A kara, or kada (), is a steel or

cast iron Cast iron is a class of iron–carbon alloys with a carbon content of more than 2% and silicon content around 1–3%. Its usefulness derives from its relatively low melting temperature. The alloying elements determine the form in which its car ...

bangle worn by

Sikhs Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Sikh'' ...

and sometimes Indian people of other religions.

Sikhism Sikhism is an Indian religion and Indian philosophy, philosophy that originated in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent around the end of the 15th century CE. It is one of the most recently founded major religious groups, major religio ...

preaches the importance of equality and having reverence for

God In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...

at all times, which is represented through the

five Ks In Sikhism, the Five Ks (, , ) are five items that Guru Gobind Singh, in 1699, commanded Khalsa Sikhs to wear at all times. They are: Kesh (Sikhism), ''kesh'' (, , unshorn hair and beard since the Sikh decided to keep it), ''kangha ('', , a comb ...

—ceremonial items worn or used by Sikhs who have been initiated into the ''

Khalsa The term ''Khalsa'' refers to both a community that follows Sikhism as its religion,Khalsa: Sikhism< ...

'', of which kara is one.

History

The kara was instituted by the tenth

Sikh guru The Sikh gurus (Punjabi language, Punjabi: ਸਿੱਖ ਗੁਰੂ; Hindi: सिख गुरु) are the spiritual masters of Sikhism, who established the religion over the course of about two and a half centuries, beginning in 1469. The year ...

, Gobind Singh, at the Baisakhi Amrit Sanchar, in 1699. It is a symbol of unbreakable attachment and commitment to

Meaning and usage

Sikhs

The kara is a symbol of unbreakable attachment and commitment to God.

Non-Sikhs

The kara is also worn by many ethnic

Punjabis The Punjabis (Punjabi language, Punjabi: ; ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ; romanised as Pañjābī) are an Indo-Aryan peoples, Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group associated with the Punjab region, comprising areas of northwestern India and eastern Paki ...

and other non-Punjabi

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

families across states in the north, northwest, and west of India (such as

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; Literal translation, lit. 'Land of Kings') is a States and union territories of India, state in northwestern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the List of states and union territories of ...

, and

Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...

Controversies

India

In 2022, a female Sikh candidate, Manharleen Kaur, was barred from taking a competitive examination by the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB) until she removed her kara. Kaur later filed a case against the DSSSB at the Delhi High Court. The DSSSB later stated that Sikh candidates would be permitted to appear in examinations with a kara or kirpan, subject to their reaching the centre at least one hour before the reporting time.

United Kingdom

In November 2007, a 14-year-old Sikh girl, Sarika Singh, was excluded from Aberdare Girls' School in Wales for wearing a kara, as the "school has banned students from wearing any jewellery other than plain ear studs and wrist watches". In July 2008, Judge Stephen Silber of the

High Court of England and Wales The High Court of Justice in London, known properly as His Majesty's High Court of Justice in England, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, are the Senior Courts of England and Wales. Its name is abbreviated as EWHC (England ...

stated that "the bangle — known as the kara — was a symbol of her Sikh faith and not a piece of jewellery". He further said that "the school is guilty of indirect discrimination under race relations and equality laws", and Singh was allowed to return to school wearing her kara in September 2008. In 2017, eight-year-old Kaiden Singh was banned from wearing a kara to school in

Tipton Tipton is an industrial town in the metropolitan borough of Sandwell, in the county of the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It had a population of 38,777 at the 2011 UK Census. It is located northwest of Birmingham and southeas ...

, England.

References

External links

{{5Ks Punjabi words and phrases Sikh religious clothing Jewellery of India