2.4.7

The Khalsa

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The Khalsa

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Origin

  • The Khalsa is a special community of committed Sikhs who dedicate their lives to God and to serving others.
  • The Khalsa was founded by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru.
  • Guru Gobind Singh wanted Sikhs to live with courage, honesty, and strength. They should be ready to stand up for truth and justice.
  • The Khalsa was created to protect everyone, not just Sikhs.
  • The Khalsa live by a strict moral code, showing discipline, faith, and devotion.
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The first members

  • In 1699, Guru Gobind Singh gathered Sikhs at a festival.
  • He asked for five volunteers who were brave enough to give their lives for God and truth.
  • These men became the Panj Pyare (Five Beloved Ones).
  • Guru Gobind Singh baptised them with Amrit (sweetened water stirred with a sword).
  • The Guru then asked the Panj Pyare to baptise him. This showed that all Sikhs are equal, even the Guru himself.
  • Guru Gobind Singh became the sixth member of the Khalsa.
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The five Ks

  • Members of the Khalsa wear five symbols of faith, known as the Five Ks:
    • Kesh → uncut hair, showing respect for God’s creation.
    • Kara → a steel bracelet, symbolising unity with the Guru.
    • Kanga → a wooden comb, for cleanliness and order.
    • Kachera → cotton undergarments, representing chastity.
    • Kirpan → a ceremonial sword, symbolising the protection of the innocent.

Jump to other topics

1Year 7

1.1Origins of Abrahamic Faith

1.2Judaism

1.3Christianity

1.4Disciplinary Knowledge

2Year 8

2.1Islam

2.2Hindu Dharma (Hinduism)

2.3Buddhism

2.4Sikhi

2.5Atheism

2.6Philosophy of Religion

2.7Disciplinary Knowledge

3Year 9

3.1Life & Death

3.2Extremism

3.3Equality

4Additional Concepts

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