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75-563: The Five Ks are not just symbols, but articles of faith that collectively form the external identity and the Khalsa devotee's commitment to the Sikh rehni, 'Sikh way of life'. A Sikh who has taken Amrit and keeps all five Ks is known as Khalsa ('pure') or Amritdhari Sikh ('Amrit Sanskar participant'), while a Sikh who has not taken Amrit but follows the teachings of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib

150-558: A Sikh should live humbly and with love in an extended family group encouraging Gurmat principles and offering moral support within this extended structure. A Sikh should undertake free voluntary service ( seva ) within the community at Gurdwaras, community projects, hospitals, old peoples homes, nurseries, etc. At every opportunity, a Sikh ought to dedicate their free time to voluntary community work, and devote at least 10% of their wealth in time or money to support community projects. This also includes positively supporting weaker members within

225-472: A ban on sexual contact with Muslim women, and a proscription on all intoxicants. Furthermore, an early rahit-nama asserted that karah parsad, whilst to be distributed to everyone irrespective of their religious background, was not to be consumed by a Sikh in the company of a Mughal. William Hewat McLeod writes that these injunctions were a reflection of a period of extended warfare between the Sikhs and Muslims during

300-419: A few days after Vaisakhi 1699. Rules of the ceremony include The person being initiated must chant " Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh" (essentially meaning "Almighty Lord, the pure; Almighty Lord, the victorious"). The salutation is repeated and the holy water is sprinkled on their eyes and hair, five times. The remainder of the nectar is shared by all receiving the initiation, all drinking from

375-653: A few rejected it. The list of men in-sequence who then underwent the Pahul were: Mani Ram , Diwan Bachittar Das, Ude Rai, Anik Das, Ajaib Das, Ajaib Chand, Chaupat Rai, Diwan Dharam Chand, Alam Chand Nachna , and Sahib Ram Koer. This group was then followed by Rai Chand Multani, Gurbakhsh Rai, Pandit Kirpa Ram Dutt of Mattan, Subeg Chand, Gurmukh Das, Sanmukh Das, Amrik Chand, Purohit Daya Ram, Ratna, Gani Das, Lal Chand Peshauria, Rup Chand, Sodhi Dip Chand, Nand Chand, Nanu Rai of Diwali, and Hazari, Bhandari and Darbari of Sirhind . As many as 80,000 men are said to have been baptized in

450-675: A subcommittee with the task of producing a draft Code of Conduct. The subcommittee at the time consisted of 29 high-profile Sikhs, listed by name in the Introduction to the Sikh Rehat Maryada. A preliminary draft was circulated to Sikhs in April 1931, for comment. The subcommittee met on the 4th and 5 October 1931, then on the 3rd and 31 January 1932, at the Akal Takht in Amritsar . During this time

525-492: A turban declares sovereignty, dedication, self-respect, courage and piety. A noted figure in Sikh history is Bhai Taru Singh , who was martyred when he refused to get his kesh cut. Comb the hair twice a day, covering it with turban that is to be tied from fresh. A kanga is a medium sized wooden comb that Sikhs use twice a day. It is supposed to be worn only in the hair and at all times. Combs help to clean and remove tangles from

600-470: A universal belief that the Khalsa was the principal sovereign not just of India, but the entire world, was accorded among them, and that many of the earliest rahit-namas violated certain Sikh precepts in the Guru Granth Sahib- including observation of caste status. He also notes that the eighteenth and nineteenth century Sikh manuscripts proclaimed Guru Gobind Singh to be the avatar of Vishnu and four of

675-523: Is a shalwar - underwear with a tie-knot worn by Baptised Sikhs. Originally, the Kachhera was made part of the five Ks as a symbol of a Sikh soldier's willingness to be ready at a moment's notice for battle or for defence. The confirmed Sikh (one who has taken the Amrit ) wears a Kachhera every day. Some of them go to the extent of wearing a Kachhera while bathing, to be ready at a moment's notice, changing into

750-513: Is a Punjabi term that refers to a genre of Sikh religious literature which expounds upon specifying an approved way of life for a Sikh. Rehat derives from the Punjabi word rahiṇā (to live, to remain) and means "mode of living". Maryādā derives from a Sanskrit compound word composed of marya (limit, boundary, mark) and ādā (to give to oneself, to accept, to undertake), meaning bounds or limits of morality and propriety, rule, or custom. Before

825-494: Is a symbol of permanent bonding to the community, of being a link in the chain of Khalsa Sikhs (the word for link is Ka ri ). The kara should be of a cheap metal, such as iron or steel, to show equality and so that nobody can be shown as more important than anybody else with the material of their kara. ਸੀਲ ਜਤ ਕੀ ਕਛ ਪਹਿਰਿ ਪਕਿੜਓ ਹਿਥਆਰਾ ॥ The sign of true chastity is the Kachhera, you must wear this and hold weapons in hand. The Kachhera

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900-571: Is also called cumberband , belt , waist sash , or waistband . The Kamar kasa is meant to be yellow if wearing a blue chola or blue if wearing a white chola. A hazooria (scarf) is a sign of humility which is grasped during the Ardās . It is a constant reminder of surrendering one's mind to the Guru, along with the five K's. A hazooria is practical: it helps one keep suchamta (cleanliness) during seva (service) or reading Gurbani (hymns). It can help keep

975-484: Is an important part of Sikh culture. The word is loaned from Persian through Punjabi. In Persian, the word dastār can refer to any kind of turban and replaced the original word for turban, dolband ( دلبند ), from which the English word is derived. Among the Sikhs, the dastār is an article of faith that represents equality, honour, self-respect, courage, spirituality, and piety. The Khalsa Sikh men and women, who keep

1050-419: Is called a Sahajdhari Sikh . The kesh, also known as kesa , or uncut, long hair, is considered by Sikhs as an indispensable part of the human body. It also emulates the appearance of Guru Gobind Singh and is one of the primary signs by which a Sikh can be clearly and quickly identified. A Sikh never cuts or trims any hair as a symbol of respect for the perfection of God's creation. The uncut long hair and

1125-583: Is equality between men and women, and so women are also expected to wear it. Considering the hot climate in India, the Kachhera is often worn by men as an outer garment, keeping the wearer cool and being practical in manual work such as farming, but it is generally not considered respectful for women to wear the Kacchera as an outer garment (on its own) as it is considered too revealing. ਸ਼ਸਤਰ ਹੀਨ ਕਬਹੂ ਨਹਿ ਹੋਈ, ਰਿਹਤਵੰਤ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਸੋਈ ॥Those who never depart their arms, they are

1200-406: Is necessary for a Sikh to visit Gurdwaras , the places where the Sikhs congregate for worship and prayer. On joining the holy congregation, Sikhs should take part and obtain benefit from the joint study of the holy scriptures. No one is to be barred from entering a Gurdwara, no matter in which country, religion, or caste he/she belongs to. The Gurdwara is open to all for the Guru's darshan (seeing

1275-506: Is now celebrated as Vaisakhi . This tradition had come to replace the prior Sikh initiation ceremony, in which the initiate would drink water that the Guru or a masand (designated official representing the Guru) had dipped his foot in. Guru Gobind Singh addressed the congregation from the entryway of a tent pitched on a hill (now called Kesgarh Sahib ). He drew his sword and asked for a volunteer who

1350-548: Is one of the four Sikh Sanskaars . The Amrit Sanskar is the initiation rite introduced by Guru Gobind Singh when he founded the Khalsa in 1699. A Sikh who has been initiated into the Khalsa ('pure'; the Sikh brotherhood) is considered to be Amritdhari (baptised) ( lit.   ' amrit taker ' ) or Khalsa ('pure'). Those who undergo initiation are expected to dedicate themselves to Waheguru (Almighty God) and work toward

1425-525: Is the non-stop reading of the Guru Granth Sahib carried on during difficult times or during occasions of joy and celebration. The reading takes approximately forty eight hours of continuous and uninterrupted reading by a relay of skilled Gurbani readers. The reading must be done in a clear voice and with correct and full pronunciation. Reading the Gurbani too fast, so that the person listening in cannot follow

1500-554: Is to arise in the early hours and recite Nitnem , a collection of Gurbani to be read in the morning (Five Banis ), evening ( Rehras ), and night ( Kirtan Sohila ), followed each time with the Ardas prayer. The Ardas signifies that the Sikh need only seek the support of the Almighty Lord before beginning any new task or venture. A Sikh must also follow the principle of Kirat Karni , thereby leading their life in accordance with

1575-482: Is to practice and promote complete equality between the genders, castes, races, religions, etc. Apart from their spouse, a Sikh must treat all people as their kin; treat all females as daughters, sisters, or mothers, and males as sons, brothers, or fathers, depending on their age. The Sikh is to meditate on God's Name ( Naam Japna or Naam Simran ) and recite the holy scriptures. This includes remembering God at all times and reciting his name whenever possible. The Sikh

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1650-439: Is traditional dress worn by Sikhs. It is a martial attire which gives freedom of movement to a Sikh warrior. Sikh chola is also unisex attire, and may also be decorated with heavy embroidery all over it. It is meant to be either yellow, white or electric blue with many pockets to hold matchlocks and other weapons. Kamar kasa is a sash bound around the waist to hold weapons an essential part of Nihang (Sikh warrior) dress. It

1725-519: The Five Evils in Sikh philosophy. Kachhera follow a generally practical and roomy design. It features an embedded string that circles the waist which can be tightened or loosened as desired, and then knotted securely. The Kachhera can be classed between underwear and an outer garment, as in appearance it does not reveal private anatomy, and looks and wears like shorts. As with all of the Five Ks, there

1800-703: The Japji , the Jaap , Guru Amar Das 's Anand , Chopai Sahib and Twe Parsad Swaiyas or quatrains of his own composition . The ceremony involves stirring water in an iron bowl with a double-edged sword whilst reciting religious hymns, along with an admixture of sugar. These five men came to be known as the Panj Pyare (the "beloved five"). The five men, who would be initiated into the Khalsa by receiving Amrit, included Daya Singh , Mukham Singh , Sahib Singh , Dharam Singh , and Himmat Singh . From then onward, Sikh men were given

1875-468: The SGPC addresses key issues such as the definition of a Sikh, personal and communal obligations such as meditation and volunteer service, rules for gurdwara services to include appropriate music and festivals, and the conduct of assorted Sikh ceremonies. A Sikh is defined as any person, male or female, who faithfully: There are two aspects to a Sikh living: first is the adherence to a personal discipline and

1950-485: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee , Amritsar in 1945. The Rehat Maryada was created to provide guidance to Sikhs (and those desirous of embracing the Sikh faith) on practical and functional aspects of daily life, including the operations of Sikh Gurdwaras, and religious practices to foster cohesion throughout the community. Rehitnāma (meaning "epistles of conduct; plural: Rehitnāme )

2025-418: The beard , in the case of men, form the main kakār for Sikhs. The turban is a spiritual crown, which is a constant reminder to the Sikh that they are sitting on the throne of consciousness and are committed to living according to Sikh principles. Guru Gobind Singh told his Sikhs: " Khalsa mero roop hai khaas. Khalsa mai ho karo nivaas ... The Khalsa is my image. Within the Khalsa I reside." Wearing

2100-468: The Five Ks, wear the turban to cover their long, uncut hair ( kesh ). The Sikhs regard the dastār as an important part of the unique Sikh identity. After the ninth Sikh Guru, Tegh Bahadur , was sentenced to death by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb , Guru Gobind Singh , the tenth Sikh Guru created the Khalsa and gave five articles of faith, one of which is unshorn hair, which the dastār covers. Sikh chola

2175-628: The Gurdwara, serving water and food ( Langar ) to or fanning the congregation, offering provisions or preparing food and doing other 'house keeping' duties. Guru ka Langar ('Guru's free food') is a very important part of Sikhism. When Langar is being served or when sangat is being sat down “ Sat-Naam Waheguru " must be chanted. The main philosophy behind the langar is two-fold: to provide training to engage in seva and an opportunity to serve people from all walks of life; and to help banish all distinctions between high and low castes. In their personal life,

2250-413: The Guru's teachings. This includes engaging in an honest profession, work, or course of study, as well as promoting the family way of life giving time to children in an active way so as to ensure their proper awareness of the Sikh way of life. Sikhs engage in personal and communal meditation, Kirtan and the study of the holy Scriptures. Meditating and understanding of the Guru Granth Sahib is important to

2325-569: The Gurus. In the communal life, the Sikh has a duty to actively contribute to the community outside the family unit. A Sikh should undertake free voluntary service ( seva ) within the community at Gurdwaras, community projects, hospitals, old peoples homes, nurseries, etc. At every opportunity, a Sikh ought to dedicate their free time to voluntary community work, and devote at least 10% of their wealth in time or money to support community projects. This also includes positively supporting weaker members within

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2400-413: The Khalsa with excellent rehats . The kirpan is a dagger which symbolises a Sikh's duty to come to the defence of those in peril. All Sikhs should wear the kirpan on their body at all times as a defensive side-arm, just as a police officer is expected to wear a side-arm when on duty. Its use is only allowed in the act of self-defense and the protection of others. It stands for bravery and protecting

2475-487: The Rehatnamas by Sikh scholars Bhai Nand Lal , Bhai Dessa Singh, son of Bhai Mani Singh , Bhai Chaupa Singh , Bhai Daya Singh and Bhai Prahlad Singh . However, for the next almost 100 years, persecution at the hands of Mughal rulers put the affairs of Sikh faith into disarray. The control of Sikh Gurdwaras and affairs fell into the hands of Udasis and Nirmala Sikh, who had embraced vedic philosophy. According to scholars of

2550-515: The SGPC Secretary recommending a special session of the Committee be convened to consider the final draft and approve it for acceptance. The SGPC arranged a conclave of Sikhs on 30 December, where 170 individuals attended and debated the draft. Only nine attendees were members of the original sub-committee, and the conclave ultimately failed to reach an agreement. The SGPC then received comments on

2625-578: The SPGC's Advisory Committee on Religious Matters recommended some changes to be made to the Code. The Advisory Committee consisted of eight individuals as listed in the Preface to the Sikh Rehat Maryada. The SGPC accepted the recommendations at their meeting on 3 February 1945. Since then, several minor updates have been made to clarify content, but no significant review has been undertaken. The Sikh Rehat Maryada ordained by

2700-408: The Sikh faith of its contemporary plurality, multiplicity and diversity to a single solidarity identity centered around the Khalsa and to inculcate firm religious boundaries within the community through various methods including purging content they deemed offensive and non Sikh in the early rahit-namas and the permuting of Sikh history towards a certain trajectory. Many Sikhs today assert that during

2775-409: The Sikh religion by a masand , who acted as representatives on behalf of the Sikh gurus. Such Sikhs were termed as meli or masandia , and were differentiated from Sikhs who had received their initiation rites directly from a Sikh guru, whom were termed as Khalsa . Amrit Sanchar was formally initiated in 1699 when Gobind Singh established the order of the Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib . The day

2850-615: The code of conduct of the Sikhs at the time for the Namdhari sect of Sikhism. As per Dr. McLeod (1987), several books were published during this period that attempted to provide a renaissance to the faith. Budh Singh published Khalsa Dharm Shatak in 1876, Kahn Singh Nabha wrote Raj Dharm (1884), Ham Hindu Nahin (1898) and Mahan Kosh (1930), Gurmat Sudhakar (1898 Hindi, 1901 Punjabi). In 1915, Chief Khalsa Diwan published Gurmat Parkash Bhag Sanskar while Teja Singh Bhasaur published Khalsa Rahit Parkash in 1911 and Bhai Jodh Singh 's Gurmati Niranay

2925-408: The community and promote Gurmat principles. Importance is given to inter-faith dialogue, support for the poor and weak, better community understanding and co-operation. Seva (voluntary service) is an important prominent part of the Sikh religion and all Sikhs must get involved in this communal service whenever an opportunity arises. This in its simple forms can be: sweeping and washing the floors of

3000-629: The community. Following the teachings of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib , the Sikh is commanded by the Gurus to lead a disciplined life and to not blindly follow rituals and superstitions that bring no spiritual or material benefit to the person or community. A Sikh must not eat meat that has been slaughtered in a ritualistic way ( Kutha meat ) and refrain from using all forms of intoxicants ; hence, alcohol and tobacco are strictly prohibited. Sikhs must also refrain from rituals, superstitions and other anti-Sikh behavior such as gambling, etc. The Sikh

3075-412: The community. Time needs to be given to the greater Sikh community and the even wider world community. It is the duty of the Sikh to hold a continuous dialogue with all members of the larger community, to treat them as equals, and respect their religions and their customs. Sikhism offers strong support for a healthy community life and a Sikh must undertake to support all worthy projects which would benefit

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3150-414: The congregation, perform kirtan (spiritual hymn singing) in a congregation and only hymns ( shabad ) from the holy scriptural compositions in traditional musical measures should be sung. Only shabads from Guru Granth Sahib Ji Gurbani and the compositions of Bhai Gurdas and Bhai Nand Lal , may be performed. It is improper to sing kirtan to rhythmic folk tunes or popular film tunes. An Akhand Paath

3225-511: The contents, is discouraged and is considered as disrespect for the Scriptures and the congregation ( sangat ). A Sadharan Paath is a non-continuous reading of the Guru Granth Sahib and one can take from seven days to many months to complete the full reading of the 1430 Anga of the text. The important Sikh festivals that are celebrated include Gurpurbs , in celebration of the birthday and other important anniversaries ( martyrdom , etc.) from

3300-402: The declaration of a Vaishnava savior in relation the triumph of the community." Louis Fenech (2003) notes that the eighteenth century Sikh literature consisting of the rahit-namas and gur-bilas genres impart hostile attitudes towards Muslims and Islam and mention that Muslims were desirous of converting all Indians. He also noted that while the eighteenth century rahits disagreed on many points,

3375-436: The development of a Sikh. One should not only study Gurmukhi and be able to read Gurbani but also understand the meaning of the text. Translations and other material may be used to assist the Sikh. The Sikh should revert to the Guru Granth Sahib for the all spiritual guidance in one's life. It is believed that a Sikh is more easily and deeply affected by Gurbani when engaged in congregational gatherings. For this reason, it

3450-413: The development of a strong family life; the other is the involvement in communal life and to ensure community well-being and infra-structure for support of the weak within the community local and globally. This is the practical aspect of the three pillars of Sikhism promoted by Guru Nanak called Vand Chhako ('share what you eat [or have]'). A Sikh is always to live and promote the tenets stipulated by

3525-517: The draft from a subcommittee of 50 individuals and 21 Panthic Associations (including international organisations), all of whom are listed in the Introduction to the Sikh Rehat Maryada. After nearly three years, on 1 August 1936, the broader subcommittee approved the draft, and the general body of the SGPC ratified it on 12 October 1936. Thereafter, the Rehat was implemented. At their meeting on 7 January 1945

3600-537: The early 1800s, many Brahmanical and other Hindu influences came into the writings of Sikhs, which led to a "corruption" of the rehitnamahs. In 1925, the Sikh Gurdwaras Act was made in Punjab, legislating the establishment of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), an elected body of Sikhs, for the purpose of administering Gurdwaras . A general meeting of the SGPC was held on 15 March 1927 to establish

3675-452: The establishment of the Khalsa Raj . The original Sikh initiation ceremony, ever since the guruship period of Guru Nanak , was known as Charan-Pahul ( Punjabi : ਚਰਨ-ਪਾਹੁਲ , romanized:  Carana-pāhula ), Pagpahul , or Charan Amrit ( Punjabi : ਚਰਨਾਮ੍ਰਿਤ , romanized:  Caranāmrita , lit.   'elixir of the feet'). It involved pouring water over

3750-488: The evolving Sikh orthodoxy associated with the Singh Sahba reform movement. W.H McLeod further comments that while Guru Gobind's utterance of the rahit does not oppose nor is it inconsistent with the traditional version used today, it is suggested that he announced a considerably simpler one. Only a portion of the current Rahit dates to the time of Guru Gobind Singh, and it evolved according to the conditions and circumstances of

3825-598: The five Panj Pyare as the incarnations of a Hindu demigod ( Lava ) and three Hindu bhakts (the exception being Himmat Singh- considered an incarnation of a hunter). He adds that the Tat Khalsa expunged the Hindu elements of the Panj Pyare tradition within these manuscripts. The Tat Khalsa's origins are said to be influenced by contemporary nineteenth century European understanding of religion and modernity; their objective became to reduce

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3900-473: The hair, and is a symbol of cleanliness. Combing their hair reminds Sikhs that their lives should be tidy and organized. The comb keeps the hair tidy, a symbol of not just accepting what God has given, but also an injunction to maintain it with grace. The Guru Granth Sahib said hair should be allowed to grow naturally; this precludes any shaving for both men and women. In the Guru's time, some holy men let their hair become tangled and dirty. The Guru said that this

3975-533: The hands clean when touching the face or picking up objects. The hazooria was also worn by servants and symbolises the Sikh surrendering to Waheguruji as their master. Amrit Sanchar Amrit Sanskar ( Punjabi : ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਸੰਸਕਾਰ , romanized:  Amrita sasakāra , pronunciation: [ãːmɾʱɪt̪ sә̃nskäːɚ] , lit. ‘nectar ceremony’) also called Amrit Parchar , Amrit Sanchar , Khande di Pahul , or Khande Batte di Pahul ( Punjabi : ਖੰਡੇ ਬਾਟੇ ਦੀ ਪਾਹੁਲ , romanized:  Khaḍē bāṭē dī pāhula )

4050-401: The holy Guru) and Langar. However the person must not have on his/her person anything, such as tobacco or other intoxicants, which are tabooed by the Sikh religion. Shoes must be removed, one's head must be covered, and respectful clothing is a must. During service ( seva ) in a Gurdwara and while congregational sessions are in session, only one activity should be done at a time in one hall in

4125-547: The initiate would dip their toe in water and the local congregation would drink it. This initiation ceremony finds mention in the Vaaran authored by Bhai Gurdas . The ceremony was a way of showing the humbleness of initiates to the faith. This practice continued until 1699, when it was replaced by Guru Gobind Singh's innovation. According to the Dabestan-e Mazaheb , the 'sahlang' term referred to person(s) initiated into

4200-514: The name Singh ("lion"), and the women Kaur ("princess"). The next five (out of a total of ten) to undergo the Pahul were Ram Singh, Desa Singh, Tehal Singh, Ishar Singh, and Fateh Singh. This group is termed as the Panj Mukte . According to the Guru Kian Sakhian , after the first ten baptisms ( Panj Piare and Panj Mukte ), around 20,000 men were ready to accept the baptism whilst

4275-443: The new one a single leg at a time, so as to have no moment where they are unprepared. Further, this garment allowed the Sikh soldier to operate in combat freely and without any hindrance or restriction, because it was easy to fabricate, maintain, wash and carry compared to other traditional undergarments of that era, like the dhoti . The Kachhera symbolizes self-respect, and always reminds the wearer of mental control over lust, one of

4350-425: The number of subcommittee members present at meetings reduced, and other people were listed as present. On March 1, four members were exited from the subcommittee, and eight more were appointed. Of the four who were exited, one had died and another was excommunicated. The subcommittee met again to deliberate and consider the draft on 8 May and 26 September 1932. On 1 October, the sub-committee submitted its report to

4425-663: The passing of the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh , in 1708, he transferred the Guruship and authority to the Sikh Holy Scripture, Guru Granth Sahib , and the body of initiated Sikhs, called the Khalsa Panth . Before his death, Guru Gobind Singh provided what is known as 52 Hukams and instructed his followers to formalize them by writing Rehat Namas. The 52 Hukams are a set of 52 rules on proper conduct. As per Dr. William Hewat McLeod , these set of rules were transcribed into

4500-512: The police, summoning help, or defending those who cannot defend themselves, even if that means putting oneself in harm's way. The Five Ks are the bare minimum and are not the full extent of Khalsa uniform; the Panj Kapde is also part of Khalsa uniform. It is part of the tradition of panj kapar e (five garments), comprising dastaar (turban), hazooria (long white scarf worn around the neck), long chola (dress), kamar-kasaa (material tied around

4575-548: The presence of the Guru—performing of kirtan , delivering of discourse, interpretative elaboration of the scriptures, or the reading of the scriptures. Before taking a hukam from the Guru, an ardas must be done: all the congregation would stand for the ardas and then sit down and carefully listen to the Hukam of the Guru. Sikhs, though anyone with correct pronunciation and understanding of Gurbani who desires to take part in

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4650-457: The rules and traditions which govern the unique Sikh lifestyle and determines correct Sikh orthodoxy and orthopraxy . The Sikh Rehit Maryada ( Punjabi : ਸਿੱਖ ਰਹਿਤ ਮਰਯਾਦਾ , Sikkh Rahit Maryādā ; also transcribed as Sikh Reht Maryada or Khalsa Rehat Maryada ) is a code of conduct and conventions for Sikhism . The final version of the Rehat Maryada was controversially approved by

4725-682: The same bowl. Sometimes portions of the Akal Ustat and 33 Savaiye compositions of Guru Gobind Singh found within the Dasam Granth is used during the ceremony. After this, all those taking part in the ceremony recite the Mool Mantra and they are inducted into the Khalsa . After successfully undergoing the ceremony, a new Amritdhari is expected to have the following traits: Sikh Rehat Maryada Rehat ( Punjabi : ਰਹਿਤ, alternatively transliterated as Rehit , Rahit , or Rahat ) refers to

4800-484: The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Pashaura Singh writes that the Tat Khalsa scholars refused to accept the anti Muslim injunctions and remarks as the work of Guru Gobind Singh and quietly removed them from their revised rahit-namas. Six Rahitnamas were placed in the time of Guru Gobind Singh, the Tankhahnama of those in particular stresses hostility towards Mughal Aristocrats, referred to as "Turks". Although there

4875-414: The tent with him. The Guru again emerged with blood on his sword. This happened three more times. Then the five volunteers came out of the tent unharmed. Everyone was very confused. The Guru caused his five faithful Sikhs to stand up. He put pure water into an iron vessel and stirred it with a khanda or two edged sword. He then repeated over it the sacred verses which he appointed for the ceremony, namely,

4950-499: The time such Bhai Vir Singh these Nirmala and Udasi Sikhs introduced vedic concepts into the Sikh Rehat, which led sectarianism in the absence of any centralized authority apart from that arranged under British rule from 1849. A range of other codes and collections of tradition existed, which were corrected in 1898 by Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha , who collected all the old Rehat Namas and removed spurious references to Hinduism. There

5025-423: The time. While the early eighteenth century rahits feature considerable variation; W.H. McLeod noted a few consistent features among them; "a sense of deepening problems and the ultimate triumph of the community; a set of behavioral injunctions meant to distinguish the Sikhs from other religious communities; with a clear sense that the Sikh community saw itself in conflict with Muslims; and, within several versions,

5100-441: The toes of the Sikh guru and the initiates drinking that water. If the guru was not present in a certain area, water would be poured over the toes of the masand or sangatia responsible for the area of that particular manji (early Sikh religious administrative unit) and the initiates would drink that water instead. If neither the guru or a local religious head is present, such as in a distant or tiny community of Sikhs, then

5175-402: The waist like a belt) and kacchera (under-garment). Reference to this has been made by Varan Bhai Gurdas as well. The dastaar and kachera are mandatory for Sikhs although more spiritual Sikhs also have the other kapde . A dastār ( Punjabi : ਦਸਤਾਰ , from Persian : دستار ) which derives from dast-e-yār or 'the hand of God', is an item of headwear associated with Sikhism , and

5250-416: The weak and innocent. The kirpan is kept sharp and is actually used to defend others, such as those who are oppressed by harsh rulers, or a person who is being robbed, raped, or beaten. The true Sikh cannot turn a blind eye to such evils, thinking that they are "someone else's concern." It is the duty of the true Sikh to help those who suffer unjustly, by whatever means available, whether that means alerting

5325-490: Was no standard rehat but there were many with the same points and concepts, like the Muktinamah (ਮੁਕਤੀਨਾਮਾਹ), Bhai Nand Lal's Rehatnamah (ਰਹਿਤਨਾਮਾਹ, 1695) and Tankhahnamah (ਤਨਖਾਹਨਾਮਾਹ, circa 1704), 54 Hukams (੫੪ ਹੁਕਮ) etc. As per Giani Gian Singh (1885), in 1857, Bhai Rai Singh travelled and stayed at Hazur Sahib , Nanded , (where the 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh receded) for 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 months to document and reproduce

5400-524: Was not right; that hair should be allowed to grow but it should be kept clean and combed at least twice a day. The Sikhs were commanded by Guru Gobind Singh at the Baisakhi Amrit Sanchar in 1699 to wear an iron bracelet called a Kara at all times. The kara is a constant reminder that whatever a person does with their hands has to be in keeping with the advice given by the Guru. The kara is an iron/steel circle to symbolise God as never-ending. It

5475-439: Was published in 1932. Finally Sikh Rahit Maryada was brought out by the SGPC in 1945. These publications showed a significant attempt by the Sikh intelligentsia and bodies to develop appropriate code of conduct reflective of the Sikh philosophy. The early Sikh rahit namas were markedly anti Mughal, the rahits derided Mughals as being "polluting"; injunctions included avoiding contact with the ritually sacrificed meat of all faiths,

5550-458: Was unanimous hostility and antipathy directed towards Mughals in the Sikh writings of the eighteenth and nineteenth century, the works of Chaupa, Kesar Singh Chibbar , and Koer Singh are considered the apotheosis of this aversion. The twentieth century versions of the rahit; drawing upon and furthering developing earlier forms of rahits were representative of an effort to systemize codes presented in different versions and modify them in line with

5625-420: Was willing to sacrifice his head. No one answered his first call, nor the second call, but on the third invitation, a man by the name of Daya Ram (later to be known as Daya Singh) came forward and offered his head to the Guru. Guru Gobind Singh took the volunteer inside the tent, and emerged shortly, with blood dripping from his sword. The Guru then demanded another head. One more volunteer came forward, and entered

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