Kakar refers to any or all of the five articles of the Sikh faith. Because the name of each one of the five articles begins with the letter (or sound of) K, they are commonly referred to as the five K's of Sikhism:
- Kachhera
- Kanga
- Kara
- Kes
- Kirpan
Kachhera - Kakar - Sikh Undergarment
The kachhera is a modest personal undergarment. The Sikhism dress-code mandates kachhera to be worn by every Sikh. The Kachhera may be worn openly with traditional attire or under modern clothing.
Kachhera are also one of five kakar, the five articles of faith, required to be worn on the body at all times by the Amritdhari, a Sikh who has been initiated into the order of Khalsa in the Amritsanchar ceremony. The kachhera is worn sleeping or awake during every activity by the Amritdhari remaining on at least one leg and removed only after bathing, or swimming. The wet kachhera remains on one ankle or foot while stepping out into into a clean dry kachera with the other foot. The kachhera may be washed by hand and hung to dry, or washed and dried by machine. The Amritdhari ought to have at minimum two kachhera.
The required kachhera:
Kachhera are also one of five kakar, the five articles of faith, required to be worn on the body at all times by the Amritdhari, a Sikh who has been initiated into the order of Khalsa in the Amritsanchar ceremony. The kachhera is worn sleeping or awake during every activity by the Amritdhari remaining on at least one leg and removed only after bathing, or swimming. The wet kachhera remains on one ankle or foot while stepping out into into a clean dry kachera with the other foot. The kachhera may be washed by hand and hung to dry, or washed and dried by machine. The Amritdhari ought to have at minimum two kachhera.
The required kachhera:
- May be from one to three yards in width but is not to fall below the knee to where it touches the shin.
- May be sewn from any fabric but is most commonly white cotton or poly blend.
- Is cut and stitched along the bias to make it stretchy.
- Is tied with the nala, a drawstring fastening.
Kanga - Kakar - Sikh Comb
Kanga is a wooden comb and is one of five kakar, articles of faith, required for the Amritdhari, a Sikh who has been initiated into the order of Khalsa in the Amritsanchar ceremony.
- The kanga is commonly carved from rose wood or sandal wood anywhere between 2-6 inches in size.
- The kanga is worn in the joora, the topknot of unshorn hair of the Amritdhari.
- The kanga is used twice daily to comb and to clean the kes, the hair.
- The kanga is worn in the hair under under turban or keski a kind of under turban, and is kept on the person of the Amritdhari at all times.
Kara - Kakar - Sikh Bangle
The kara is a steel or iron bangle worn on the wrist and is one of five kakar, the articles of faith required to be worn by the Amritdhari Sikh, a Sikh who has been initiated into the order of Khalsa.
- The kara is a bracelet made of pure steel or iron.
- The kara originated as a protective ring to guard the sword arm of the Khalsa warrior. Some Sikhs consider the kara as a reminder having a similar significance to a wedding ring, or a slave bracelet, which serves as an unbreakable bond binding them to the service of the Guru.
- The kara is to be worn on the body by the Amritdhari at all times.
Kes - Kakar - Unshorn Hair
Kes is the Sikh word for hair. Kes refers unshorn hair or unaltered intact hair and includes all hair on the head, face and entire body.
Sikhs honor the intention of the creator by keeping their hair unshorn and unaltered in its natural state. Kes is not to be dishonored in any way. All methods of hair removal, or alteration, are against the tenets of the Sikh faith and considered to be taboo for the kes. Hair is to be kept clean and combed, and kes ought never to be cut, colored, or curled. Shaving, plucking, tweezing, waxing, bleaching, using depilatories, or otherwise altering the hair by any means, dishonors the kes and the inherent intention of the creator.
Kes is essential to Sikhism as belief the guidelines of the gurus teachings and initiation according to tenth Guru Gobind Singh is part of what defines a Sikh. Kes is to be maintained and kept intact from birth throughout the entire life until death. A Sikh who maintains kes, keeping all hair unshorn and intact, is known as a Kesadari (Unaltered hair and beard) or Kesdhari possesor of unaltered hair). Any baptized Sikh who has accepted initiation to become a Khalsa Sikh, or Amritdhari, is required to keep the kes intact or face chastisement.
Sikhs use a wooden comb called a kanga to keep the Kes free from tangles. The Kes is kept up and covered with a length of turban to protect it. Many Sikhs wear a small turban called a keski for this purpose.
Pronunciation: Kes sounds like case.
Also Known As: Kesh
Alternate Spellings: Kesh, Romanized phonetic transliteration - Kaes
Examples:
The gurus' gave examples of how keeping hair intact has the capability of subduing the effects of ego.
Siri Chand, the son of First Guru Nanak, asked Fourth Guru Raam Daas why he kept his long beard intact. The guru replied, "To dust your feet."
His son, Fifth Guru Arjun wrote:
"Gur kae charan kaes sang jhaarae ||1||
The Guru's feet I dust with my hair." ||1|| SGGS||387
"Kaes sang daas pag jhaaro ehai manorath mor||1||
With my hair, I clean the feet of Your slave this is my life objective." ||1||SGGS||500
"Kaesaa kaa kar beejanaa sant chour ddhulaavo ||
Making of my hair a fan, over the Saint I wave it." SGGS||745
Kirpan - Kakar - Sikh Ceremonial Short Sword
A Kirpan is a Sikh ceremonial short sword. The kirpan is one of five kakar, or articles of faith, required to be worn by an initiated Sikh known as Amritdhari, who has been baptised into the order of Khalsa in the ceremony of Amritsanchar.
- The kirpan may be made of either steel or of iron.
- The kirpan has no stipulated length. It is commonly between 3 - 9 inches is curved and has a single cutting edge which may be either blunt or sharpened.
The kirpan is to be worn on the body by the Amritdhari at all times. The kirpan is worn in a sheath hung on a gatra, or strap, and slung over one shoulder. When performing isnaan, bathing, or participating in water sports, the kirpan is commonly secured by the gatra to the turban, or at the waist when an alternate method is required.
The kirpan historically was used for defense in battle and may be used in as a weapon only for self defense or to defend another innocent person from harm. Symbolically the kirpan is a reminder to the spiritual devotee to slay the ego. Ceremonial use of the kirpan involves it's being touched to karah prashad as a blessing during ardas, the Sikh prayer to impart the properties of steadfast strength which occur in steel to the soul.
No comments:
Post a Comment