Khanda
Description
| If you look at sikhism you realize that it is very symbolic. What i mean by that is that if were to stand a sikh in a crowd of a thousand , Its quite easy to distguish the sikh. This was obviously the intention of the Tenth Guru. The Khanda is another sikh symbol. All the individual items of the Khanda are Sikh weapons. Individually the symbols are metaphors of sikh philosophy. |
| Firstly is the Khanda - Placed centrally , the khanda is a double edged sword with a broad blade. The picture below show a example of 17th Century khanda. Note the whole symbol takes its name from this sword. |
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| Secondly , there are a pair of Kirpans , these are curved swords. Guru Hargobind used to carry two kirpans , one he called miri and the other one piri. Hence these are the names of the kirpans on the khanda. |
| Lastly
the chakker or the ring. This is an interesting weapon also known as the
chakram - if you search the internet for chakram its interesting because
you will get a lot of hits on ZENA the Warrior - tv series. Of course
its the same weapon she uses plus a bit of magic. The sikhs used the chakker to a great effect - being one of the most lethal blade weapons |
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| It
has an effective range of 40 to 50 metres. >From about the 16th century
onwards, it seems to be a weapon exclusively used by the Sikh military.
Used in volley fire fashion by trained footmen in the centuries before
Britain imposed its rule, it continued to be a viable part of the Sikh
inventory at least in part as late as the 19th century. George Cameron
Stone, writing in 1934 of a Sikh military exhibition he had witnessed
many years prior, described the skilled use of the weapon from a distance
of 50 metres, where trained warriors struck an archery-like target and
usually hit their mark. It is thrown or hurled, either by being released after being twirled around the smooth inside edge by the forefinger (a favourite Sikh method) or released frisbee-like or discus style. |
| As for for the metaphors for the symbols look at a sample of what i have found on the internet |
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The
Sikh emblem,Khanda, contains a ring of steel representing the Unity
of God, The Khanda is the insignia of the Sikhs, a symbol representing the Universal Creative power. In the centre is a double-edged sword, symbol of the primal and almighty power of the Creator. The `Chakra', or the circle, is a symbol of infinity. The two swords on the outside symbolise the Spiritual (Piri) and Temporal (Miri) balance in the universe
The circle represents power. The item in the middle is the Khanda, or double edged sword. The two swords to the left and right are the Miri and Piri. The Miri represents the sword to be carried in war, and the Piri represents the sword to be carried in peace. The
double-edged sword is the creative power of God which controls the destiny
of the whole creation. It is sovereign power over life and death. *
The right edge of the double-edged sword symbolises freedom and authority
governed by moral and spiritual values. * The left edge of the double-edged
sword symbolises divine justice which chastises and punishes the wicked
oppressors. * On the left side is the sword of spiritual sovereignty,
Piri; on the right side is the sword of political sovereignty, Miri.
The Khanda sword is a metaphor of Divine Knowledge, its sharp edges cleaving Truth from Falsehood. The circle around the Khanda is the Chakar. The Chakar being a circle without a beginning or and end symbolizes the perfection of God who is eternal. The Chakar is surrounded by two curved swords called Kirpans. These two swords symbolize the twin concepts of Meeri and Peeri - Temporal and Spiritual authority introduced by Guru Hargobind.
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