At 1699, Guru Gobind Singh, the last Guru, called all the Sikhs to the town of Amrandur. He stood up and addressed the crowd saying, "Who here will die for their faith?" He held up his sword, which glimmered in the bright sun. He repeated his summons again, and then a third time. At last one man stepped forward. "Take me", he said, "I will die for my faith" So the Guru walked into his tent, and the crowd heard a thump. The Guru came out with his sword dripping blood. "Who else will die for their faith?", he said. Another man stepped forward. Again the Guru went into his tent, and again he came out with his sword bloodier. He did this three more times, but on the fifth time, when he stepped out of the tent, he had all five men with him. The crowd gasped in awe. He stood up and spoke. " These five were willing to die for their faith, so they will be known as the Five Beloved Ones. They will be the first members of the Khalsa, our holy order. All may join, as long as they are willing to defend their faith, by sword if needs be.

And that is how the Khalsa, the Sikh order dedicated to defending and spreading their faith, came about.

Guru Gobind Singh with the Five Beloved Ones.

Some modern Khalsa members, outside their college in the Punjab.

 To be initiated into the Khalsa, you must follow this ceremony, known as the khande di pahul which means 'tempered with steel'. This ceremony is performed by the Panj Piare who represents the original five members of the Khalsa. The Khalsa are required to keep the 'five k's'- kesh-uncut hair, kacha- short underwear, kirpan- steel ceremonial dagger, kara-iron bangle, and kanga-comb. All newly baptised Khalsa members, if they are men, are renamed with the surname  Singh, and if they are women, are renamed with surname Kaur.

The ceremonial dagger, or kirpan.