Using a big kara to defend yourself in a fight.

[Khalsa Fauji]

Gurfateh!!

I was just wondering, theres all types of Kareh available. I've seen some "modest" ones and some i don't even know how to describe...just massive i guess. I found it quite ironic how the people wearing the massive "deadly" looking ones seemed to be the moneh and the "hero" Singhs.... yeah thats fine maybe they feel that they need more reminding of Sikhi or whatever ... but as mentioned previously, they are just being used in petty racial fights and what ever other kind of fights.

Its illegal i think to have knuckle dusters (please correct me if im wrong ... UK by the way) so having a Kara, was the legal alternative.

The way people seem to be talking about Kara as a shastar, is as though, we are in some kind of continual struggling war. It is true that the Kara can be used as a Shastar as it was also it would protect the sword arm. However we also have a Kirpaan, firstly this should remind us that force is the last resort, also it should remind us to remind just.

Alot of the times these "playground" fights can be avoided, sometimes they can not but we as Sikhs are also reminded not let Krodh get the better of us, also retalliation should not be the reason for fighting back.

A Kara will cause visible physical damage, that you may be prosecuted for as in the law today there is a thin line between what is defence and what is not. It is important that we all know some sort of self defence.

Also i thought i'd post the following excerpt from www.damdamitaksal.com rehit section.

3. Kara

The Kara must be of Sarab Loh (pure iron). The Khalsa is not to wear a kara that is made of gold, silver, brass, copper or one that has grooves in it. Only the Sarab Loh Kara is acceptable to Guru Ji. The Kara is a handcuff placed by the Guru upon the individual to remind us of our duty to God, stopping us from committing sins. The Kara acts as protection if someone goes to strike you with a sword on your wrist. According to scientific research, the Kara adds to the iron levels in the body by rubbing on the skin. The Kara teaches us that these arms belong to Sahib Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji – with which we are not to steel, con, commit forgery, oppress, bully, persecute, sin or murder. Gambling and playing cards and gambling are not permitted. With these hands we should earn an honest living and share its benefits. In addition, your hands should serve your community and the Khalsa nation. The Kara is a precious gift bestowed upon us for life by Guru Sahib, which cannot be separated from the body. The Kara is circular, having no beginning and no end. Similarly, Vaheguru has no beginning or end and the Kara reminds us of this.

I was just wondering why most Kareh out there are stainless steel, gold, silver etc???

Bhul Chuk Maaf

Gurfateh!!

[smartsingh24]

I was just wondering why most Kareh out there are stainless steel, gold, silver etc???

Cause they THINK they look cool. :umm: Or they might not have the resources or means to get the kara.

[Bhajneet]

The Kara must be of Sarab Loh (pure iron). The Khalsa is not to wear a kara that is made of gold, silver, brass, copper or one that has grooves in it. Only the Sarab Loh Kara is acceptable to Guru Ji. The Kara is a handcuff placed by the Guru upon the individual to remind us of our duty to God, stopping us from committing sins. The Kara acts as protection if someone goes to strike you with a sword on your wrist. According to scientific research, the Kara adds to the iron levels in the body by rubbing on the skin. The Kara teaches us that these arms belong to Sahib Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji – with which we are not to steel, con, commit forgery, oppress, bully, persecute, sin or murder. Gambling and playing cards and gambling are not permitted. With these hands we should earn an honest living and share its benefits. In addition, your hands should serve your community and the Khalsa nation. The Kara is a precious gift bestowed upon us for life by Guru Sahib, which cannot be separated from the body. The Kara is circular, having no beginning and no end. Similarly, Vaheguru has no beginning or end and the Kara reminds us of this.

87674[/snapback]

Don't forget that some people have allergic reactions to Iron, so for them to be religious they wear the steel ones (dunno bout silver/gold).

I can also understand from one point why you would want a silver one (reacts less with other elements and therefore stays shiny). But i wouldn't push it that far (meaning yeah, i get it but.... why? plus, platinum reacts even less than Ag and Au...)

And I dont want to sound brash, but what is against having grooves in your kara? I mean.... Everyone has them... i'm not kidding, how many people have you seen with a cross section of a circle? Mine has a groove kind of thing (the middle portion sticks out a bit)... I dont get that bit.

Does it say anything about wearing 2 karas? I myself like to keep myself in balance :umm: (my first smiley..... woot!)

[raj_karega_khalsa]

And I dont want to sound brash, but what is against having grooves in your kara? I mean.... Everyone has them... i'm not kidding, how many people have you seen with a cross section of a circle? Mine has a groove kind of thing (the middle portion sticks out a bit)... I dont get that bit.

Waheguru ji ka khalsa Waheguru ji ki fateh

beause your kara also represents god, a cricle has no end...god has no end so the kara shud be round wit no grooves, cuz the grooves make an ending...lol sry if u confused u...hope u got wut i was tryin to say...

BhullChaak Maph

Waheguru ji ka khalsa Waheguru ji ki fateh

[Bhajneet]

well i got to get some new karas (and i loved these ones, real nice) then.

[All-Info]

The kara is round in the inside, not like it comes with grooves in it to!!!

Jst do what i do, wear your simple kara small and light which obviously you never remove from your arm and if you have shastar based kara then wear this too.

That way, if anyone questions you, you can easily say yuo have both.

The gold kara is a punjabi thing. Notice how they only given at weddings, when a baby is born and typically at a birthday (eg 18th. 21st?) Its punjabi. Not Sikhi. In my opinion neway.

For all the Hero Singhs that wear "Big Kara" to look hard at school, give thema slap. If they dont know how to use it, what its there for then they shudnt wear it. Why carry a hastar if you dont know how to use it? All that happens is your opponent can take it off you and ise it against you...

Learn why you wear shastar, how to use it then wear it....

Apologies for any mistakes and offences

WJKK WJKF

All-Info

http://www.all-info.us

[tarunjeet singh]

You should NOT use you kara as aweapon unless it is absolutley unavoidable, alot of punjabi guys walk around with these big kara acting hard, yet most of them don't even knwo the meaning behind it. I remember once while at uni some close friends of mine had been drinking and where walking home when they where approached by some nazi's, the skinheads where used to street fighting and soon as one of my firends went hit him with his kara they skinhead somehow got my friends arm in a lcok and was able to get the kara off him. Luckily fo rmy friend for some reason the guy choose not to use it. All it will take is for someone to get hit in the head and ie for kara to be banned all together. So if you have ot use it use it as a last resort. I think gupt singhni is correction saying that anything can be used as a shastar. A bunch of keys, a sly, pen a few coins, a stoen etc... all these are effective yet small enough to have your pocket. So always think before using your kara or kirpan as the implications of using it could be devistating for the whoel sikh community.

[All-Info]

You should NOT use you kara as aweapon unless it is absolutley unavoidable, alot of punjabi guys walk around with these big kara acting hard, yet most of them don't even knwo the meaning behind it.  I remember once while at uni some close friends of mine had been drinking and where walking home when they where approached by some nazi's, the skinheads where used to street fighting and soon as one of my firends went hit him with his kara they skinhead somehow got my friends arm in a lcok and was able to get the kara off him.  Luckily fo rmy friend for some reason the guy choose not to use it.  All it will take is for someone to get hit in the head and ie for kara to be banned all together.  So if you have ot use it use it as a last resort.  I think gupt singhni is correction saying that anything can be used as a shastar.  A bunch of keys, a sly, pen a few coins, a stoen etc... all these are effective yet small enough to have your pocket.  So always think before using your kara or kirpan as the implications of using it could be devistating for the whoel sikh community.

87763[/snapback]

Agree 100% with Paji!

Use your keys instead, u will be surprised what you can do with them and even if you dnt have keys on you, theres one weapon that cant be taken from you. Your TEETH! lol, serisouly they there for a reason! Mike Tyson did in the ring... lol

Dont use your kara ever to hit someone in the head! As said before, IF and ONLY IF you need to, use it to control the person! U dnt need to remove to defend. Think about it, guy throws a punch, you block it, his hand or arm hits your kara, if its not removed its not your fault! You havent actually done anything wrong just blocked your face from being smacked!

Better still, go to a self defense lesson and learn how to defend you. Sikhs are born warriors, lets atleast continue that on!

Sorry for any offences or mistakes

WJKK WJKF

All-Info

http://all-info.us

[Princess]

The Kara must be of Sarab Loh (pure iron). The Khalsa is not to wear a kara that is made of gold, silver, brass, copper or one that has grooves in it. Only the Sarab Loh Kara is acceptable to Guru Ji. The Kara is a handcuff placed by the Guru upon the individual to remind us of our duty to God, stopping us from committing sins. The Kara acts as protection if someone goes to strike you with a sword on your wrist. According to scientific research, the Kara adds to the iron levels in the body by rubbing on the skin. The Kara teaches us that these arms belong to Sahib Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji – with which we are not to steel, con, commit forgery, oppress, bully, persecute, sin or murder. Gambling and playing cards and gambling are not permitted. With these hands we should earn an honest living and share its benefits. In addition, your hands should serve your community and the Khalsa nation. The Kara is a precious gift bestowed upon us for life by Guru Sahib, which cannot be separated from the body. The Kara is circular, having no beginning and no end. Similarly, Vaheguru has no beginning or end and the Kara reminds us of this.

I was just wondering why most Kareh out there are stainless steel, gold, silver etc???

Bhul Chuk Maaf

Gurfateh!!

87674[/snapback]

For me personally, whenever i wear a Kara I have some sort of allergic reaction so I cannot wear a Kara. I've bought some from India and some from here and they all do the same thing. Some say its pure sarbloh and some say its pure silver or stainless steel and I get confused because they don't always tell the truth as to which it reli is. I wore this one Kara which was reli thin and was told it wuz stainless steel, so maybe i'm allergic to iron Karas? Is it wrong for me to wear a stainless steel Kara ? Will someone come up to me and say it's wrong of me to do that and If in the future with Guru Ji's Kirpa i become an amritdhari Sikh, will i be any less of a Sikh just because I am unable to wear a Kara that is pure iron because of something I'm born with? Just a few questions ...

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh :umm:

[Guest Lohgarh Singh]

wjkk wjkf

of course not penji, if you have a allerjic reaction and wear a differnt metal kara dosnt make you a less sikh. in fact it could indicate that you a better sikh, that you havnt stopped wearing a kara all together. i have several kare that are stainless steel and steel.