Codex of FaithsAn illustrated atlas of belief

Sacred objects

Khanda

The Khanda, the emblem of the Sikh faith and of the Khalsa: its double-edged sword, ring and two curved swords, what they stand for and where you see the emblem today.

Also called Sikh emblem

In brief

  1. I.The Khanda is the emblem of Sikhism.
  2. II.At its centre is a double-edged sword, also called a khanda, which stands for divine knowledge and truth.
  3. III.Around it is a ring, the chakkar, a sign of the oneness and eternity of God.
  4. IV.Two curved swords on either side stand for spiritual and worldly authority.

Chapter I

What it means

The Khanda brings together three weapons in one sign. The central double-edged sword stands for knowledge of God, which cuts through falsehood and separates truth from lies. The circle around it, the chakkar, has no beginning or end, like God.

The two curved swords, kirpans, are called miri and piri: worldly power and spiritual power. They recall Guru Hargobind, the sixth Guru, who wore two swords to show that Sikhs must hold both together, serving God while defending justice in the world.

Chapter II

Where it comes from

The double-edged khanda is the sword used by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 to prepare the amrit Sweetened water stirred with a double-edged sword, used in the Khalsa initiation. Glossary with which he created the Khalsa, the order of initiated Sikhs. The combined emblem in its present form became standard in the early 20th century, and it is now used on the Nishan Sahib and by Sikh institutions everywhere.

Chapter III

Where you see it today

The Khanda flies on the flag outside every gurdwara, appears on Sikh turbans, buildings and car stickers, and is worn as a pendant. It is the most recognised Sikh symbol around the world.

Questions people ask

What is the Nishan Sahib?

The saffron or blue triangular flag, bearing the Khanda, that flies on a tall pole outside every gurdwara so it can be seen from afar.

Is the khanda sword used in ritual?

Yes. In the Khalsa initiation, amrit, sweetened water, is stirred in an iron bowl with a double-edged khanda while prayers are recited.

Sources and further reading

  1. Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Khalsa”
  2. Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Amrit pahul”
  3. W. Owen Cole and Piara Singh Sambhi, The Sikhs: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices (Sussex Academic Press, 2nd ed. 1995)
  4. Arvind-Pal Singh Mandair, Sikhism: A Guide for the Perplexed (Bloomsbury, 2013)
  5. Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Religious symbolism and iconography”

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