Sikh - Five Ks

Five Ks

The Five Ks, or panj kakaar/kakke, are five articles of faith that all baptized Sikhs (also called Khalsa Sikhs) are typically obliged to wear at all times, as commanded by the tenth Sikh Guru, who so ordered on the day of Baisakhi Amrit Sanskar in 1699. The symbols are worn for identification and representation of the ideals of Sikhism, such as honesty, equality, fidelity, militarism, meditating on God, and never bowing to tyranny.

The five symbols are:

• Kesh (uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in the Sikh Turban, Dastar)
• Kanga (a wooden comb, usually worn under the Dastar)
• Katchera (A pair of Shorts used for increased mobiliy in the ancient battle field when compared to the traditional thoti dress of the time. They are specially made shorts which in modern times also serve as a reminder of the commitment to purity)
• Kara (a heavy iron bracelet, which functions are a warriors tool, as a defensive and offensive weapon. Which is worn symbolically in modern times as is a symbol of eternity)
• Kirpan (a curved sword, which comes in different sizes; for example in the UK Sikhs would wear a small sharp dagger, whereas in the Punjab Sikhs would wear the traditional curved sword, from one to three feet in length).