Kara (Sikhism)

A kara (Punjabi: ਕੜਾ (Gurmukhi), کڑا (Shahmukhi) कड़ा (Devanagari)) is a steel or cast iron bangle worn by Sikhs. It is not necessary expected to be worn by all Sikhs however it’s preferred and shows your devotion to Sikhism.The religion rather preaches the message of treating everyone equally, and having a remembrance of god at all times. It is one of the five Ks; that identify a Sikh as dedicated to the religious order of Sikhism.^[1]

History

The kara was instituted by the tenth Sikh guru Gobind Singh at the Baisakhi Amrit Sanchar in 1699. Guru Gobind Singh explained:

He does not recognize anyone else except me, not even the bestowal of charities, the performance of merciful acts, austerities, and restraint on pilgrim-stations; the perfect light of the Lord illuminates his heart, then consider him as the immaculate Khalsa.
— Guru Gobind Singh^[2]

Meaning and usage

Theology

The Kara is a symbol of unbreakable attachment and commitment to God. As the Sikhs' holy text the Guru Granth Sahib says "In the tenth month, you were made into a human being, O my merchant friend, and you were given your allotted time to perform good deeds."^[3] Similarly, Bhagat Kabir reminds the Sikh to always keep one's consciousness with God: "With your hands and feet, do all your work, but let your consciousness remain with the Immaculate Lord."^[4] The kara is also worn by many Sikhs and other non-Sikh Indian families across the states in the North, North-West and West of India (such as Gujarat, Rajasthan, and even Maharashtra) by Hindus;^[5] moreover, the use of the kara by non-Sikhs is encouraged as it represents the "totality of God".^[6]

The basic kara is a simple unadorned iron bracelet, but other forms exist. The Kara is one of the most basic symbols of the Sikh faith. All Sikhs are expected to wear the Kara as all are expected to not cut their hair (a second very critical element of the identity of the Sikh). Both of these fall in the realm of the 5 articles worn by Sikhs as a part of their uniform.

Combat

It was also historically used like a knuckle-duster for hand-to-hand combat. Battlefield variations include kara with spikes or sharp edges. Sikh soldiers serving for the British army in India would settle disputes by competing in a form of boxing known as loh-muthi (lit. iron fist) with a kara on one hand.^{[citation needed]}

Controversies

In November 2007, a 14 year old Sikh girl, Sarika Singh was excluded from Aberdare Girls' School in South Wales for wearing a Kara as the "school has banned students from wearing any jewellery other than plain ear studs and wrist watches".^[7] In July 2008, Judge Stephen Silber of the High Court of England and Wales said that "the bangle - known as the kara - was a symbol of her Sikh faith and not a piece of jewellery". He further said that "the school is guilty of indirect discrimination under race relations and equality laws" and Singh was allowed to return to school wearing her Kara in September 2008.^[8] In 2017, 8 year old Kaiden Singh was banned from wearing a kara to school in Tipton, England.^[9]

References

^ "BBC - Religions - Sikhism: The Five Ks". BBC.co.uk. BBC Online. 29 September 2009. Archived from the original on 16 January 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
^ Guru Gobind Singh. Dasam Granth. p. 1350.
^ Guru Granth Sahib. p. 76.
^ Kabir. Guru Granth Sahib. p. 1376.
^ Dhooleka Sarhadi Raj (25 August 2003). Where are you from?: middle-class migrants in the modern world. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520928671. Archived from the original on 19 February 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2011. Individual Sikhs and Hindus share symbols and practices of body inscription (such as wearing a kara and women keeping their hair long).
^ "FAQ". Sikh Karas. Archived from the original on 23 January 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2011. Is it okay for Non-Sikhs to wear a Sikh Kara? Yes, definitely it is. The Kara is a universal symbol of the totality of God; free for everybody to use. Any Sikh who will see the Sikh Kara on you will be happy and proud that you choose to wear it.
^ https://amp.theguardian.com/education/2008/jan/23/schools.uk1
^ https://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jul/29look1.htm
^ https://www.ndtv.com/indians-abroad/british-sikh-boy-banned-from-wearing-kara-to-school-1757734/amp/1

[1] "BBC - Religions - Sikhism: The Five Ks". BBC.co.uk. BBC Online. 29 September 2009. Archived from the original on 16 January 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2024.

[2] Guru Gobind Singh. Dasam Granth. p. 1350.

[3] Guru Granth Sahib. p. 76.

[4] Kabir. Guru Granth Sahib. p. 1376.

[Punjabis-5] Dhooleka Sarhadi Raj (25 August 2003). Where are you from?: middle-class migrants in the modern world. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520928671. Archived from the original on 19 February 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2011. Individual Sikhs and Hindus share symbols and practices of body inscription (such as wearing a kara and women keeping their hair long).

[Promotion-6] "FAQ". Sikh Karas. Archived from the original on 23 January 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2011. Is it okay for Non-Sikhs to wear a Sikh Kara? Yes, definitely it is. The Kara is a universal symbol of the totality of God; free for everybody to use. Any Sikh who will see the Sikh Kara on you will be happy and proud that you choose to wear it.

[7] ttps://amp.theguardian.com/education/2008/jan/23/schools.uk1

[8] ttps://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jul/29look1.htm

[9] ttps://www.ndtv.com/indians-abroad/british-sikh-boy-banned-from-wearing-kara-to-school-1757734/amp/1

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