Amritdhari Sikhs and Sahajdhari Sikhs
Amritdhari Sikhs
A Sikh who has been initiated into the Khalsa. are individuals who have gone through the The rite of initiation into the Khalsa (Sikhs who commit themselves to a daily discipline). initiation ceremony. These Sikhs belong to the The Sikh community, literally 'the community of the pure'. Refers particularly to initiated Sikhs..
Amritdhari Sikhs must follow the rules of the Alternate spelling: Rehat Maryada. The Sikh Code of Conduct., which is the Sikh code of conduct. These include:
- They must wear the Five articles which identify a Sikh who has been initiated into the Khalsa., which are the Uncut hair. Initiated Sikhs are forbidden to shorten, shave or remove their hair in any other way., the A wooden comb worn in the hair, which is one of the Five Ks., the Steel band worn on the right wrist. One of the Five Ks., the Baggy cotton shorts worn by initiated Sikhs; one of the Five Ks. and the Sword. One of the five Ks.. In addition to not cutting their hair, they must always keep it clean and some wear a turban.
- They must pay The Sikh practice in the giving of money (a tenth of one's income) in the name of the Guru to help those who are poorer / less well off..
- They must not eat meat that has been ritually slaughtered (such as halal meat). However, most Amritdhari Sikhs are vegetarian.
- They must not drink alcohol or gamble.
- They must not arrange marriages for their children for financial gain.
The Five Ks
Sahajdhari Sikhs
Sikhs who have not gone through the Amrit Sanskar initiation ceremony are known as A member of the Sikh community who has not taken part and been baptised in the Amrit Sanskar ceremony.. These Sikhs believe in the The spiritual teachers in Sikhism, from Guru Nanak (1469–1539) to Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708). and worship the The Guru Granth Sahib is the most important Sikh holy book. It is a collection of songs, prayers and hymns from the Sikh Gurus and other holy men, as well as teachings from other faiths. It is treated as a living Guru. but have not been initiated into the Khalsa. These Sikhs are just as much a part of the Congregation in a Sikh gurdwara. as Amritdhari Sikhs. Anybody who is part of a Sikh family can be part of the sangat.
Amrit Sanskar
The Amrit Sanskar ceremony is an important event in a Sikh’s life. It shows that a Sikh has decided to show commitment to the Khalsa.
Some of the key features of the Amrit Sanskar ceremony are:
- The person who is being initiated into the Khalsa wears the five Ks.
- At least six Amritdhari Sikhs (Sikhs who have already been initiated) are present at the ceremony.
- A Reader of the Guru Granth Sahib, who officiates at ceremonies. This can be a man or a woman. reads from the Guru Granth Sahib.
- The The five beloved ones. Those first initiated into the Khalsa; those who perform the rite today. – the group of Sikhs who perform the Amrit Sanskar ceremony – then sit around the cauldron and stir the Nectar. Sanctified (holy) liquid made of sugar and water, used in initiation ceremonies. mixture with a Symbolises the Sikh faith: it shows a double-edged sword, a chakram and two single-edged swords. .
- The person who is being initiated is given the name Lion. Name adopted by Sikh males., meaning ‘lion’, if they are male and Princess. Second name given to Sikh females., meaning ‘princess’, if they are female.
- The congregation then share Sanctified food ( a sweet pudding made from wheat flour, sugar, clarified butter and water) distributed at Sikh ceremonies..