THE EVOLUTION of the “FIVE Ks” WITHIN SIKH TEXTS
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Department of Theology and Religion The University of Birmingham January 2015 THE EVOLUTION OF THE “FIVE Ks” WITHIN SIKH TEXTS By Parminder Singh Kairo A thesis submitted to the University of Birmingham for the degree of Masters by Research 1 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. Contents Abstract......................................................................................................................4 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................5 Chapter 1: Introduction ...............................................................................................7 1.1: Historical background to the emergence of Sikhs within Punjab ........................ 10 1.2: The Creation of the Khālsā Panth within Sikh History. ....................................... 11 1.3: The Transmission of the Five Ks within the Sikh diaspora. ................................ 18 1.4: Literature Review: Primary sources on the historical origins of the Five Ks ....... 23 1.5: Secondary sources on the historical origins of the Five Ks. ............................... 35 1.6: Methodology: Critical Historiography and the origins of the Five ....................... 42 1.7: Methodological Problems: Translating across Culture and Language ............... 45 1.8: Structure of Thesis. ........................................................................................... 47 Chapter 2: Eighteenth Century Rahit-nāmā Literature: The Early Formulation of Khālsā Identity and the Five Ks. .......................................................................................................49 2.1: The Eighteenth Century Rahit-nāmā Literature. ................................................ 49 2.2: The Creation of the Khālsā Panth within Eighteenth Century Rahit-nama literature 51 2.3: Hindu and Muslim influences in the creation of Khālsā Panth............................ 53 2.4: Factionalism within the Eighteenth Century Sikh Panth. .................................... 56 2.5: The early formulation of the 'Five Ks' within the eighteenth century Rahit-nāmā literature. ................................................................................................................................60 2.6: Summary...........................................................................................................64 Chapter 3: Nineteenth Century Literature on the Sikhs: The European Interpretation of Khālsā Sikhs within Modernity ............................................................................................ 66 3.1: The Politics Interpreting across languages ........................................................ 67 3.2: Eighteenth Century European writings on the Sikhs. ......................................... 68 3.3: Nineteenth Century European writings on the Sikhs. ......................................... 70 3.4: General J. H. Gordon (1832-1908) - The British Army and Khālsā Identity ........ 73 3.5: The Formulation of the Five Ks within the works of Ernest Trumpp (1828-1885) and Max Arthur Macauliffe (1841-1913). ................................................................................. 76 3.6: Summary ..........................................................................................................81 Chapter 4: Self Representation of the Colonised: The Reconfiguration of 'Khālsā Identity' within the Singh Sabha .....................................................................................................82 4.1: The British Colonisation of Punjab (1849-1947). ............................................... 83 2 4.2: The Singh Sabha reform movement (1873-1920). ............................................. 85 4.3: Bhai Vir Singh (1872-1957) and the re-configuration of the Khālsā Sikh ........... 88 4.4: Kahan Singh Nabhā (1861-1938): The proclamation of Sikh identity in 'Ham Hindu Nahin'. ................................................................................................................................9 1 4.5: The Singh Sabha formulation of the ‘Five Ks’. ................................................... 93 4.6: Legally inscribing Sikh identity: the 1950 Sikh Rahit-Marayada. 98 4.7: Summary......................................................................................................... 106 Chapter 5: Conclusion ............................................................................................ 108 References ............................................................................................................ 112 3 Abstract The Sikhs belong to a heterogeneous community that incorporates diverse identities and religious practises. However, the identity based on the Khālsā Sikh that emerged at the end of the seventeenth century in Punjab is today represented as the ‘ideal’ Sikh form. The Khālsā Sikh identity requires the maintenance of distinct external symbols (known as the panj kakārs or Five Ks). This study seeks to challenge the established view that the Five Ks were first promulgated by the tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh in 1699. It is argued that the convention of the Five Ks actually developed over three centuries and was finally crystallised during the nineteenth century Singh Sabha reform movement. To argue this, the research employs critical historiography to deconstruct texts and examine the cultural conditions that influenced the formulation of the Five Ks. Overall, this research provides valuable insights into the construction of Sikh identity within the Sikh Studies field. 4 Acknowledgements Early research into Sikh identity occurred at a time when it was important for me to understand what it meant to be ‘Sikh’. During this time discussions with close friends, Manpreet Harrar, Jagjit Nijjar and Gurpreet Dhillon helped me to understand and appreciate aspects of my Sikh culture and identity. In 1998, as a Sociology undergraduate I was fortunate to meet Dr. Arvind Mandair - founder of the Sikh and Punjab Studies programme at the University of Coventry. The first Sikh Studies conference at the University of Coventry opened my eyes to the possibility of researching Sikh Identity at a postgraduate level. Dr. Arvind Mandair supervised my undergraduate dissertation on cultural identity which was awarded the Rosie Gandolfi Memorial Prize. He actively encouraged me to further read and develop my own critical thinking. Through my association with Dr. Arvind Mandair, I was introduced to Dr. Balbinder Bhogal who is currently Associate Professor in Religion at Hofstra University, New York. Dr. Balbinder Bhogal has since provided support and pearls of wisdom during some difficult times for which I am eternally grateful. Today, they both continue to be inspirational role models in the field of Sikh Studies. In 2001, during my MA in Philosophy and Social Theory at the University of Warwick, Dr. Roger Trigg also encouraged me to develop my own critical thinking towards the study of religion. After successfully completing the course I decided to pursue a postgraduate degree at the University of Birmingham. 5 At Birmingham, my supervisor Dr. Jagbir Jhutti-Johal has been instrumental in guiding and developing my thinking as an academic. Her valuable insights and criticisms have been crucial throughout the whole research process. She has also supported me through extremely difficult times and without her support this thesis would never have been possible. I would also like to acknowledge Ruth Harrison and Sue Anderson at Student Support for providing valuable advice. Over the years, my family have observed me becoming more and more obsessed with my academic work. They have always been there for me and encouraged me to achieve all my ambitions and goals in life. I would especially like to thank my patient and dear wife Jyoti who has sacrificed so much for my academic pursuits. She has continued to support me throughout the whole process by giving me the necessary space and time to complete my work. Finally, I have to mention my beautiful three-year-old son Aaron. He has curiously watched his father with his head in books or in front of the laptop. After years of perseverance this thesis is finally complete and I feel liberated. It is to my son Aaron Rishi Kairo that I dedicate this work. I hope he is proud of his father. 6 Chapter 1: Introduction The concept of ‘identity’ is central to this study which explores the formation of Sikh identity and the Five Ks. According to Lacan (1977), the process of identity formation occurs in the unconscious mind that helps us to feel complete, unified and stable. In comparison, materialist perspectives argue that ‘identity’ is formed within socio-economic intersections within society. There are many perspectives on the concept of ‘identity’ but most agree that the formation of identity is an ongoing complex process. Individual subjects and groups learn how to negotiate their identity through various categories such