The Birth of the Khalsa
The birth of the Khalsa,
(Summary from p. 56/57 (750 words) of a book entitled “Essence of Sikhism, Meditate-Earn honestly-Share” by Kartar Singh Bhalla.)
For the annual harvest festival of Baisakhi in 1699, Guru Gobind Singh had asked thousands of Sikhs to attend. On the morning of the day, The Guru stepped out of his tent holding a sword and asked the audience whether anyone was willing to offer his head. He had to repeat his call three times before someone came forward. A first man came offered his head. He entered the tent with the Guru and the Guru reappeared, his sword stained with blood. He repeated the same call four more times, and the same thing happened; he came out of his tent with a bloody sword. People were startled and did not know what to do. They had come to celebrate a festival and not come to attend sacrifices. But after a while, they saw the five men who had volunteered reappear followed by Guru Gobind Singh. People started to feel a great joy and shout out “the Guru is great!”… The guru asked them to be silent and said that these five men were the “chosen ones”, the “Panj Piaras”, the five beloved and would be those who would start the Khalsa (the pure ones). So the guru prepared a special liquid, “Amrit”, sugared water, stirring it with the sword, to be used to baptise the five men. When all was done, he asked the men to baptise him in return. Every man was given the name “Singh” (lion) and the Guru asked them to keep their hair long, kesh, wear a steel bangle, Karra, shorts, kacha, a kanga, a comb and carry a kirpan, sword.
(266
(Summary from p. 56/57 (750 words) of a book entitled “Essence of Sikhism, Meditate-Earn honestly-Share” by Kartar Singh Bhalla.)
For the annual harvest festival of Baisakhi in 1699, Guru Gobind Singh had asked thousands of Sikhs to attend. On the morning of the day, The Guru stepped out of his tent holding a sword and asked the audience whether anyone was willing to offer his head. He had to repeat his call three times before someone came forward. A first man came offered his head. He entered the tent with the Guru and the Guru reappeared, his sword stained with blood. He repeated the same call four more times, and the same thing happened; he came out of his tent with a bloody sword. People were startled and did not know what to do. They had come to celebrate a festival and not come to attend sacrifices. But after a while, they saw the five men who had volunteered reappear followed by Guru Gobind Singh. People started to feel a great joy and shout out “the Guru is great!”… The guru asked them to be silent and said that these five men were the “chosen ones”, the “Panj Piaras”, the five beloved and would be those who would start the Khalsa (the pure ones). So the guru prepared a special liquid, “Amrit”, sugared water, stirring it with the sword, to be used to baptise the five men. When all was done, he asked the men to baptise him in return. Every man was given the name “Singh” (lion) and the Guru asked them to keep their hair long, kesh, wear a steel bangle, Karra, shorts, kacha, a kanga, a comb and carry a kirpan, sword.
(266