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People say, that Guru told us to wear the 5ks , on us at all times to remind us and empower our sikhi. This sounds like a ritual.

Is it for remaining pure? It seems arbitrary that God would want us to keep it for the sake of letting everything grow? What is the advantage in that, literally? I thought that hair had vitamins in but there is no research for this?

You know how sikhi is a practical dharam.. Then why do we wear the 5 K's in the west? I mean realistically when would we use our kirpan. Isn't it better to learn mma, boxing etc. which are much more practically and if you get in a fight, can use and not get a prison sentence for / someone told me sikhism is based on the time, so like the first 5 guru sahibs didnt wear a kirpan (cuz it wasnt needed) but then the next 5 did cuz of the situtation with the mughals. So like in the west it's peace, the law doesnt really let us use kirpana. so what's the practical reason? what do you think>??

Hey All, I am a young Sikh about 18 years old. I keep long hair, and my whole life I have been questioning this practice. Sometime I would forget about the issue, sometimes I would think about it a lot and for a period I didn't think about it at all. However, now the thoughts have returned and I can't stop thinking about it. I have been reading up on Sikhism, and am currently reading The Sikhs by Kushwant Singh, some of you may know it. I am quoting this from the book, pp 39,: "Several theories have been advanced to explain the innovation of growing hair and the beard. It has been suggested that this was not an innovation at all and that Guru Gobind Singh's predecessors had all conformed to the tradition of Indian ascetics, who never cut their hair or beards. By making it obligatory for his followers, the Guru intended to emphasize the ideal of ascetic saintliness which he enjoined his followers. He wanted them to be soldier saints. Another version is that, prior to launching on this venture, Gobind had spent a long time invoking the blessings of Durga, the Hindu goddess of destruction. Since she was always portrayed with long unshorn tresses, the Guru believed that in deference to his patron goddess he and his followers should also leave their hair unshorn. A simpler and more plausible explanation is that in preparing his men against the Muslims, Guru Gobind Singh had to take account of the somewhat awesome aspect of the hirsute (means hairy) tribesmen from the North-west Frontier, who kept their long hair loose on their shoulders and let their beards grow. He made it a rule for his followers to do likewise sot hat appearance would no longer terrify. It is also likely that by having his followers wear emblems which made them easily recognizable, the Guru wanted to raise a body of men who would not be able to deny their faith when questioned, but whose external appearance would invite persecution and breed courage to resist it." Another paragraph relating to the issue of hair, pp 63, "The affinity with Hinduism explain both the Sikh drift away from Islamic associations and the pattern of Sikh reformation movements, which sought to maintain Sikh identity distinct from the Hindu. It also explains the Sikh attachment to external forms and symbols, which came progressively to have a more sociological than a religious significance. They became symbolic of belonging to a group and not necessarily of observing its religious ordinances" The paragraphs quoted above, tell me that the issue of hair was a matter of necessity of the time, and where it was required in those times is no longer needed. We are no longer in war, and sorry but I don't need more problems in my life "by inviting persecution", you don't need locks of hair to breed courage. Religion comes from inside, not from how you dress. Furthermore, these paragraphs tell me that the maintaining of long hair was a social construction rather than a religious "ordinance". Moreover, it was implemented because Sikhism was drifting towards Hindu practices, and the Guru wanted to make sure that we were distinct externally, but in practice during those days Sikhs were following many Hindu practices, which is why he wanted to make us different. Unfortunately, this has confirmed my belief that hair is not needed in Sikhism. I was looking for reasons to keep long hair, but this only tells me otherwise. My Dad has told me that if I want to cut my hair I have to give him a 1 year notice, I think I will. During this time I will research more on Sikhism and talk to Sikhs, to make sure that my decision. Please, everyone, share your thoughts on what I have said, and on the paragraphs I have quoted. This is a difficult decision for me.