Creation Of The Khalsa - 300 Years - Bradford, UK
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dtrebilc
N 53° 47.632 W 001° 44.600
30U E 582777 N 5961319
This plaque on the side of a Sikh temple, erected in 1999, commemorates the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa, the army of all initiated Sikhs represented by the five beloved-ones.
Waymark Code: WMTQ2W
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 12/27/2016
Views: 1
A Blue Plaque at the front of the building informs us that the building was erected in 1873 as a Baptist Chapel. It became a Historic England Grade II listed building in 1974 and its listing states that at that time it was an Italian club.
At some point later it became a Gudwara Sikh Temple and remains so today.
"The Khalsa is the army of all initiated Sikhs represented by the five beloved-ones and can be called the Guru Panth, the embodiment of the Guru and the final temporal Guru/leader of the Sikhs. The word Khalsa translates to "Sovereign/Free". Another interpretation is that of being "Pure/Genuine." The Khalsa was inaugurated on 30 March 1699, by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru. From then on the temporal leadership of the Sikhs was passed on to the Khalsa with the bestowed title of "Guru Panth" and spiritual leadership was passed on to the Guru Granth Sahib with the Khalsa being responsible for all executive, military and civil authority in the Sikh society. The Khalsa is also called the nation of the Sikhs.
The Sikhs of the Khalsa can be identified with the given Five Ks and titles of Singh and Kaur, granted after the disciple has been baptized into the order of the Khalsa. The tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh at an event that coincided with the Vaisakhi day (of the new lunar month Baisakh Samvat 1756) created the Khalsa in the year 1699 A.D at Kesgarh, in Anandpur Sahib ordained that every Sikh becomes Amritdhari "[Having taken Amrit]" and follow the Five Ks; which are not merely symbols but display commitment to the philosophy of Guru Nanak Dev like a uniform of an organization.
A Sikh male at being initiated into the Khalsa is titled Singh meaning "Lion" and a female is entitled Kaur meaning "Princess". From then on they are commonly referred to as Amritdhari (having taken Amrit).
The Khalsa is considered the pinnacle of Sikhism. The Khalsa is expected to perform no ritual and to believe in no superstition of any kind but only believe in one God who is the Master and the Protector of all, the only Creator and Destroyer."
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The plaque on the side of the building is in both arabic and English. The English text is as follows.
EK-ONKAR-SATGUR PARSAD
THIS MEMORIAL STONE WAS LAID ON BEHALF OF THE SIKH DEVOTEES OF BRADFORD TO MARK THE THREE HUNDREDTH ( 300 ) YEAR OF THE CREATION OF THE KHALSA, AT THIS HOLY GURDWARA AMRIT PARCHAR DHARMIK DIWAN UNDER THE AUSPICIOUS PATRONAGE OF HIS HOLINESS 108 SAINT GIAN SINGH JI MAHARAJ, NIRMAL KUTIA, JOHALAN, JALLANDHAR, PUNJAB (ECCLESIASTIC ORDER OF HIS HOLINESS 108 SAINT KARAM SINGH HOTI MARDAN) ON 14 APRIL 1999. ON THIS OCCASION A SERIES OF SRI AKHAND PATHS (CONTINUOUS READING OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB) TOOK PLACE FOLLOWED BY A HOLY PROCESSION THROUGH THE CITY.