Khalsa

Glossaries

Term	Definition
Khalsa	The Khalsa is the religious and military brotherhood founded in 1699 by the tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh, to defend the Sikh faith and community. The Khalsa, founded in 1699 by Guru Gobind Singh, is a central religious and military organisation in Sikh history. The term means “pure” in Punjabi and refers to the community of initiated Sikhs bound by a strict code of conduct, including the wearing of the Five Ks. Created to protect the Sikh faith from persecution and to uphold justice, the Khalsa played a key role in resisting Mughal and Afghan powers during the 17th and 18th centuries. Politically, the Khalsa became the collective authority of the Sikhs after the death of Gobind Singh, when spiritual succession was entrusted to the Guru Granth Sahib. Khalsa members organised into military units known as misls, which united to form territorial control in Punjab. This collective governance evolved in the early 19th century into a centralised state under the Sukerchakia dynasty and the Sikh Empire. Today, the Khalsa retains a religious and identity role within Sikhism while remaining a major historical reference.

Term

Definition

The Khalsa is the religious and military brotherhood founded in 1699 by the tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh, to defend the Sikh faith and community.

The Khalsa, founded in 1699 by Guru Gobind Singh, is a central religious and military organisation in Sikh history. The term means “pure” in Punjabi and refers to the community of initiated Sikhs bound by a strict code of conduct, including the wearing of the Five Ks. Created to protect the Sikh faith from persecution and to uphold justice, the Khalsa played a key role in resisting Mughal and Afghan powers during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Politically, the Khalsa became the collective authority of the Sikhs after the death of Gobind Singh, when spiritual succession was entrusted to the Guru Granth Sahib. Khalsa members organised into military units known as misls, which united to form territorial control in Punjab. This collective governance evolved in the early 19th century into a centralised state under the Sukerchakia dynasty and the Sikh Empire. Today, the Khalsa retains a religious and identity role within Sikhism while remaining a major historical reference.