oupacademic:A Very Short Fact: Happy Vaisakhi! Vaisakhi or Baisakhi is one of the most important d
oupacademic: A Very Short Fact: Happy Vaisakhi! Vaisakhi or Baisakhi is one of the most important dates in the Sikh calendar. It marks the new year and commemorates when Sikhism became a collective faith. “Generations of Sikhs and students of the Sikh religion learn that it was on Vaisakhi (often pronounced and spelt Baisakhi) 1699 that Guru Gobind Singh instructed his first initiates to adopt the ‘Five Ks’. They learn too that these are the five outward signs required of a Sikh, and that they are called the ‘Five Ks’ because the Punjabi name for each item begins with the letter ‘K’ (kakka in Punjabi). These maybe listed in any order. They are: kesh (uncut hair) kangha (comb) kirpan (sword) kachh (cotton breeches) kara (steel or iron bangle) It will be seen that the turban is not among the Five Ks; however, it is integral to male Khalsa Sikhs’ expression of their commitment, and an insult to the turban is regarded by Sikhs as an insult to the Panth.” [P.51- Sikhism: A Very Short Introduction by Eleanor Nesbitt] Like the Very Short Introductions on Facebook for more from the series. Image credit: A depiction of Guru Gobind Singh initiating the first five members of the Khalsa Woodcut, Amritsar or Lahore, about 1874-5 by unknown author. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons. -- source link