The Sikh Bulletin

The Sikh Bulletin vYswK 537 April 2005
Khalsa Vahiguru jl ki Fateh (Utter, Hail the Khalsa who to
the Lord belongs; the Lord to whom belongs victory)." The
Sikh repeated the blessed utterance. After the five life-giving
draughts had been thus administered, the Guru sprinkled the
holy liquid into his face gazing intently into his eyes. He then
anointed his hair with the nectar. In the same manner, Guru
Gobind Singh initiated the other four one by one. At the end,
all five of them were given the steel bowl to quaff from it
turn by turn the remaining elixir in token of their new
fraternal comradeship. Then, following the Guru, they
repeated Vahiguru five times as gurmantra and five times
recited the Mul Mantra. They were given the common surname
of Singh, (meaning lion) and enjoined to regard
themselves as the Khalsa, i.e. the Guru's own. They were
told that their rebirth into this brotherhood meant the annihilation
of their family ties (kul nas), of the occupations
which had formerly determined their place in society (krit
nas), of their earlier beliefs and creeds and of the ritual they
observed. Their worship was to be addressed to none but
Akal, the Timeless One. They were ever to keep the five
emblems of the Khalsa—kesa or long hair and beard;
kangha, a comb tucked into the kesa to keep it tidy in
contrast to the recluses who kept it matted in token of their
having renounced the world; kara, a steel bracelet to be worn
round the wrist of the right hand; kachchha, short breeches;
and kirpan, a sword. In the rahit or code of conduct
promulgated for the Sikhs on that day were the four
prohibitions, i.e. the cutting or trimming of hair, fornication
or adultery, halal meat or flesh of animal slaughtered with
the Muslim ritual, and tobacco.
The five were designated by Guru Gobind Singh as Panj
Piare, the five beloved of the Guru. He now besought them to
initiate him into their brotherhood, and asked them to prepare
khande di pahul. The Panj Piare churned the holy water
following the Guru's example and administered to him the
vows they had received from him. Even his name changed to
(Guru) Gobind Singh. Many Sikhs then volunteered to
undergo initiation.
The five who took the next turn were Ram Singh, Deva
Singh, Tahal Singh, Ishar Singh and Fateh Singh. They were
called by the Guru Panj Mukte, the Five Liberated Ones.
According to the Guru kian Sakhian, in the next row stood
Mani Ram, Bachittar Das, Ude Rai, Anik Das, Ajab Das,
Ajaib Chand, Chaupat Rai, Diwan Dharam Chand, Alam
Chand Nachna and Sahib Ram Koer, followed by Rai Chand
Multani, Gurbakhsh Rai, Gurbakhshish Rai, Pandit Kirpa
Ram Datt of Mattan, Subeg Chand, Gurmukh Das, Sanmukh
Das, Amrik Chand, Purohit Daya Ram, Barna, Ghani Das,
Lal Chand Peshauria, Rup Chand, Sodhi Dip Chand, Nand
Chand, Nanu Ram of Dilvali, and Hazari, Bhandari and
Darbari of Sirhind.
Khande di pahul thus supplanted charanamrit. Since then
initiation has been by amrit or holy water prepared in the
manner laid down by Guru Gobind Singh. For the novitiates
the same ceremony will be repeated. Panj Piare chosen at
any place for their piety and reputation will officiate, in the
presence of the Guru Granth Sahib attended by a Granthi.
Among the Panj Piare could be women too, as there could
be among the novitiates. No particular age is prescribed for
initiation. It could take place any time the novitiate is able to
appreciate the significance of the ceremony and is prepared
to abide by the discipline it imposed. A patit, an apostate or
lapsed Sikh guilty of committing a kurahit, i.e. violation of
any of the prohibitions laid down by Guru Gobind Singh,
will have to go through the same ceremony to have himself
reinitiated and readmitted into the Khalsa fold. Khalsa rahit
or discipline flowing from khande di Pahul has been sought
to be codified in Rahitnamas, manuals of conduct. Some of
these are attributed to Guru Gobind Singh's contemporaries
such as Bhai Daya Singh, Bhai Chaupa Singh and Bhai
Nand Lal.
Directions with regard to the conduct of the amrit ceremony
as issued by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak
Committee in its publication Sikh Rahit Maryada are as
follows:
a) The initiation ceremony may be conducted in any quiet
and convenient place. In addition to the Guru Granth
Sahib, presence of six Sikhs is necessary: one granthi
to read from the Guru Granth Sahib and five to
administer the rites.
b) Both receiving initiation and those administering it
should bathe and wash their hair prior to the
ceremony.
c) Any Sikh who is mentally and physically "whole" (man
or woman) may administer the rites of initiation provided
that he himself had received the rites and continues to wear
the five K's, i.e. Sikh symbols each beginning with the
Gurmukhi letter "k".
d) Any man or woman of whatever nationality, race or
social standing, who is prepared to accept the rules
governing the Khalsa community, is eligible to receive
initiation.
e) No minimum or maximum age limit is stipulated for
those receiving initiation.
f) Those undergoing initiation should have the five K's
(unshorn hair, comb, shorts, sword, steel bangle). No
jewellery or distinctive marks associated with other faiths
may be worn. The head must be covered.
g) Anyone seeking readmission after having resiled from
his previous pledges may be awarded a penalty by the five
administering initiation before being readmitted.
h) During the ceremony, one of the five Piare ("five loved
ones"—representing the first five Sikhs), stands and
explains the main rules and obligations of the Khalsa Panth.
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