Khalsa information

Khalsa
Khalsa
ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ
	Khanda
Active	13 April 1699 – present
Allegiance	Waheguru
Branch	Khalsa Fauj (1699–1730s); Dal Khalsa (1730s–1799); Sikh Khalsa Army (1799–1849); Akali-Nihang (1700s–present); Damdami Taksal (1706–present)
Type	Sikh religious order
Headquarters	Panj Takht, Akal Takht Sahib, Anandpur Sahib
Motto(s)	Deg Tegh Fateh
Colors	Navy blue and xanthic
Anniversaries	Vaisakhi, Holla Mohalla, Bandi Chhor Divas
Commanders
Founders	Guru Gobind Singh ; Mata Sahib Kaur
Panj Pyare	Bhai Daya Singh; Bhai Dharam Singh; Bhai Himmat Singh; Bhai Mohkam Singh; Bhai Sahib Singh;
Jathedar of the Akal Takht	disputed ; Jagtar Singh Hawara (Sarbat Khalsa; imprisoned); since 10 November 2015; Dhian Singh Mand (Sarbat Khalsa; acting); since 10 November 2015; Raghbir Singh (SGPC); since 16 June 2023;
Insignia
Insignia	Khanda
Individual/Personal Identification	The Five Ks
Corporate/Panthic Identification	Nishan Sahib
Predecessor (military)	Akal Sena

Khalsa (Punjabi: ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ, Punjabi pronunciation: [ˈkʰaːlsaː], lit. 'to be pure' or 'to be clear' or 'to be free from' or 'to be liberated') refers to both a community that considers Sikhism as its faith,^[5] as well as a special group of initiated Sikhs.^[6] The Khalsa tradition was initiated in 1699 by the Tenth Guru of Sikhism, Guru Gobind Singh. Its formation was a key event in the history of Sikhism.^[7] The founding of Khalsa is celebrated by Sikhs during the festival of Vaisakhi.^[8]^[9]^[10]

Guru Gobind Singh started the Khalsa tradition after his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was beheaded during the Islamic sharia rule of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb after the Hindu Brahmins requested for his help to save their religion.^[11]^[12]^[13] Guru Gobind Singh created and initiated the Khalsa as a warrior with a duty to protect the innocent from religious persecution.^[14] The founding of the Khalsa started a new phase in the Sikh tradition. It formulated an initiation ceremony (amrit sanskar, nectar ceremony) and rules of conduct for the Khalsa warriors. It created a new institution for the temporal leadership of the Sikhs, replacing the earlier masand system. Additionally, the Khalsa provided a political and religious vision for the Sikh community.^[5]^[15]^[16]^: 127

Upon initiation, a male Sikh was given the title of Singh meaning "lion". Kaur was made the sole, compulsory identifier for female Sikhs in the twentieth century. The rules of life, include a behavioral code called Rahit. Some rules are no tobacco, no intoxicants, no adultery, no Kutha meat, no modification of hair on the body, and a dress code (Five Ks).^[16]^{: 121–126}

^ the seat of supreme temporal authority for Sikhs
^ "Sikh Reht Maryada, The Definition of Sikh, Sikh Conduct & Conventions, Sikh Religion Living, India". Old.sgpc.net. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
^ Sikh Rehat Maryada: Section Three, Chapter IV, Article V, r.
^ Nishan Sahib (Sikh Museum)
^ ^a ^b Khalsa: Sikhism, Encyclopaedia Britannica
^ Singh, Pashaura; Fenech, Louis E. (2014). The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies. Oxford University Press. p. 237. ISBN 978-0-19-969930-8.
^ Singh, Nikky-Guninder Kaur (2012). The Birth of the Khalsa : A Feminist Re-Memory of Sikh Identity. State University of New York Press. p. xi. ISBN 978-0-7914-8266-7.
^ Senker, Cath (2007). My Sikh Year. The Rosen Publishing Group. p. 10. ISBN 978-1-4042-3733-9., Quote: "Vaisakhi is the most important mela. It marks the Sikh New Year. At Vaisakhi, Sikhs remember how their community, the Khalsa, first began."
^ Cole, p. 63: "The Sikh new year, Vaisakhi, occurs at Sangrand in April, usually on the thirteenth day."
^ Jacobsen, Knut A. (2008). South Asian Religions on Display: Religious Processions in South Asia and in the Diaspora. Routledge. p. 192. ISBN 978-1-134-07459-4., Quote: "(...) for the Sikhs, it [Baisakhi] celebrates the foundation of the Khalsa in 1699."
^ Cite error: The named reference Mandair2013p53 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference cs2013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference fenech4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference colesambhi36 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Singh, Teja (2006). A Short History of the Sikhs: Volume One. Patiala: Punjabi University. p. 107. ISBN 978-8173800078.
^ ^a ^b Singh, Kartar (2008). Life of Guru Gobind Singh. Ludhiana, India: Lahore Bookshop.

[1] the seat of supreme temporal authority for Sikhs

[auto-2] "Sikh Reht Maryada, The Definition of Sikh, Sikh Conduct & Conventions, Sikh Religion Living, India". Old.sgpc.net. Retrieved 4 June 2022.

[3] Sikh Rehat Maryada: Section Three, Chapter IV, Article V, r.

[4] Nishan Sahib (Sikh Museum)

[britkhalsa-5] Khalsa: Sikhism, Encyclopaedia Britannica

[6] Singh, Pashaura; Fenech, Louis E. (2014). The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies. Oxford University Press. p. 237. ISBN 978-0-19-969930-8.

[nikkyxi-7] Singh, Nikky-Guninder Kaur (2012). The Birth of the Khalsa : A Feminist Re-Memory of Sikh Identity. State University of New York Press. p. xi. ISBN 978-0-7914-8266-7.

[senker10-8] Senker, Cath (2007). My Sikh Year. The Rosen Publishing Group. p. 10. ISBN 978-1-4042-3733-9., Quote: "Vaisakhi is the most important mela. It marks the Sikh New Year. At Vaisakhi, Sikhs remember how their community, the Khalsa, first began."

[ColeSambhi1995p63-9] Cole, p. 63: "The Sikh new year, Vaisakhi, occurs at Sangrand in April, usually on the thirteenth day."

[Jacobsen2008p192-10] Jacobsen, Knut A. (2008). South Asian Religions on Display: Religious Processions in South Asia and in the Diaspora. Routledge. p. 192. ISBN 978-1-134-07459-4., Quote: "(...) for the Sikhs, it [Baisakhi] celebrates the foundation of the Khalsa in 1699."

[Mandair2013p53-11] Cite error: The named reference Mandair2013p53 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[cs2013-12] Cite error: The named reference cs2013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[fenech4-13] Cite error: The named reference fenech4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[colesambhi36-14] Cite error: The named reference colesambhi36 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[15] Singh, Teja (2006). A Short History of the Sikhs: Volume One. Patiala: Punjabi University. p. 107. ISBN 978-8173800078.

[Singh-16] Singh, Kartar (2008). Life of Guru Gobind Singh. Ludhiana, India: Lahore Bookshop.

Khalsa information

and 22 Related for: Khalsa information

Khalsa

Balestier Khalsa FC

Guru Gobind Singh

Sikh Empire

Babbar Khalsa

Sarbat Khalsa

Khalsa Fauj

Tat Khalsa

Vaisakhi

Khalsa bole

Sikhism

Waheguru

Nihang

Raj Karega Khalsa

Narendra Singh Khalsa

Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa

Talwinder Singh Parmar

Khalsa Mahima

Five Ks

List of historical Sikh generals

Nirmal Singh Khalsa

Awtar Singh

Sikhism
Part of a series on

People Topics Outline History Glossary
Sikh gurus Guru Nanak Guru Angad Guru Amar Das Guru Ram Das Guru Arjan Guru Hargobind Guru Har Rai Guru Har Krishan Guru Tegh Bahadur Guru Gobind Singh Guru Granth Sahib
Selected revered saints Bhagat Kabir Bhagat Ravidas Bhagat Farid Bhagat Ramanand Bhagat Beni Bhagat Namdev Bhagat Sadhana Bhagat Bhikhan Bhagat Parmanand Bhagat Sain Bhagat Dhanna Bhagat Pipa Bhagat Surdas Bhagat Jaidev Bhagat Trilochan Bhatt Kalshar Bhatt Balh Bhatt Bhalh Bhatt Bhika Bhatt Gayand Bhatt Harbans Bhatt Jalap Bhatt Kirat Bhatt Mathura Bhatt Nalh Bhatt Salh Baba Sundar Satta Doom Balvand Rai
Philosophy Naam Japo Kirat Karō Vand Chakkō Charhdi Kalā Guru Maneyo Granth Five Thieves Five Virtues
Practices Sikh Rehat Maryada Prohibitions Ardās Kirtan Amrit Velā Dasvand The Five Ks Langar Sewa Simran Nitnem Dastar (Turban) Naam Karan Amrit Sanskar Anand Karaj Antam Sanskar
Scripture Guru Granth Sahib Dasam Granth Sarbloh Granth Five Banis
Places and Takhts Gurdwara Harmandir Sahib Akal Takht Keshgarh Sahib Damdama Sahib Patna Sahib Hazur Sahib
General topics and terminology Ik Onkar Khalsa Waheguru Panj Pyare Nirgun and Sargun Khanda Literature Music Names Nanakshahi calendar Criticism Jathedar of Akal Takht War Sects
Sikhism and other religions Sikhism and Hinduism Sikhism and Islam Sikhism and Jainism
Religion portal
v t e