Formed by Guru Gobind Singh, it is a spiritual brotA Member of the Khalsa showing the 5Ksher and sisterhood devoted to purity of thought and action. The Khalsa were formed in 1699 when Guru Gobind Singh initiated the first five members – the Panj Pyare (the five beloved ones). The Khalsa are in charge of all temporal matters. He gave them a distinctive external commitment, whereby every Sikh baptised into the Khalsa vows to wear the Five ‘K’s’. They are:
· Kesh – Uncut hair and beard, as given by god and a turban the crown of spirituality
· Kangha – a wooden comb to comb the hair as a symbol of cleanliness
. Kirpan – (A ceremonial dagger) A sword, with which the person is committed to defend the truth.
· Kachha – Cotton underwear as a reminder of the commitment to purity
· Kara – A steel ring worn on the wrist signifying bondage to truth and freedom from every other entanglement.
The Khalsa also take vows to refrain from:
· Sexual relationships outside of marriage
· Meat
· Tobacco
· Alcohol and other intoxicants
Baptism into the Khalsa
The initiation into the brother and sisterhood of the Khalsa started on the 30th March 1699 by Guru Gobind Singh, the ceremony consists of preparing ‘Amrit’ (Nectar) by putting water in a bowl, adding sugar and stirring it with a double edged sword while five baptised Sikhs each recite a prayer. The person who is being baptised then takes the vows of the Khalsa and drinks five palmfuls of Amrit. He is given the name ‘Singh’ (meaning Lion) or she is given ‘Kaur’ (meaning Princess) after their name and they then wear the 5 K’s of the Khalsa.