Amritdhari

A Sikh who has taken part in the Amrit ceremonial or initiation into the Khalsa.

AMRITDHARI consists of two words - "AMRIT" which literally means "nectar"; however commonly it refers to a Sikh who has been initiated or baptised as a Khalsa by taking the "amrit" or "nectar water" and "dhari" mean "practitioner" or "endowed with". So an Amritdhari is one who has received baptismal vows of the Khalsa initiated by Guru Gobind Singh (on 30 March 1699) and he or she abides by these vows and follows the "panj kakari rahit" (rules of the wearing the Five ks), the distinctive insignia introduced by the Guru on that day comprising five symbols each beginning with the Gurmukhi letter "ਕ" (pronounced "kakka") or its Roman equivalent "k". These are kesh (long unshorn hair and in case of men, uncut beard), kangha (a comb to keep the hair tidy), kirpan (a sword), kara ( a steel bracelet worn about the wrist), and kaccha (short breeches worn by soldiers).

References

• 1. Sikh RAHIT MARYADA, AMRITSAR, 1975
• 2. Kapur Singh, Parasaraprasna. Amritsar, 1989
• 3. Sher Singh, Giani, ed.. Thoughts on Forms and Symbols in SIKHISM. LAHORE, 1927
• 4. Uberoi, J.P.S., "The Five Symbols of Sikhism," in Sikhism. PATIALA, 1969
• 5. Nripinder Singh, The Sikh Moral Tradition. Delhi, 1990