ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>KH&#256LS&#256</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279<u>KH</u>&#256LS&#256, from Arabic <i><u>kh</u>&#257lis</i> (lit. pure, unsullied) and Perso-Arabic <u>kh</u>&#257lisah (lit. pure; office of revenue department; lands directly under government management), is used collectively for the community of baptized Sikhs. The term <i><u>kh</u>&#257lisah</i> was used during the Muslim rule in India for crown-lands administered directly by the king without the mediation of <i>j&#257g&#299rd&#257rs</i> or mansabd&#257rs. In the Sikh tradition, the term appears for the first time in one of the <i>hukamn&#257m&#257s</i> (lit. written order or epistle) of Gur&#363 Hargobind (1595-1644) where a <i>sa&#7749gat</i> of the eastern region has been described as <i>Gur&#363 k&#257 <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257</i> (Gur&#363's own or Gur&#363's special charge ) . It has also been employed in the same sense in one of the letters of Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur (1621-75) addressed to the <i>sa&#7749gat</i> of Pa&#7789n&#257. The word occurs in Sikh Scripture, the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib, once, but there it carries the sense of the term <i><u>kh</u>&#257lis</i>, i.e. pure.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The term "<u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257", however, acquired a specific connotation after Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh (1666-1708) introduced, on 30 March 1699, the new form of initiatory rites --- <i>kha&#7751&#7693e d&#299 p&#257hul</i> (rites by <i>kha&#7751&#7693&#257</i> or double-edged sword). Sikhs so initiated on that Bais&#257kh&#299 day were collectively designated as the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 --- <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 who belonged to V&#257higur&#363, the Supreme Lord. The phrase <i>V&#257higur&#363 J&#299 k&#257 <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257</i> became part of the Sikh salutation: <i>V&#257higur&#363 J&#299 k&#257 <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257, V&#257higur&#363 J&#299 k&#299 Fateh</i> (Hail the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 who belongs to the Lord God! Hail the Lord God to whom belongs the victory!!) It is significant that shortly before the inauguration of the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh had abolished the institution of <i>masands</i>, the Gur&#363's agents or intermediaries assigned to <i>sa&#7749gat</i>, of different regions, and his <i>hukamn&#257m&#257s</i> of the period confirm the derecognition of <i>masands</i>, establishing a direct relation between the <i>sa&#7749gats</i> and the Gur&#363. Sain&#257pati, a poet enjoying the patronage of Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh, in his <i>Sr&#299 Gur Sobh&#257</i> relates how some Sikhs, when questioned how they had become <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 because <i><u>kh</u>&#257ls&#257</i> was a term related to the king of Delhi, replied that their Gur&#363 by removing his former <i>n&#257ibs</i> or deputies called <i>masands</i> had made all Sikhs his <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257. Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh, at the time of his departure from this mortal world, conferred gur&#363ship itself upon the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 along with the holy Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib. During the eighteenth century the volunteer force organized by the Sikhs was known as Dal <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 (lit. the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 army). Even the government of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh (1780-1839) was called Sark&#257r-i-<u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257. In Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh's <i>Dasam Granth</i>, and in many later religious and historical Sikh texts, such as <i>Sarbloh Granth, Prem Sum&#257rg Granth, Gur Bil&#257ses, Gur Prat&#257p S&#363raj Granth</i> and <i>Pr&#257ch&#299n Panth Prak&#257sh</i>, the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 is repeatedly extolled as composed of men of excellent moral qualities, spiritual fervour and heroism.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The words "<u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 j&#299" are also used loosely for addressing an individual Si&#7749gh or a group of them. However, it is more appropriate to use the term for the entire community or a representative gathering of it such as "<u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 Panth" or "Sarbatt <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257.&#8221 The <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 in this context implies the collective, spiritually-directed will of the community guided by the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Kuir Si&#7749gh, <i>Gurbil&#257s P&#257tsh&#257h&#299 10</i>. Ed. Shamsher Si&#7749gh Ashok. Patiala, 1968<BR> <li class="C1"> Sukh&#257 Si&#7749gh, <i>Gurbil&#257s Dasv&#299&#7749 P&#257tsh&#257h&#299</i> . Lahore, 1912<BR> <li class="C1"> Chhibbar, Kesar Si&#7749gh, <i>Bans&#257val&#299n&#257m&#257 Das&#257&#7749 P&#257tsh&#257h&#299&#257&#7749 K&#257 Ed. Rattan Si&#7749gh Jagg&#299</i>. Chandigarh, 1972<BR> <li class="C1"> Kapur Si&#7749gh, <i>Pr&#257&#347arpra&#347na</i>. Jalandhar, l959<BR> <li class="C1"> Harbans Singh, <i>The Heritage of the Sikhs</i>. Delhi, 1994<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Ga&#7751&#7693&#257 Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>