Condition for Amrit Sanchaar in old days

Most of the readers on the forum perhaps aware of the strict rigid analysis of the candidates before the Amrit sanchaar as described by Bhai Randhir Singh in his writings.

Daas came across an article on one of the websites today and found the following interesting:

Hazara's Potohari inhabitants were inspired to be Sikhs by local and visiting Sikh raagis and exegists. Some of the sehajdhari Sikhs accepted khande-di-pahul to become Khalsa Sikhs during the period of 1910-1945 through the efforts of Sant Baba Jiwan Singh and later Baba Prem Singh Niroliwale, Sant Attar Singh and their generation of Sikh exponents.


All Sikhs had great esteem for the Khalsa initiation by khande-de-pahul. Every Vaisakhi, the initiation ceremony would take place with great enthusiasm and fanfare. Some Sikhs from the neighboring villages would come to take Amrit. However, there was a difference in the level of commitment then, compared to what we see today.

A saintly figure would come to the town a few weeks before Vaiskahi to initiate the faithful. He would spend weeks in interviewing the faithful who travelled from distant villages to take the vows.

Each interview was to determine if the seeker was qualified. He or she was interrogated regarding their life-ethics. Did they ever tell a lie in the past year? Did they ever miss reciting of the five daily banis? Had they committed sacrilege of any of the kakkaars? If they passed those tests, only then were they then declared ready to be admitted to the fold.

There were a few who would qualify every year. Others were given another year to practice the “rehat” before they could try again. Thus, there were few but thoroughly committed seekers to join the Khalsa fold. It is only because of this prior coaching that no one was ever known to not practice the disciplined Khalsa life after the Amrit baptism. I had not known any Khalsa Sikh in town who ever trimmed his/herhair, not do the daily nit-nem or to ever tell lie for any reason whatsoever, or any other kind of crossing the line.

It was this commitment of the initiated Sikhs that brought the elevated reputation of the Sikhs among the neighboring communities, including the ruling British. Moreover, sehajdhari Sikhs and the Khalsa Sikhs lived close to each other and respected each other as parts of the same Sikh community.



Source: The Sikhs of Potohar Tales of Haripur, Part IV by Dr. Bhai HARBANS LAL

This is a very interesting post. Surely, in olden days, it was not easy to get Amrit. Only promising candidates were chosen for Amrit. Today, at least, a good information session should be given to potential candidates, whereby, the Rehit of Khalsa should be explained in detail, so that the candidates can make up their minds. Many times, the new candidates are not aware of what they are getting into and then when they get Hukams at Amrit Sinchaar, they are unable to fulfill them. This leads to weaknesses in Rehit. To avoid this, only solid candidates should be chosen for Amrit Sinchaar and basic important Rehit should be told to them, before giving them Amrit.

Kulbir Singh