Khālsā (Punjabi: ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ, IPA: [xaːlsaː], literally “Pure”) refers to
the collective body of all baptized Sikhs.
The Khalsa was originally established as a military order of “saint-soldiers” on March 30, 1699, by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru. It was the name given by the Guru to all his disciples baptized in the Amrit Sanchar ceremony.
The symbolic meaning of ‘khalsa sikh’ literally translates as “pure” from the Arabic word Khalis meaning “pure.” Guru Gobind Singh describes in his book, the Sarbloh Granth the qualities of Khalsa:
The Khalsa is the reflection of my form, The Khalsa is my body and soul, The Khalsa is my very life…. ….Our enemies are vanquished by the steadfastness of Khalsa, Unlike countless others, we are adorned by the Khalsa.
Khalsa Sikhs can be identified with the given Five Ks and given names Singh and Kaur. This happens after being baptised to Sikhism. The tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh at the Baisakhi Amrit Sanchar in 1699 initiated that every Sikh must follow the Five Ks; they are not merely symbols but commitment of faith which collectively form the external visible symbols to identify and clearly and outwardly advertise and display one’s commitment.
A Sikh who has been initiated in Khalsa is known as a Khalsa Sikh or Amritdhari, as opposed to Sahajdhari the non-baptized Sikhs who believe in all the tenets of Sikhism and the teaching of the Sikh Gurus. Sahajdhari Sikhs do not don all the Five Ks.
Thus, the Khalsa (Arabic خالصة) (“pure/devoted”) word khāliṣa[h] is the recognition of every Sikh that follows the disciple and text from the Granth Sahib.
Five Ks
They are for identification and representation of the ideals of Sikhism, such as honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God, and never bowing to tyranny, and for helping/protecting the weak, and self defence.
