The Birth of Khalsa
By Dilsherjit Singh


What is Vaisakhi? Vaisakhi signifies when the new month of Vasakh rises. Also it signifies when the season of harvesting begins. In the calendars we use Vaisakhi is usually on April 13 or 14. Most importantly Vaisakhi is the birth of Khalsa. In the following paragraphs I will be telling you about, how the Ten Gurus contributed towards Sikhism, the birth of Khalsa, and how we celebrate Vaisakhi.

“Ik Onkar”, Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji said that “God is one”. However, prior to this everyone has their own ways of worshipping. We Sikhs just believe in one God. Our second Guru said “Kirt Kani, Nam Japna and Vand Ke Shakna”. Kirt Karni means don’t lie, cheat, and steal. Work truthfully. Nam Japna means God’s name throughout the day. Vand Ke Shakna means, share and eat. Just like the saying “Sharing is caring”. Our third Guru, made it very important to sit on the floor and eat. “Sangat and Pangat”. This is to show that everyone one is equal, and that there is no superior or inferior. The fourth Guru, assigned Sikhs the duty of preaching Sikhism around the world even in the deepest corners. Our fifth Guru, told Saint Mian Mir to lay the foundation of the Harminder Sahib, located in Amritsar. Our ninth Guru, Shri Tegh Bahadur Ji stood up for the rightsof Hindus and Sikhs. One day someone came and told Guru Ji that Aurungzeb is forcing everyone to convert to Islam. Guru Ji told at the time “If you can convert me to tbecome Islam, everyone will convert and become Islam”. Aurungzeb thought it was a piece of cake, but it wasn’t. Guru Ji said that “We are Sikhs and will never change”. At the end Aurungzeb beheaded Guru Ji.

The birth of Khalsa. On March 30, 1699 Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji called all the followers to Anandpur Sahib. There was a platform and a tent set up. After Asa Ji De Var, Guru Ji came out of the tent holding a Kirpan (sword). He gave a heartfelt speech to gather support. At the end he said “My sword is thirsty for the blood od a Sikh, is there anyone willing to sacrifice himself for me?” No one said anything. He called out 2 more times, finally one person stood up. Bhai Daya Singh Ji. Guru Ji brought him into the tent, as he seated him he chopped Bhai Dhaya Singh Ji’s head of. Everyone was scared because Guru Ji just killed someone. He came out with the bloody sword and called out again. Bhai Dharam Singh Ji stood up and followed Guru Ji. Guru Ji did the same thing. He did the same thing for Bhai Himat Singh Ji, Bhai Mukham Singh, and Bhai Sahib Singh Ji. Guru Ji chopped all their heads of, but with the power of Akal Purkh he put them back together. When they all came out the tent the followers were all shocked, because everyone was okay. Also everyone was wearing a turban and a yellow-orange couloured kurta. Guru Ji called these five men the “Panj Pyare”, the “Beloved Five” in other words. In a big pot there was water and “Pitase”. A sweet parshadh. While praying Guru Ji was stirring this water with a sword. The sword was called “Khanda Sahib”. This water soon became a Holy Water called Amrit. Guru Ji gave this Amrit from the same bowl to the Panj Pyare. This showed that we are all equal. Then Guru Ji begged the Panj Pyare to give Amrit also. After that, Guru Ji gave every male the surname of Singh (lion) and to females the surname Kaur (princess). Guru Ji changed his name from Gobind Rai to Gobind Singh. Even the Panj Pyare changed their names from Chand and Ram to Singh. Guru Ji successfully created the Khalsa Panth. He gave Sikhs the five K’s. “Kesh, Kanga, Kara, Kirpan, Keshera”. This was to be kept by Sikhs at all times. Guru Ji was a poetic writer which he wrote the “Dasam Granth”. This is how Khalsa was born.

We celebrate Vaisakhi in many ways. In India or even here people have parties where they do Giddha and Bhangra. In India the start of the harvest wheat. Her we have people doing Kirtan in Gurughar’s. Me personally, I just like to go to the Gurdwara and listen to the Kirtan and do any type of Sewa.

To conclude, in the generations of the Gurus Sikhism was very strong. People would talk about it. But now when the world is very multicultural no one tries to tell people about Sikhism. So was this just the Guru’s job?

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Vaisakhi
By Srishtie Banga


Vaisakhi is a very important day for all of us. It is on this special day that we celebrate the creation of the Khalsa Panth. The following text will talk about who, when, how, where, and why everything happened.

It was on March 30, 1699 at Anandpur Sahib that Guru Gobind Singh Ji went on a stage and asked a crowd of people for someone to come and sacrifice themselves for him. Many people were surprised. A lot of them left. It was after a while that Bhai Daya Ji stood up and said “I will sacrifice myself for you”. Guru Gobind Singh Ji and Bhai Daya Ji went into the tent. When Guru Gobind Singh Ji came out of the tent, there was blood on his sword. Most of the crowd was terrified. Many people left and many went to Mata Gujri Ji, Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s mother. It was then that Guru Gobind Singh Ji asked for someone else to come and sacrifice for him. Bhai Dharam Ji stood up and went into the tent. After him, there was Bhai Mukham Ji, followed by Bhai Himmat Ji and then Bhai Sahib Ji. At the end, Guru Gobind Singh Ji took more time than usual. After some time, he came out of the tent very happy and joyful. He was followed by those same five people that were clean and well dressed. Guru Gobind Singh Ji then said that these are my five beloveds, my “Panj Pyarey”. He said that the philosophy “Sikhism” that Guru Nanak Dev Ji created will now be a religion. We will now not be Muslims or Hundus, we will be Sikhs. That was the creation of the Khalsa Panth. Guru Gobind Singh Ji had done so to give a new identity to people. At that time, there were fights between Muslims and Hindus, between different casts within the Hindus, etc. The world in India was a big mess. He wanted to have something different and distinct.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji baptized his Panj Pyarey. In other words, he gave them “amrit”, holy water and the five Ks, “kesh”, unshorn hair, “kanga”, comb, “kara”, bangle, “kirpan”, sword, and “kachera”, long under-shorts. He then asked his Panj Pyarey to baptize him likewise. His purpose of all that was to show that no one is superior or inferior, “if I am your Guru, you are my disciple but you are also my Guru and I am also your disciple”. In other words, the reason behind the first Vaisakhi gathering was the creation of the Khalsa Panth. It also showed that a new identity has been created and that no one is different, superior, or inferior. Basically, there is no such thing as casts. The important symbols out of this event were peace, equality, love, friendship, goodness, etc. I think that an important tradition of Vaisakhi would be to be together with your loved ones and help those in need.

I think that the significance of Vaisakhi today is where we come from, it is our creation, the creation of the Khalsa Panth. The importance of Vaisakhi in my life is that it is a very important day that shows that every being on this earth, it be a human, an animal, an insect, it has the same importance as you. No one is superior or inferior or different.

This day is the creation of the Khalsa Panth, henceforth, Vaisakhi.

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The importance of Vaisakhi
By Kirandeep Singh


One of the most important, symbolic and meaningful festival or religious holiday for the Sikhs would be Vaisakhi. What is the significance of Vaisakhi to a Sikh? Another day for a party with your community? No. Upon that day, you should become one with God. And take Amrit.

“Na koi Hindu, na koi Musulman”, thus it all began. One day, upon coming out of the Ganga river, Guru Nanak Dev brought equality by ending the cast system in 1499. From that equality were brought two things into the house of the Guru: Sangat and Pangat. Sangat meant equality when chanting the name of God. Whether is was Allah, Ram, or Gobind did not matter. Pangat meant equality while eating the Guru’s langar. The rich and the poor were to sit together with no anger or remorse about the social classes. From this evenness brought by Guru Nanak Dev ended a lot of social wars and discrimination.

The years kept passing, Guru Nanak’s successors kept spreading the equality, around until came Guru Gobind. He made more drastic changes. At the fort in Anandpur, on the day of March 30th, 1699, Guru Gobind summoned all the Sikhs for Vaisakhi. There, he drew out his sword and demanded for a Sikh who would give away his head for him. The crowd was confused. Upon Guru Gobind’s third request, Daya Ram came forward and the Guru took him inside a tent where he cut off a goat’s head. He came back with a bloody sword and demanded for another Sikh’s head. Dharm Das, Mukham Chand, Himmat Rai, and Sahib Chand came forward and went into the tent for the same ritual. Guru Gobind came out with the five Sikhs, who gave up their heads for the Guru, and named them his “Panch Pyares”. They took Amrit from the Guru and got baptized, thus started the started the Khalsa Panth, a group of devotees to the Guru and his teachings. Guru Gobind begged his five beloved ones to baptize him the same way and initiate him to the Khalsa Panth. He promised to sacrifice his family for them as they sacrificed their heads for him. Seeing that five ordinary people could give up their lives for the Guru, more and more people started to get baptized and become a part of the Khalsa Panth. They were to be baptized in sweetened water and wear the five “kakars”: kesh, karra, kachaa, kanga, kirpan.

In 1701, the Khalsa Panth grew exceptionally large and the emperors of that time decided to attack them at the fort in Anandpur before they grew larger. Surrounded with little resources and rations, the Sikhs begged Guru Gobind to leave and pursue his mission of spreading the Khalsa Panth. After leaving, Guru Gobind ended the tradition of appointing a corporal form of the Sikh philosophy and belief. He told the Sikhs to follow the Granth Sahib for spiritual guidance and to consult the Panchayat, the wise ones, for daily problems.

From all this, we see that on the day of Vaisakhi, March 30th 1699, Guru Gobind wanted the Sikhs to get baptized and become part of the Khalsa Panth. In our days, people don’t tend to get baptized, because they are in a way embarrassed or don’t feel comfortable wearing the five symbols after being part of the Khalsa Panth. Today, we just try to be as religious as possible and remember the day that the “Panch Pyares” gave up their heads for the Guru. We should all get baptized and become part of the Khalsa Panth.