Kesh (Sikhism)

In Sikhism, Kesh (sometimes Kes) is the practice of allowing one's hair to grow naturally as a symbol of respect for the perfection of God's creation. The practice is one of the Five Ks, the outward symbols ordered by Guru Gobind Singh in the late 17th century as a means to profess the Sikh faith. Unlike other religions that require long hair, cleanliness and maintenance is of absolute importance to Kesh. The hair is combed twice daily with a Kanga, another of the Five Ks, and tied into a simple knot known as a Joora, or Rishi knot. This knot of hair is usually held in place with the Kanga and covered by a turban.

Kesh is considered the most important of the Five Ks. At the Amrit Sanchar in 1699, Guru Gobind Singh explained the reason for this :

My Sikh shall not use the razor. For him the use of razor or shaving the chin shall be as sinful as incest. . . For the Khalsa such a symbol is prescribed so that a Sikh cannot remain undistinguishable from among a hundred thousand Hindus or Muslims; because how can he hide himself with hair and turban on his head and with a flowing beard?

So important is Kesh that during the persecution of Sikhs under the Mughal Empire, followers were willing to face death rather than shave or cut their hair to disguise themselves or appease the Khan. Bhai Taru Singh was executed for refusing to cut his hair as an offering to Zakaria Khan, the governor of Punjab, in 1745. He became a martyr and a symbol of the importance of Kesh.