# The Khanda, the Sikh Emblem

> The Khanda is the emblem of Sikhism, made of four elements: a double-edged sword called a khanda standing upright at the centre, a circular chakkar around it, and two curved kirpans crossed beneath, representing miri and piri, temporal and spiritual authority. It flies on the Nishan Sahib outside every gurdwara. The emblem takes its name from the central weapon.

- **Literally:** Khanda, a double-edged straight sword; the emblem takes its name from the weapon at its centre
- **Origin:** Punjabi, from the weapon. The composite emblem is considerably later than the elements within it
- **Established by:** The two crossed kirpans derive from the miri and piri swords taken up by Guru Hargobind in 1606
- **Where it appears:** On the Nishan Sahib flown outside every gurdwara, and on Sikh institutional insignia
- **Where you meet it:** Visible from outside any gurdwara, on the flag rather than inside the hall
- **This page:** https://sevahey.com/sikhism/khanda/

## What Sevahey does not do

Sevahey does not sell the Khanda in any form, including flags, pendants, stickers or Nishan Sahib cloth, and has no affiliation with anyone who does. No Sevak installs, replaces or handles a Nishan Sahib: re-clothing the pole at Vaisakhi is done by the gurdwara's own sangat and is not a service that can be bought.

This page explains a Sikh term and does not reproduce scripture. Sevahey publishes no Gurmukhi text, transliteration, translation or recording of any bani; for the words themselves, read the Guru Granth Sahib or use a gurudwara's own resource.

## About Khanda

Every element of the Khanda is a weapon except the circle, and reading it means reading each in turn.

The khanda at the centre is a straight sword sharpened on both edges. In Sikh usage the double edge carries a double duty: the same instrument that defends also divides truth from falsehood, and it cuts on the return stroke as well as the forward one, so there is no direction in which it is merely decorative. It is also the weapon with which amrit is stirred at an Amrit Sanchar, which ties the emblem directly to initiation.

The chakkar is a circle, and it is the only element that is not a blade, though it was itself a throwing weapon. As a circle it has no beginning and no end, and it is read as the eternity and the oneness of the Divine, the same claim the Mool Mantar opens with. It encloses the khanda, so the sword sits inside the eternal rather than beside it.

The two kirpans crossed beneath are the swords Guru Hargobind took up in 1606, days after his father Guru Arjan was tortured to death at Lahore. Miri is temporal authority, the community's right to govern and defend itself; piri is spiritual authority, the Guru's word. The two are crossed rather than parallel because in Sikh teaching they are not separable, and neither is subordinate: a spiritual life with no capacity to act, or power with nothing above it, is the failure the pairing exists to prevent.

The emblem is flown rather than worshipped. It appears on the Nishan Sahib, the saffron flag outside every gurdwara, whose pole is re-clothed each year at Vaisakhi, and it marks a building as Sikh from a distance.

## The four elements of the Khanda

| Element | What it is | What it carries |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Khanda | A straight double-edged sword, upright at the centre | Divine knowledge that separates truth from falsehood, cutting on both strokes. Also the weapon used to stir amrit at an Amrit Sanchar |
| Chakkar | A circular quoit, historically a throwing weapon | Eternity and oneness, having no beginning or end; it encloses the khanda |
| Miri | A curved kirpan, crossed left | Temporal authority: the community's right to govern its affairs and defend itself |
| Piri | A curved kirpan, crossed right | Spiritual authority: the Guru's word, which the temporal power exists to protect |

## Where the Khanda is displayed

| Place | Detail |
| --- | --- |
| Nishan Sahib | The saffron flag outside every gurdwara, whose pole is re-clothed each year at Vaisakhi |
| Institutional insignia | Used by Sikh bodies, regiments and organisations as an identifying mark |
| Not an object of worship | The emblem is displayed and respected, but Sikhs bow to the Guru Granth Sahib and not to the Khanda |

## Where accounts differ

The Khanda as a single composite emblem is much younger than the elements it is made from, and its origin is not firmly documented. It is generally placed in the early twentieth century, associated with the Singh Sabha and Akali period when Sikh institutions were consolidating a visual identity, but no single adoption event is recorded and dates given in popular sources vary by decades. The individual components are far older: the miri and piri swords date to 1606 and the weapons themselves are older still. Sources that give a precise founding date for the emblem are reporting one account among several.

## Where this connects on Sevahey

- [Guru Hargobind](https://sevahey.com/gurus/guru-hargobind/): The two swords of miri and piri, raising the Akal Takht, and the release from Gwalior kept as Bandi Chhor Divas
- [Guru Gobind Singh](https://sevahey.com/gurus/guru-gobind-singh/): Founding the Khalsa in 1699 and conferring the Guruship on the Guru Granth Sahib in 1708
- [Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple)](https://sevahey.com/gurudwaras/golden-temple/): Amritsar, Punjab
- [Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib, Anandpur Sahib](https://sevahey.com/gurudwaras/anandpur-sahib/): Anandpur Sahib, Punjab

## What can be offered in your name

The Nishan Sahib carrying the Khanda is the first thing visible when a Sevak reaches a gurudwara, and it appears in the proof photographs sent back, which is often how a family abroad recognises the place. What is arranged is an ardas inside: the granthi speaks your name, your gotra and your request aloud before the Guru Granth Sahib, and you receive the hukamnama and same-day proof.

- **Seva:** Ardas — https://sevahey.com/seva/ardas/
- **Performed by:** a verified, named Sevak
- **Proof:** GPS-tagged photos, the hukamnama where it applies, timing, and a handwritten note — usually same day

## Questions

### What is the Khanda?

The Khanda is the emblem of Sikhism, made of four elements: a double-edged sword called a khanda upright at the centre, a circular chakkar around it, and two curved kirpans crossed beneath representing miri and piri. It flies on the Nishan Sahib outside every gurdwara and takes its name from the central weapon.

### What do the parts of the Khanda mean?

The central khanda is divine knowledge separating truth from falsehood, sharpened on both edges so it cuts on the return stroke too. The chakkar is a circle with no beginning or end, read as eternity and oneness. The two crossed kirpans are miri and piri, temporal and spiritual authority, crossed because Sikh teaching holds them inseparable.

### What are miri and piri in the Khanda?

Miri is temporal authority, the community's right to govern its own affairs and defend itself, and piri is spiritual authority, the Guru's word. They are the two swords Guru Hargobind took up in 1606, days after his father Guru Arjan was tortured to death at Lahore. Crossing them says neither is subordinate to the other.

### How old is the Khanda emblem?

The composite emblem is much younger than its parts and its origin is not firmly documented. It is generally placed in the early twentieth century, during the Singh Sabha and Akali period when Sikh institutions were consolidating a visual identity, though popular sources vary by decades. The miri and piri swords within it date to 1606.

### What is the Nishan Sahib?

The Nishan Sahib is the saffron flag flown outside every gurdwara, carrying the Khanda emblem. Its pole is re-clothed each year at Vaisakhi by the gurdwara's own sangat. The flag marks a building as Sikh from a distance, and it is usually the first thing visible when approaching a gurudwara.

### Do Sikhs worship the Khanda?

No. The Khanda is displayed and respected as an emblem, but Sikhs bow only to the Guru Granth Sahib. The distinction matters in a tradition that rejects idol worship outright: the emblem identifies and represents, and it is not itself an object of devotion.

### Is the khanda sword used in any ceremony?

Yes. The khanda, the double-edged sword at the centre of the emblem, is the weapon used to stir the amrit at an Amrit Sanchar, the Khalsa initiation. That ties the emblem directly to initiation rather than leaving it purely symbolic. Sevahey has no part in an Amrit Sanchar, which is conducted by the Panj Pyare.

### Can Sevahey supply a Khanda or a Nishan Sahib?

No. Sevahey sells the Khanda in no form, including flags, pendants and Nishan Sahib cloth, and has no affiliation with anyone who does. No Sevak installs or replaces a Nishan Sahib either; re-clothing the pole is done by the gurdwara's own sangat. What can be arranged is an ardas inside the gurudwara you choose.

Sevahey is a service platform. It does not promise a spiritual, medical, financial, legal, or personal outcome from any prayer, seva, or ritual.