to his disciples in the door he held during his battles against the armies of Mughal of Aurangzeb. He then asked his followers to give their heads literally. The disciples are afraid, but five of them accept one after the other the sacrifice and disappear into the tent of the Guru, to reappear before the congregation. These are called "Panj Piyare" (the Five Beloved Ones). Guru Gobind Singh then prepares the Amrit by mixing in a bowl of iron, with a sword, water and a sweet confection (to recall the sweetness of divine love), while reciting prayers five Sikh (or bathroom). The guru then publicly named the Five Beloved Ones in Amrit, and they named it in turn. This is the first ceremony of Amrit, the sacrament of initiation fundamental since then welcomes every Sikh (man or woman) who wants in the order of Khalsa.
On this occasion, Guru Gobind Singh declared that he founded is the Khalsa, the Order of the Pure, which forms the backbone of the military and spiritual Sikh community. Its members must follow a particular mental and physical hygiene, and a strict code of ethics and conduct, Rehit Maryada. This code includes the wearing of the "5 K".
This fundamental episode in the history of Sikhism is celebrated each year by Sikhs throughout the world during the first day of Baisakhi (April 13).
The 5 K
By integrating the Khalsa Sikhs (men and women) take a vow to wear the five following items (whose names begin with a K)
- The Kesh: the ban is to cut their hair (traditionally associated with the life force), the beard (a symbol of virility, courage and wisdom) and body hair. The hair is covered with a turban ( Dastar ).
- the Kangha: small wooden comb which keeps the hair under a turban;
- Kach: baggy trousers tightened at the knees, to ride and do not hinder movement in combat. Keep in mind that the traditional dress for men is the dhoti , a simple loincloth wrapped around the hips. With kasha, a Sikh always stands ready to fight;
- Kara: iron bracelet symbolizing humility and belonging to the divine;
- the Kirpan : dagger usually taking the form of a dagger curve. By carrying a weapon, sometimes symbolized today by a dagger in miniature, the Sikhs still remember the persecution of their religion and so many others have suffered, and the need to defend freedom of conscience - their own and others' - against obscurantism.
Singh and Kaur
Guru Gobind Singh also asked the Sikhs to adopt the same surname. The principle is that beyond the harsh segregation inherent in the caste of India , the Khalsa is one family where the Sikhs are all recognized as equal, and with a common destiny. Guru Gobind Singh then adopts the name of the noble caste Rajputs (warriors of Rajasthan ): Singh for men and Kaur for women.
"Kaur" meaning "princess" or "lion", while "Singh" (the Sanskrit sinha) means "lion" (such as in Singapore , the city (pure) lion (singa)). However, all persons named Singh are necessarily Sikhs: The name is also worn by many Indian descendants of Rajputs.
Loading ...