Kara ਕੜਾ

What is the Kara?

The Kara is an iron or steel band worn around a Sikh’s predominant wrist (e.g. left wrist if left-handed, right wrist if right-handed).

What does the Kara represent?

The Kara represents an unbreakable attachment and commitment to the universal one force that Sikhs call Vaheguru / Waheguru. The Kara is a reminder of the circle of life, what we sow, we shall reap. The Kara also reminds Sikhs of the three central pillars of the Sikh faith that includes earning your living through hard work and honesty (Kirat Karo).

From a western onlooker’s perspective, the Kara may be considered to just be a bangle, a bracelet or an item of jewellery or fashion accessory. However for a Sikh, the Kara is none of these things and to call it a piece of fashion is offensive for most Sikhs. For practising Sikhs the Kara is a mandatory article of faith. For an Amritdhari Sikh, the keeping of a Kara at all times is a must and to part with it is considered a lapse in religious practice.

How are Karas worn?

Karas are generally fairly hard inflexible metal objects. Sikh children are given Karas whenever they are able to accomdate one being on their wrist at all times. As a Sikh child grows, a larger Kara replaces the smaller Kara. Depending on a child’s growth and when they last replaced their Kara, some can easily slip on and off the wearer’s arm while others may be difficult or impossible to remove easily off the arm without some intervention (e.g. cutting the Kara off the arm).

Who wears a Kara?

All Sikhs (practising or non-practising) tend to wear a Kara. It is one of the key defining items that can help identify a Sikh in the modern world.

Sikhs and their practices

Sikhs can be broadly broken up in to the following groups:

All Sikhs generally wear a Kara.

Practising Sikhs may carry/wear some of the 5 Ks (e.g. Kara and Kes but not the Kirpan)

Only Amritdhari (initiated) Sikhs carry/wear all of the 5 Ks including the Kirpan

While not all Sikhs are initiated, the 5 Ks are deeply respected by all Sikhs whether Amritdhari (initiated) or practicing.

Note:

  • The categories of Sikhs outlined in the diagram do not bear any resemblance of a Sikh’s spiritual journey.

  • These categories are only being used for the purposes of providing an explanation of Sikh practices to a non-Sikh audience. Sikhs tend not to utilise these categories on the basis that they infer discrimination, which Sikhs oppose strongly in any shape or form.

Images of some Karas worn in Australia

There are no standard Kara. Karas come in a variety of different sizes and materials. Most Karas are made of iron or steel however some Sikhs may have a Kara made out of an alternative metal (e.g. gold, silver or copper). Karas are usually plain metal however some may also contain an inscription of Gurbani (divine scripture) within the Kara. Each Sikh chooses their Kara according to their own belief. The images below are provided to assist you in gaining a better understanding of what some common Karas look like.

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The 5 Ks

Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Guru of the Sikhs gave his Sikhs a unique physical identity. An important part of this physical identity was that all Amritdhari (initiated) Sikhs were to maintain the Panj Kakaar or the ‘5 Ks’ on their body at all times.

All Amritdhari Sikhs are mandated to wear the five articles of faith which are:

  1. Kes (unshorn hair on whole body with the long hair on the head usually covered by a turban or headscarf)

  2. Kangha (wooden comb)

  3. Kara (iron/steel band worn around predominant wrist)

  4. Kachhehra (prescribed undershorts)

  5. Kirpan (small sheathed curved blade shaped object with handle)

For Sikhs these religious articles have deep spiritual and practical significance. The 5 Ks are not symbols. They are mandatory articles of faith to be worn at all times.

5 K’s graphic depiction above taken from publication ‘Sikhi - Faith and Followers’ by the Sikh Research Institute