Vaisakhi is one of the holiest days in Sikhism, commemorating Khalsa,
i.e. the establishment of the religion in 1699; as such it also marks
the Sikh New Year.
Guru
Gobind Singh, the Tenth Guru of the Sikhs founded the Khalsa (Community
of the Pure) at the Vaisakhi gathering in 1699, at Keshgarh Sahib near
Anandpur . Guru Gobind Singh, had arranged for followers from all over
India to meet him at the Vasakhi Fair in Anandpur.
The Guru asked for a man to step forward who was willing to die for his
religion. The crowd thought he was crazy but one man came forward, he
entered the Guru's tent, then the Guru came out of the tent - his sword
stained with blood. One by one the guru chose four more men to come
forward, and one by after another they entered and the Guru emerged
alone with his blood stained sword. The crowd was nervous, and
mysteriously there was no screaming at all. The five men then emerged
from the tent, dressed in robes like the Guru. None of them had been
harmed after all!
The Guru put water in a bowl for sprinkling over the five in a simple
initiation ceremony. He said prayers as he stirred the water with a
short steel sword; symbolising the need for strength. The Guru's wife,
Mata Sundri, then came forward and placed some sugar crystals into the
holy water or amrit as a reminder that strength must always be balanced
by sweetness of temperament. After completing his prayers, the Guru
then sprinkled the amrit over the five.
He declared them to be the first members of a new community of equals,
to be called the Khalsa, meaning "pure". These "saint soldiers" were to
dedicate their lives to the service of others and the pursuit of
justice for people of all faiths. The Panj Pyare were asked to wear
five distinctive symbols of their new identity, The Five Ks .
In a move to end social divisions the Panj Pyare's surnames were
removed by the Guru, mainly because surnames were associated with one's
caste - the Guru then gave them (and all Sikh men) the name Singh , meaning "lion", a reminder of the need for courage. At the same time, the Guru gave all Sikh women the name or title Kaur ,
meaning "princess", to emphasize dignity and complete equality. The
Guru then knelt before the five and asked them to initiate him. Hence,
the Khalsa became a community in which master and disciple were equal.
For Sikhs, this seasonal festival also has great importance as the
founding of the Akal Khalsa (Soldiers of the Timeless One) at Anandpur
Sahib. The Akal Khalsa played an important role in resistance against
Mughal rule . For many centuries after that, the first male child of
many Hindu families in Punjab was ordained as a Sikh in order for him
to train and become a warrior and fight for the people. Other male
children used to take care of the family, parents and the land.
