Five Ks

"Five K's" and "5 K's" redirect here. For the long-distance track foot race, see 5000 metres. For the long-distance road foot race, see 5K run. For the singular, see 5K (disambiguation).

Kanga, Kara and Kirpan – three of the five Ks

In Sikhism, the 'five Ks' (Punjabi: ਪੰਜ ਕਕਾਰ Pañj Kakār) are five items that Guru Gobind Singh, in 1699, commanded Khalsa Sikhs to wear at all times. They are: kesh (unshorn hair and beard), kangha (a comb for the kesh, usually wooden), kara (a bracelet, usually made of iron or steel), kachera (an undergarment), and kirpan (a small curved knife made of iron or steel).

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 or the '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 Sri Guru Granth Sahib is called a Sahajdhari Sikh.

Kesh

Main article: Kesh

The kesh, also known as kesa, or uncut, long hair, is considered by Sikhs as an indispensable part of the human body. It emulates the appearance of Guru Gobind Singh and is one of the primary signs by which a Sikh can be clearly 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 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 followers:

"Khalsa mero roop hai khaas. Khalsa mai ho karo nivaas... The Khalsa is my image. Within the Khalsa I reside." Wearing 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.

Kangha

Main article: Kangha

Kangha – one of the five articles of faith for the Sikhs

Comb the hair twice a day, covering it with turban that is to be tied from fresh.

— Tankhanama Bhai Nand Lal Singh

A kangha 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 the hair, and are 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 this was not right; hair should be allowed to grow but it should be kept clean and combed at least twice a day.

Kara

Main article: Kara

Kara – one of the five articles of faith for the Sikhs

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 is a symbol of permanent bonding to the community, of being a link in the chain of Khalsa Sikhs (the word for link is Kari). The kara should be of a cheap metal, such as iron or steel, to show equality so that nobody can be shown as more important than anybody else.

Kacchera

Kacchera

Main article: Kacchera

ਸੀਲ ਜਤ ਕੀ ਕਛ ਪਹਿਰਿ ਪਕਿੜਓ ਹਿਥਆਰਾ ॥ The sign of true chastity is the Kachhera, you must wear this and hold weapons in hand.

— Bhai Gurdas Singh, Var. 41, pauri 15

The kacchera is a underwear with a tie-knot worn by baptised Sikhs. Originally, the kacchera 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 defence. The confirmed Sikh (one who has taken 'amrit') wears a kacchera every day. This garment allowed the Sikh soldier to operate in combat freely without any hindrance or restriction because it was easy to fabricate, maintain, wash and carry compared to other traditional undergarments of that era. The kacchera symbolizes self-respect, and reminds the wearer of mental control over lust, one of the five evils in Sikh philosophy.

Kacchera follow a generally practical and roomy design. They feature an embedded string that circles the waist which can be tightened or loosened as desired, and then knotted securely. The kacchera can be classified between an underwear and an outer garment as in appearance it does not reveal private anatomy, and looks like shorts. As with all of the 'five Ks', there is equality between men and women, and so women are also expected to wear it. Considering the hot climate in India, the kacchera keeps the wearer cool and practical in manual work such as farming. It is not considered respectful for women to wear the kacchera as an outer garment as it is considered too revealing.

Kirpan

Main article: Kirpan

ਸ਼ਸਤਰ ਹੀਨ ਕਬਹੂ ਨਹਿ ਹੋਈ, ਰਿਹਤਵੰਤ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਸੋਈ ॥Those who never depart their arms, they are the Khalsa with excellent rehats.

— Rehatnama Bhai Desa Singh

The kirpan is a dagger which symbolises a Sikh's duty to defend 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 self-defence and the protection of others. It stands for bravery and protecting the weak and innocent.

The kirpan is kept sharp and is used to defend others, such as those being robbed, raped, or beaten. A true Sikh cannot turn a blind eye to such evils, thinking they are "someone else's concern." It is the duty of a true Sikh to help those who suffer unjustly by whatever means available, whether that means alerting the police, summoning help or defending those who cannot defend themselves, even if that means putting oneself in harm's way.

Panj Kapde

The 'five Ks' are the bare minimum and are not the full extent of the Khalsa uniform; the Panj Kapde is part of the Khalsa uniform. It is part of the tradition of panj kapare (five garments), comprising dastaar (turban), hazooria (long white scarf worn around the neck), long chola (dress), kamar kasaa (material tied around 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 other kapde.

Dastaar

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 is an important part of Sikh culture. The word has its origins in Persian and 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 Sikhs, the dastār is an article of faith that represents equality, honour, self-respect, courage, spirituality, and piety. Khalsa Sikh men and women, who sport the 'five Ks', wear the turban to cover their long, uncut hair (kesh). The Sikhs regard the dastār as an important part of their unique identity. After the ninth Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur was sentenced to death by 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 that the dastār covers.

Sikh chola

Sikh chola is a traditional dress. It is a martial attire which gives freedom of movement to a Sikh warrior. Sikh chola is unisex, and may be decorated with heavy embroidery all over. It is meant to be either yellow, white or electric blue with many pockets to hold matchlocks and other weapons.

Kamar kasa

Kamar kasa is a sash bound around the waist to hold weapons, an essential part of Nihang (Sikh warrior) dress. It is also called cumberband, belt, waist sash, or waistband. The Kamar kasa is meant to be yellow if one is wearing a blue chola or blue if one is wearing a white chola.

Hazooria

Nihang Sikhs wearing chakrams

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 Ks'. A hazooria is practical: it helps one keep suchamta (cleanliness) during seva (service) or reading Gurbani (hymns). It can help keep the hands clean when touching the face or picking up objects. The hazooria was worn by servants and symbolises the Sikh surrendering to their Guru.

See also

• Sikhism
• Amrit Sanchar
• Vaisakhi
• Khalsa and Sir-Gums
• Gursikh
• Amritdhari

External links

• The Five Sikh Symbols – SikhismGuide.org
• The Sikh Symbols – eBook
• The Sikh Bangle (Kara) – eBook
• "The Five Symbols of Sikhism: Some Contemporary Issues", by Bhupinder Singh, Sikh Missionary Society U.K., 25 February 2014