Introductory - Global Sikh Studies

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symbols? Further, whether the five ‘K’s were borrowed by the Panth
from the Jats or not is not the relevant point; because symbols by
themselves do not lead to anything, much less to militancy.
Revolutionary movements are not made by the symbols; it is such
movements that give meaningful significance to them.
Unfortunately, the above hypothesis completely misses the
significance of the prescription of the five ‘K’s. The Guru’s step was
clearly aimed not only at carving out a new community, distinct from
the others, with its own cultural pattern, socio-religious ideology, and
approach to life, but also at cutting away the members of this
community from their previous moorings and affinities so as to avoid
reversionary trends. That is why, at the time of the baptism ceremony,
one of the injunctions was that: ‘hereby are destroyed all your
connections with previous religious systems, customs, rituals,
occupational stigmas. Etc., etc. There is a clear record of the Guru’s
determination to create a new and distinguishable people. On being
told that few Sikhs appeared to have stood by Guru Tegh Bahadur at
the time of his martyrdom because there was no distinguishing mark
on a Sikh, the Guru is reported to have said: ‘I will assign such
distinguishing marks to the Sikhs that a Sikh present even among
thousands will not be able to conceal himself.
Undoubtedly, the contribution of the Jats, with their fighting
qualities, to the Sikh struggle is very valuable, but, as already seen,
the contribution of the castes lower than the Jats has been very
significant during the Khalsa or the revolutionary phase of the
movement. If the inspiration of the Sikh ideology could turn these
people, who had been rendered spineless by movement needed no
goading from the Jats for its militarization. Also, if the bearing of
arms and martial qualities are the only requirements for shaping a
revolutionary movement, why could not the Jats produce one
elsewhere?
(f) Other Jat Traits
There are a few other traits of Jats which are relevant to the
interpretation of the Sikh movement, and, therefore, need to be taken
notice of. For instance :