Khalsa
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Khalsa (Punjabi: ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ; [xaːlsaː]) is the collective body of all initiated Sikhs represented by the five beloved-ones and is the final temporal Guru/leader of the Sikhs. The Khalsa was inaugurated on March 30, 1699, by Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth Sikh Guru and the leadership was passed on by Guru Gobind Singh to the Khalsa and bestowed the title "Guru Panth". Though, during the next nine years of his life, Guru Gobind Singh remained the Commander-in-chief of the Khalsa.
The Khalsa is the nation of the Sikhs. The Khalsa is responsible for all executive, military and civil authority in the Sikh society. [1]
The meaning of Khalsa translates to "Sovereign/Free". Another interpretation is that of being 'Pure'. Guru Gobind Singh has declared the Khalsa as his true Guru and therefore as following described in the Sarbloh Granth the attributes of the Khalsa:[2]
The Sikhs of the Khalsa can be identified with the given Five Ks and titles Singh and Kaur. This happens after being baptised to the order of the Khalsa. The tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh at an event which coincided with the Baisakhi day in year 1699 initiated that every Sikh must follow the Five Ks; they are not merely symbols but commitment to the faith and philosophy of Guru Nanak Dev, Sikhism, and collectively form the external visible symbols; hence clearly and outwardly advertising and displaying one's commitment. It is as much analogous to the uniform of an organization, especially a Military.
A Sikh at being initiated into the Khalsa is titled Singh (for males)/Kaur (for females) and commonly referred to as "Amritdhari".
The Khalsa is also the pinnacle of the Sikhism. An individual is commissioned into the Khalsa only at the will of the Guru which means the individual has already, by the grace of the Guru, overcome the inside-evils and therefore is free. The political sovereignty is a mere reflection of free ocean inside a Singh/Kaur. In other words, how could an individual, who is free inside, be contained by wordly fears of death! This is possible only when the Guru accepts an individual as Singh/Kaur by granting the "Amrit" or nectar of immortality. One should be ware that soldiery of Singh/Kaur arises out of Sainthood which is reciprocal of Amrit. Thence a Singh/Kaur is a "soldier like saint" rather than a "saint like soldier".
Guru Gobind Singh Ji's respect for the Khalsa is best represented in one of his poems:[3]
All the battles I have won against tyranny
I have fought with the devoted backing of the people;
Through them only have I been able to bestow gifts,
Through their help I have escaped from harm;
The love and generosity of these Sikhs
Have enriched my heart and home.
Through their grace I have attained all learning;
Through their help in battle I have slain all my enemies.
I was born to serve them, through them I reached eminence.
What would I have been without their kind and ready help?
There are millions of insignificant people like me.
True service is the service of these people.
I am not inclined to serve others of higher caste:
Charity will bear fruit in this and the next world,
If given to such worthy people as these;
All other sacrifices are and charities are profitless.
From toe to toe, whatever I call my own,
All I possess and carry, I dedicate to these people.
Etymology
The usual interpretation of the Khalsa is made as "Pure" as in the following statement: (Arabic خالصة) ("pure/devoted") word khāliṣa[h] is the recognition of every Sikh that follows the discipline and text from the Guru Granth Sahib.
There is also another word from Arabic "خالسا" which is pronounced as "Khalsa" and is adapted in Punjabi/English/Hindi and many other languages. So, there are two different words in Arabic: "خالسا" (Khalsa) and "خالصة" (Khalisa(h)). Furthermore, there is a word in Persian "خالص" meaning "pure" and pronounced as "Khalis". A reader of Urdu can testify the "Khalis" in the Persian script and language as described below.
"Khalsa" is also used for a property which belongs to the emperor directly. The official language in the Mughal era was Persian and Persian language contains a word "Khalis" which directly translates to "Pure" in English. This may give a new meaning to the word "Khalsa". On these grounds and as per writings of the Guru Gobind Singh, the father of the Khalsa, wherein the great Guru describes the Khalsa as army of the timeless-being, it is evident that Khalsa means timeless sovereign. The Khalsa does not serve any monarch or a wordly sovereign country because it is a government in itself which acts only according to Guru Granth Sahib.
In Sikh tradition, the word Khalsa first appears in a hukmanama (order) by Guru Hargobind (the sixth Guru) which refers to a sangat as "Guru ka khalsa" ("Guru's Khalsa"). It also appears in a letter by Guru Tegh Bahadur (the ninth Guru), in the same sense.
Foundation
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Although the early Mughal emperors had peaceful relations with the Sikh Gurus, the Sikhs started facing religious persecution during the reign of Jahangir. Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Guru, was arrested and executed by Jahangir in 1606.[4]
In 1675, Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of the Sikhs was executed by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb for saving the religious rights of Hindus. In 1699, his son and the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh sent hukmanamas (letters of authority) to his followers throughout the Indian sub-continent, asking them to gather at Anandpur Sahib on March 30, 1699, the day of Baisakhi (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 and asked for a volunteer who was willing to sacrifice his head. No one answered his first call, nor the second call, but on the third invitation, a person called Daya Ram (later known as Bhai 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. He then demanded another head. One more volunteer came forward, and entered 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. These five, who were willing to sacrifice their lives for their Guru, were called Panj Piare ("the five beloved ones").[5] 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).
Guru Gobind Singh then took an iron bowl and poured some water in it. Sahib Devan (later Mata Sahib Kaur) added some sugar crystals to the water, and the Guru stirred this mixture with a double-edged sword whilst reciting the Five Banis. The resultant solution is called as "Khandey di Pahul" (ceremony of the double-edged sword) or commonly known as "amrit" (nectar)
These actions allude to the nature expected of the inductees to the Khalsa: that they must have the will and the strength to fight oppression (symbolized by the sword), but must always remember that their actions are born from protection and not hatred (symbolized by the sweetness of the sugar).
Each of the Panj Piares were given five handfuls of the Amrit to drink, and had amrit sprinkled in their eyes five times. Each time, they repeated the phrase "Waheguru ka Khalsa, Waheguru ki Phateh" ("The Khalsa belongs to Waheguru (the wondrous teacher), the victory belongs to Waheguru (the wondrous teacher)").
Guru Gobind Singh gave them the title (analogous to "Knight" or "Sir" in English culture) of "Singh" (meaning "lion"). Similarly, for female the title of "Kaur" (meaning "Princess"). As a matter of fact, nowadays the majority of Sikhs carry this title without taking the oath of double-edged sword.
Guru Gobind Singh is the "Father" of the Khalsa and Mata Sahib Kaur is the "Mother". One important outcome of joining the Khalsa is the abolition of one's previous caste, nation, race, rituals, customs, religion, clan, Karma. The new member is the citizen of Anandpur Sahib and their birthplace is the Kesgarh Sahib.[6]
The Khalsa is led by Panj Pyare or the five-beloved. At the Battle of Chamkaur, the Khalsa led by Panj Pyare passed on an order/command to the Guru Gobind Singh to escape from the Chamkaur and the Guru had to obey it, because at that point of time, and as proclaimed by the Guru on March 30, 1699 about his absorption into the Khalsa and declaring the five-beloved being equal to him, the Guru was just a Singh of the Khalsa.
Code of conduct
The Khalsa needs to follow rules and codes of conduct set by Guru Gobind Singh. The later Reht Maryada (code of conduct) is based upon guidelines laid down by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. Guru Gobind Singh also gave the Khalsa 52 hukams or 52 specific guidelines while living in Nanded in 1708[7]
The basic code of conduct (Rehat Maryada) issued by the Khalsa is:
- Not to disturb the natural growth of the hairs.
- Not to commit adultery (sexual intercourse outside marriage).
- Not to eat Kutha meat(i.e. meat prepared in the ritualistic way)
- Not to consume any kind of intoxicants, e.g., tobacco, opium, alcohol, ganja, etc.
Five Ks
The uniform of a Singh/Kaur of the Khalsa comprises the Five Ks:
- Kesh – The uncut hairs on all the body.
- Kanga - A wooden comb.
- Kara - An iron bracelet.
- Kachera – A pair of drawers (a specific type of cotton underwear).
- Kirpan – A dagger or sword.
These are for identification and representation of the ideals of Sikhism, such as honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God, and never bowing to tyranny,[8] and for helping/protecting the weak, and self-defense.
Initial tensions with the non-Khalsa disciples
With the creation of Khalsa, Guru Gobind Singh had abolished all existing social divisions as was fundamental in the teachings of Sri Guru Nanak Dev. 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.[9] All previous beliefs relating to family, occupation, customs and ceremonies were declared useless by the Guru and salvation could be achieved only by the ways of the Khalsa. 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.[9]
The newswriter of the Mughal government, Ghulam Mohyiuddin, reporting to the emperor wrote:[10][11]
He has abolished caste and custom, old rituals, beliefs and superstitions of the Hindus and bonded them in one single brotherhood. No one will be superior or inferior to another. Men of all castes have been made to eat out of the single bowl. Though orthodox men have opposed him, about twenty thousand men and women have taken baptism of steel at his hand on the first day. The Guru has also told the gathering: "I' ll call myself Gobind Singh only if I can make the meek sparrows pounce upon the hawks and tear them; only if one combatant of my force faces a legion of the enemy"
Sri Gur Sobha (18th century) by Sainapati (Saina Singh) contains two sections (adhyays) on the controversies that arose, when Guru Gobind Singh's disciples in Delhi heard the news of his new order.[12] Much of the controversy stated in Sri Gur Sobha revolves around bhaddar, the ritual shaving of head after 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.[12]
Tensions developed between the Punjabi Khatri disciples of the Guru in Delhi, and members of the newly-formed Khalsa. A prominent Khatri disciple was expelled from the place of worship (dharmasala) for refusing to join the Khalsa. Another disciple was expelled for eating with him, starting a chain of further expulsions.[12] The expelled disciples convened a community gathering, at which two wealthy Khatris demanded that the Khalsa produce a written order from the Guru that a new mandatory code of conduct had been promulgated. A Khatri family that refused to follow the bhaddar ritual was boycotted by the Khatri community.[12] The Khatri council (panch) closed the bazaar to pressure the Khalsa. The Khalsa petitioned the state officials to intervene, who forced reopening of the shops. Later, peace was established between the two groups in a sangat (congregation). However, hostility between some Khatris and the Khalsa persisted in the later years.[12]
Khalsa as a military force
One of the duties of the Khalsa is to practice arms. This has been deemed necessary due to the rising persecution from the rulers. Before joining the Khalsa, most of the people were from professions like farming, pottery, masonry, carpenters, Labanas, etc.
Guru Gobind Singh in Oct, 1708 deputed his disciple Banda Singh Bahadur to lead the Khalsa in an uprising against the Mughals. Banda Singh Bahadur first established a Sikh kingdom and then brought in the Land reforms in the form of breaking up large estates and distributing the land to peasants. He and his comrades were eventually defeated and executed, but he became an icon among the Sikhs. After a long exile the Khalsa regrouped under Nawab Kapur Singh, who gathered local Khalsa leaders and created Dal Khalsa, a coalition army. The Dal Khalsa fought against the Mughals and the Afghans, eventually resulting in the establishment of a number of small republics called misls (autonomous confederacies) and later in the formation of the Sikh Empire.
After the fall of the Mughal empire and the later establishment of a Sikh Empire in the Punjab, the Khalsa became an instrumental force in the new risen political frames with the inception of a Sikh monarchy: the Khalsa was created a democratic body, and could oppose the Maharaja of Punjab. By the time of death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1839, the regular army of Sikh Empire was assessed by Sir Lepel Griffin at 29000 men, with 192 artillery guns. The irregular levies were estimated at a similar number.[13]
The official name of the state (Sikh empire) of Sikhs was "Sarkar-e-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 countries of Punjab, North-West Frontier Province, Kashmir, Ladakh, etc.
Modern status
Today, the Khalsa is respected by the entire Sikh nation; however, not all Sikhs are Amritdharis/Singhs.[5] The issue of Khalsa code of conduct has led to several controversies. In the early 1950s, a serious split occurred in the Canadian Sikh community, when the Khalsa Diwan Society in Vancouver, Canada elected a clean-shaven Sikh to serve on its management committee.[14] 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 broke away from the Khalsa Diwan Society, and established their own gurdwara society called Akali Singh.[14]
In the United Kingdom there have been tensions between the Khalsa Sikhs and the non-Khalsa Sikhs. Many Sikhs in Britain have insisted on their right of not confirming to the Khalsa norms, while maintaining that they are truly Sikh. On the other hand, some of the Khalsa Sikhs think of the non-Khalsa Sikhs as having abandoned the Sikh faith altogether.[15]
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 valour poetry competitions. The Khalsa also lead the Sikhs in the annual Vaisakhi parade.[16]
See also
Footnotes
- ^ Joseph Davey cunningham (Joseph Cunningham),History of the Sikhs. year = 1849, page = ??
- ^ Sri Guru Gobind Singh. Dasam Granth.
- ^ Cole, W. Owen (1978). The Sikhs: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. 37–38. ISBN 0-7100-8842-6.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|nopp=ignored (|no-pp=suggested) (help) - ^ N. Jayapalan (2001). History of India. Atlantic. p. 160. ISBN 9788171569281.
- ^ a b Mahmood, Cynthia Keppley (1996). Fighting for faith and nation dialogues with Sikh militants. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. pp. 43–45. ISBN 978-0812215922. OCLC 44966032.
- ^ practical amrit sanchar ceremony
- ^ http://sikhism.about.com/od/gurugobindsing1/qt/52-Edicts-Of-Guru-Gobind-Singh.htm
- ^ Eleanor Nesbitt, "Sikhism: a very short introduction", ISBN 0-19-280601-7, Oxford University Press, pp. 40–43
- ^ a b Cunningham, Joseph Davey (2002). "Sikhism under Govind". A history of Sikhs. Rupa & Co., New Delhi. pp. 68–69. ISBN 8171677649.
- ^ Singh, Sangat (2005). "Evolution of Sikh Panth". The Sikhs in History. Singh Brothers. pp. 67–68. ISBN 8172052758.
- ^ Singh, Gopal. A history of the Sikh people. Delhi. p. 291.
- ^ a b c d e Deol, Jeevan (2001). "Eighteenth Century Khalsa Identity: Discourse, Praxis and Narrative". In Arvind-pal Singh and Mandair, Gurharpal Singh and Christopher Shackle (ed.). Sikh Religion, Culture and Ethnicity. Routledge. pp. 25–26. ISBN 978-0700713899. OCLC 45337782.
- ^ Major Pearse, Hugh; Ranjit Singh and his white officers. In Gardner, Alexander (1999) [1898]. The Fall of Sikh Empire. Delhi, India: National Book Shop. ISBN 81-7116-231-2.
- ^ a b Paul Robert Magocsi, ed. (1999) [1998]. Encyclopedia of Canada's Peoples. University of Toronto Press. p. 1157. ISBN 978-0802029386. OCLC 56300149.
- ^ Parsons, Gerald (1994). The Growth of Religious Diversity: Britain from 1945. Routledge. p. 231. ISBN 978-0415083263. OCLC 29957116.
- ^ http://americanturban.com/2012/04/09/picture-of-the-day-los-angeles-ca-celebrates-vaisakhi/
External links
