A Faqir, 1868. A disciple of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
A Faqir, 1868. A disciple of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. |
Glossary of Sikh terms |
| Ik onkar | There is One God, benedictory formula from Guru Granth Sahib Ji. | ||||||||
| Ishwar | Name of God, also used in hinduism. | ||||||||
| Janam Sakhi | Hagiographic narrative of the life of the Gurus. | ||||||||
| Jatha | Military detachment, touring party. | ||||||||
| Jathedar | Commander, normally of a Jatha | ||||||||
| Jura | Tying of long hair into a knot on ones head, over which a turban is tied. | ||||||||
| Kachh | Pair of breeches worn as part of the five K's. | ||||||||
| Kangha | Wooden comb, worn as part of the five K's. | ||||||||
| Kanphat yogi | 'Split ear' yogi, follower of Gorakhnath and adherent of the Nath tradition. | ||||||||
| Kara | Steel wrist ring, worn as part of the five K's. | ||||||||
| Karah parshad | Sacremental pudding prepared in a large iron dish. | ||||||||
| Karam | The destiny, fate of an individual, generated in accordance with the deeds performed in his/her present and past existances. | ||||||||
| Kar-seva | Volentary service, normally with the cleaning of the pool surrounding Harmindar Sahib. | ||||||||
| Kes | Uncut hair, worn as part of the five K's. | ||||||||
| Kes-dhari | A Sikh who retains his kes. | ||||||||
| Keski | small turban, worn by men and women. | ||||||||
| Khalistan | 'Land of the pure', the name adopted by proponents of an independent homeland for the Sikhs. | ||||||||
| Khalsa | The religious order established by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. | ||||||||
| Khanda | Double edged sword. Khalsa symbol comprising a vertical double edged sword over a quoit with two crossed kirpans. | ||||||||
| Khande da pahul | 'Initiation with the two-edged sword', the Khalsa initiation ceremony. | ||||||||
| Khatri | A mercantile caste of the Punjab. | ||||||||
| Kirpan | Sword, worn as part of the five K's. | ||||||||
| Kurahit | One of the four cardinal infringements of the Rahit. These being, Cutting ones hair, consuming meat, extra-marital intercourse and smoking. | ||||||||
| Langar | The kitchen attached to every Gurdwara from which food is served to all regardless of creed or caste. | ||||||||
| Lavan | Circumambulating the Guru Granth Sahib Ji as part of the wedding of Anand Karaj ceremony. | ||||||||
| Mahant | Head of a religious establishment, the propreitor of a historic Gurdwara until disestablishment in 1925 | ||||||||
| Man | The complex of heart, mind and spirit. | ||||||||
| Manji | Preaching office of the early Panth. | ||||||||
| Mantra | A verse, phrase or syllable of particular religious import. | ||||||||
| Masand | Administrative
deputy acting for the Guru. Inaugurated by Guru Ram Das Ji, they faithfully
served for some time, but later became corruptand were disestablished
by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. |
||||||||
| Miri - Piri | Doctrine
that the Guru possesses temporal (miri) and spiritual (piri) authority.
Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji brought miri and piri together when he wore two
swords.Guru Ji is sometimes refred to as 'Miri piri dha malik' - the Lord
of Miri Piri. |
||||||||
| Misl | A military cohort of the the mis-eighteenth century Khalsa. | ||||||||
| Moksha | Spiritual liberation, liberation from transmigration. | ||||||||
|