Khalsa - WikiHQ

The term Khālsā (, ) refers to both a community that follows Sikhism as its religion, as well as a special group of initiated Sikhs. The Khalsa tradition was initiated in 1699 by the Tenth Guru of Sikhism, Guru Gobind Singh. Its formation was a key event in the history of Sikhism. The founding of Khalsa is celebrated by Sikhs during the festival of Vaisakhi.

Guru Gobind Singh started the Khalsa tradition after his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was beheaded during the rule of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb after the Hindu Brahmins requested for his help to save their religion.

Upon initiation, a male Sikh was given the title of Singh meaning "lion". Kaur was made the sole, compulsory identifier for female Sikhs in the twentieth century. The rules of life include a behavioural code called Rahit. Some rules are no tobacco, no intoxicants, no adultery, no Kutha meat, no modification of hair on the body, and a dress code (Five Ks). Most Sikhs hold the Khalsa institution in high-regard as the ultimate stage of a Sikh that serious Sikhs should aspire to become.

Sikhism emerged in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent (now parts of Pakistan and India). During the Mughal empire rule, according to professor Eleanor Nesbitt, Khalsa originally meant the land that was possessed directly by the emperor, which was different from jagir land granted to lords in exchange for a promise of loyalty and annual tribute to the emperor. The Khalsa, in Sikhism, came to mean pure loyalty to the Guru, and not to the intermediary masands who were increasingly becoming corrupt, states Nesbitt.

Background

The word "Khalsa" as used by Sikhs first finds mentions in the hukamnamas issued during the guruship tenure of Guru Hargobind, where he references the congregation of the east as being the "Khalsa of the guru". A later hukamnama issued by Guru Tegh Bahadur refers to the local Sikh congregation of Pattan Farid as being 'Guru ji ka Khalsa' ("Khalsa of the guru"). Before the formalization of the Khalsa Panth in April 1699, the term Khalsa referred to a very special Sikh who was held in high esteem and considered as being close to the Guru. The following Guru, Guru Hargobind formally militarised the Sikhs and emphasised the complementary nature of the temporal power and spiritual power. In 1675, Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of the Sikhs and the father of Guru Gobind Singh was executed by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb for resisting religious persecution of non-Muslims, and for refusing to convert to Islam. Guru Gobind Singh's sons were killed since they refused to convert to Islam. The Dadupanthis had a tradition that was known as Khalsa, being inspired by the Sikh tradition.

According to Louis E. Fenech, militant/armed ascetics and mahants were prevalent in 17th and 18th century India. Some prominent sects that were militant/armed were the Udasis, Dasnamis, Dadupanthis, Sanyasis, Fakirs, Ramanandis, and Naga-Gosains, whom according to 18th century Sikh accounts were amicable to the tenth Sikh guru. Guru Gobind Singh hired some of these militant ascetics for defensive purposes but doubted their loyalty. One account recalls that the Udasi ascetic Kirpal Das participated in the Battle of Bhangani in 1688 with the Sikhs against the Pahari rajas. Thus, the Khalsa tradition was inaugurated to produce an amalgamation of the nirgun bhakti of the Ramanandis and the militant asceticism of the Ramanandis and Naga-Gosains. Therefore the institution is a mixture of miri-piri, shakti, and bhakti, allowing Sikhs to be transformed into loyal sant-sipahis.

Foundation

thumb|A 1999 stamp dedicated to the 300th anniversary of Khalsa

In 1699, the tenth Guru of Sikhism, Guru Gobind Singh asked Sikhs to gather at Anandpur Sahib on 13 April 1699, the day of Vaisakhi, the annual harvest festival. Guru Gobind Singh addressed the congregation from the entryway of a tent pitched on a hill, now called Kesgarh Sahib. He drew his sword, according to the Sikh tradition, and then asked for a volunteer from those who gathered, someone willing to sacrifice his head. One came forward, whom he took inside a tent. The Guru returned to the crowd without the volunteer, but with a bloody sword. He called the volunteers the Panj Pyare and the first Khalsa in the Sikh tradition. These five volunteers were: Daya Ram (Bhai Daya Singh), Dharam Das (Bhai Dharam Singh), Himmat Rai (Bhai Himmat Singh), Mohkam Chand (Bhai Mohkam Singh), and Sahib Chand (Bhai Sahib Singh). thumb|left|[[Keshgarh Sahib Gurudwara at Anandpur Sahib, Punjab, the birthplace of Khalsa]]thumb|A fresco of Guru Gobind Singh and the [[Panj Piare.]]

Guru Gobind Singh then mixed water and sugar into an iron bowl, stirring it with a double-edged sword while reciting Gurbani to prepare what he called Amrit ("nectar"). He then administered this to the Panj Pyare, accompanied by recitations from the Adi Granth, thus founding the khanda ki pahul (baptism ceremony) of a Khalsa – a warrior community. After the first five Khalsa had been baptized, the Guru asked the five to baptize him as a Khalsa. This made the Guru the sixth Khalsa, and his name changed from Guru Gobind Rai to Guru Gobind Singh.

Around 80,000 men were initiated into the Khalsa order in a few days after its formalization on 13 April 1699. Not shaving the head also meant not having to pay the taxes of Sikhs who lived in Delhi and other parts of the Mughal Empire.

Guru Gobind Singh had a deep respect for the Khalsa, and stated that there is no difference between the True Guru and the Sangat (panth). Before he found the Khalsa, the Sikh movement had used the Sanskrit word Sisya (literally, disciple or student), but the favored term thereafter became Khalsa. These developments created two groups of Sikhs, those who initiated as Khalsa, and others who remained Sikhs but did not undertake the initiation.

The Khalsa warrior community tradition started by Guru Gobind Singh has contributed to modern scholarly debate on pluralism within Sikhism. His tradition has survived into modern times, with initiated Sikhs referred to as Khalsa Sikhs, while those who do not get baptized are referred to as Sahajdhari Sikhs.

File:An inscription naming the five members of the Khalsa Panth, Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib.jpg|An inscription naming the five members of the Khalsa Panth, at Takht Keshgarh Sahib, the birthplace of Khalsa on Baisakh 1, 1756 Vikram Samvat.

File:Guru Gobind Singh creates the Khalsa.jpg|The creation of the Khalsa; initiated by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru.

</gallery>

Dress and code of conduct

thumb|right|[[Kangha, Kara and Kirpan – three of the five Ks]]

Guru Gobind Singh initiated the Five Ks tradition of the Khalsa,

Kesh: uncut hair.
Kangha: a wooden comb.
Kara: an iron or steel bracelet worn on the wrist.
Kirpan: a sword or dagger.
Kachera: short breeches.

He also announced a code of discipline for Khalsa warriors. Tobacco, eating meat slaughtered according to Muslim ritual and sexual intercourse with any person other than a spouse were forbidden. The Khalsas also agreed to never interact with those who followed rivals or their successors.

According to the Sikh Code of Conduct (Sikh Rehat Maryada), Amritdhari Khalsa Sikh men must wear a turban and the 5 Ks. Baptized women are not required to tie a turban, and it remains a personal choice. It also clearly states that it is not appropriate for Sikh women to cover their faces with any type of veil as practiced in the Indian, Islamic, or Judeo-Christian traditions. Piercing of the nose or ears for wearing ornaments is forbidden for Sikh men and women. Sikhs cannot wear any token of any other faith. Sikhs must not have their head bare or wear caps. They also cannot wear any ornaments piercing through any part of the body.

Prohibitions

The four prohibitions or mandatory restrictions of the Khalsa or life of Khalsa at the time of Guru Gobind Singh are:

Not to disturb the natural growth of the hairs.
Not to eat the Kutha meat.
Not to cohabit with a person other than one's spouse.
Not to use tobacco, alcohol or any type of drugs.

A Khalsa who breaks any code of conduct is no longer a Khalsa and is excommunicated from the Khalsa Panth and must go and 'pesh' (get baptized again). Guru Gobind Singh also gave the Khalsa 52 hukams or 52 specific additional guidelines while living in Nanded in 1708.

Guruship of the Khalsa (Guru Panth)

The guruship of the collective Khalsa, as realized through the collective body of "committed" Amritdharis (baptized Sikhs), is known as the Guru Panth. The Sikh Rehat Maryada states "The Guru Panth (Panth’s status of Guruhood) means the whole body of committed baptized Sikhs. This body was fostered by all the ten Gurus and the tenth Guru gave it its final shape and invested it with Guruhood".

The five men, known as the Panj Pyare or the Five Beloved Ones, were baptized by the Guru and given the title of Singh, which means lion. He allowed the Panj Pyare to give him Tankah, or punishment. There are instances where this occurred, as reported in the Suraj Prakash.

Guru Gobind Singh demonstrated his respect for the Panj Pyare by bowing down to them and asking them to baptize him. This act is known as the Pahul ceremony or Amrit Sanchar, and it is still performed in Sikhism today. The Guru's act of bowing down to the Panj Pyare was a symbolic gesture of the Guru's humility and his recognition of the Panj Pyare's spiritual authority as being equal to his own.

ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਮੇਰੀ ਜਾਤ ਅਰ ਪਤ ॥ ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਸੋ ਮਾ ਕੋ ਉਤਪਤ ॥ ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਮੇਰੋ ਭਵਨ ਭੰਡਾਰਾ ॥ ਖ਼ਾਲਸੇ ਕਰ ਮੇਰੋ ਸਤਿਕਾਰਾ ॥ ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਮੇਰੋ ਸਵਜਨ ਪਰਵਾਰਾ ॥ ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਮੇਰੋ ਕਰਤ ਉਧਾਰਾ ॥ ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਮੇਰੋ ਪਿੰਡ ਪਰਾਨ ॥ ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਮੇਰੀ ਜਾਨ ਕੀ ਜਾਨ ॥

romanized: khālasā mērī jāta ara pata. khālasā sō mā kō utapāta. khālasā mērō bhavana bhaṇḍārā. khālasē kara mērō satikārā. khālasā mērō savajana paravārā. khālasā mērō karata udhārā. khālasā mērō piṇḍa parāna. khālasā mērī jāna kī jāna.

Translation: Khalsa is my caste & creed. Because of the Khalsa, I was born. Khalsa is my world treasure. Because of the Khalsa, I have respect. Khalsa is my close family. Khalsa grants me favours. Khalsa is my body and soul. Khalsa is the breath of my life.

- Sri Manglacharan Purana, pages 519–524, Khalsa Mero Rup Hai Khas Today, the Guru Panth is rarely evoked, being overshadowed by the more popular Guru Granth.

The official name of the state (Sikh Empire) of Sikhs was "Sarkar-i-Khalsa": Government of the Khalsa. The boundaries of this state stretched from Tibet to Afghanistan and from Kashmir to Sutlej in the south and included regions of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Ladakh, etc. The "Sarkar-i-Khalsa" was dissolved during two wars fought against the British between 1846 and 1849.

Initiation

Initiation into the Khalsa is referred to as Amrit Sanchar (water of immortality life-cycle rite) or Khande di Pahul (Initiation with the double edged sword). Anyone from any previous religion, age, caste, or knowledge group can take Amrit (ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਛਕਣਾ ammrită chhakăṇā) when they are convinced that they are ready. This baptism is done by the Panj Pyare in front of the Guru Granth Sahib. The devotee must arrive at the place of baptism, usually a Gurdwara, in the morning after bathing completely including having washed their hair and must be wearing the 5 articles of the Khalsa uniform.

After baptism, the new Singh or Kaur must abide by the four restrictions or must get re-baptised if they break any of them. Initiates into the Khalsa are required to take-on Guru Gobind Singh and Mata Sahib Kaur as their spiritual father and mother, respectively.

Initiation of women

Joseph Davey Cunningham (1812–1851) noted a form of initiation of women into the Khalsa in existence in 1849, the year of the British conquest of the Punjab:

According to W.H. McLeod, the early-1700s rahitnama of Chaupa Singh Chhibbar mentioned "the need for a bride to be initiated, but it seems that in this case a different form of initiation was required" beside that of sword initiation (the older carana amrita initiation). McLeod nevertheless considered the Khalsa as a primarily male institution, speculating that "progress" took place in the period between the Guru era and the Sikh Empire.

Gilbert Lewis, an anthropologist, wrote that the rigid delimitation between men and women in the praxis of the Khalsa stemmed from a need to enhance esotericism within their institution and create a tightly bonded brotherhood ready to deal with the harsh exigencies of war and defence. This also manifested through the disparity between male and female naming conventions as prescribed by Guru Gobind Singh; men were mandated the compulsory identifier of Singh, whereas women received no such dictum.

Nikky Guninder Kaur Singh, in her explication of the inauguration of the Khalsa, maintained that women were allowed into the Khalsa and received the title of Kaur, which she purports was congruent with and indicative of the inherent egalitarianism of the Sikh tradition. though it had occurred for both sexes in pre-modern times. Jakobsh contends that the initiation of women into the Khalsa "appears to be" a later development, "possibly" originated with the Namdharis, who later during the British Raj, were particularly active in preaching for the upliftment of women and against pervading social taboos, According to Jaspal Kaur Singh, the baptism of women and the bestowal of Kaur was incipient only during the colonial period, during which the Tat Khalsa sought to combat perceived threats to Sikhism, both from Christian and Arya Samaj proselytization, by removing "Hinduized" and "un-Sikh" cultural and religious practices from within their fold and accentuating egalitarian practices. Jakobsh further posits that as the military ethos of the Sikhs reached its apogee under the mandate of Guru Gobind Singh, women were concomitantly made to undertake more traditional roles. She cites the Chaupa Singh rahitnama and tales from the Charitropakhyan to support her hypothesis; women were often depicted as seducers in the Charitropakhyan, and as the "antithesis" of the men of warrior-saint status that the Guru wanted to inculcate in his order. According to Merry Wiesner-Hanks, as the influence of the Khalsa grew, women and those not in the Khalsa brotherhood were relegated to secondary status in the Sikh community.

J. S. Grewal considers Jakobsh to be fascinated by the "theology of difference," and oversimplifying the issue; Gurinder Singh Mann, not attributing the Charitropakhyan to Guru Gobind Singh, considers both the analyses of Nikky Singh and Jakobsh to be lopsided, as in his view they both glean selectively from the Dasam Granth. In their new order, the former lowest of the low would stand with the former highest; all would become one and drink from the same vessel. All previous beliefs relating to family, occupation, customs and ceremonies were declared useless by the Guru. This caused discomfort to the conservative followers of the Guru and they protested. Many departed from the ceremony, but the Guru declared that the low castes should be raised and would dwell next to him.

Sri Gur Sobha (18th century) by Senapati contains two sections (adhyays) on the controversies that arose, when Guru Gobind Singh's disciples in Delhi heard the news of his new order. Much of the controversy stated in Sri Gur Sobha revolves around bhaddar, the ritual shaving of the head after the death of a close relative, which was discouraged by Guru Gobind Singh. According to Sainapti, while creating the Khalsa, Guru Gobind Singh said that bhaddar is bharam (illusion), and not dharam.

Contemporary status

thumb| Khalsa principles of [[Deg Tegh Fateh|Deg to cook food (langar) in huge amount]]

thumb|A group of Khalsa Sikhs

Today, the Khalsa is respected by the entire gamut of Sikhs; however, not all Sikhs are Amritdharis. Although most of the early Sikh immigrants to Canada were non-Khalsa, and a majority of the members of the society were clean-shaven non-Khalsa Sikhs, a faction objected to the election of a non-Khalsa to the management committee. The factions in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia broke away from the Khalsa Diwan Society and established their gurdwara society called Akali Singh.

3HO is a Western sect that emerged in 1971, founded by Harbhajan Singh Khalsa also known as Yogi Bhajan. It requires both men and women to wear turbans, and adopt the surname Khalsa.

Each year the Khalsa display their military skills around the world at a festival called Hola Mohalla. During Hola Mohalla, military exercises are performed alongside mock battles followed by kirtan and valor poetry competitions. The Khalsa also lead the Sikhs in the annual Vaisakhi parade.

thumb|514x514px|Sikh [[Sikh Confederacy|Misl-era Nishan Sahib]]

Notes

References

Cited sources

Dhavan, P. (2011) When Sparrows Became Hawks: The Making of the Sikh Warrior Tradition, 1699–1799, Oxford University Press: Oxford. ISBN 978-0-19-975655-1.

External links

Who and What is a Khalsa?
Creation of the Khalsa
Rise of the Khalsa
Order of The Khalsa