Kara (jewellery)

Kara or Kada is a thick metal ring or bracelet usually worn on the hands or wrists of men and women of the Indian sub-continent.It is a religious bracelet which most sikhs wear.[1] Mostly made of silver or gold, the kada has different design styles and is usually used to honor a religious figure.[2] Kara is worn by Sikhs who have been initiated into the Khalsa. It is one of the five kakars or five Ks — external articles of faith — that identify a Sikh as dedicated to their religious order. The kara was instituted by the tenth Sikh guru Gobind Singh at the Baisakhi Amrit Sanchar in 1699. Guru Gobind Singh Ji explained:

He does not recognize anyone else except me, not even the bestowal of charities, 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.

— Siri Guru Gobind Singh Ji[3]

Moreover, kara is also worn by the Shia sect of Islam in commemoration of their fourth Imam, Imam Zain ul abideen who was imprisoned after the tragedy of Karbala along with his family. The Kara is a symbol of unbreakable attachment and commitment to God.[4] 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."[5] 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."[6] The kara is also worn by many ethnic Punjabis and other non-Punjabi Indian families across the states in the North, North-West and West of India (such as Gujarat, Rajasthan, and even Maharashtra) by Hindus, Muslims, and Christians;[7] moreover, the use of the kara by non-Sikhs is encouraged as it represents the "totality of God."[8]

See also

References
  1. "Traditional Jewellery of India". University of Tennessee Chattanooga. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  2. Lodha, Shri Chanchal Mal Sa. History of Oswals. iprakashan. p. 346.
  3. in the Dasam Granth, page 1350
  4. http://www.sikhnet.com/oldsikhnet/SikhEducation/5K's.pdf
  5. Guru Granth Sahib, page 76
  6. ||213|| - Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, page 1376
  7. Dhooleka Sarhadi Raj (25 August 2003). Where are you from?: middle-class migrants in the modern world. University of California Press. 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).
  8. "FAQ". Sikh Karas. 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.


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