The Panj Pyare, also known as the Five Beloved, are the five men who accepted Gobind Singh (1666–1708), the tenth and final Sikh guru, as their spiritual leader and were initiated into the Khalsa, or oneness, of the Sikh faith.

They are highly revered in Sikhism. While establishing the foundation of the Khalsa, Guru Gobind Singh singled out five Sikhs—Bhai Daya Singh, Bhai Dharam Singh, Bhai Himmat Singh, Bhai Muhkam Singh, and Bhai Sahib Singh—as the first group to receive khande dipdhul or sacraments of the two-edged sword.

According to folklore, Gobind Singh became the spiritual leader of the Sikhs after his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, died without converting to another faith. To escape Muslim persecution, many Sikhs at this time converted back to Hinduism.

During a community meeting, Guru Gobind Singh asked for five men who were prepared to lay down their lives for Sikhism and the cause. Despite overwhelming opposition, five brave souls came forward and were initiated into the elite Sikh warrior club known as the khalsa.

In shaping Sikh history and establishing Sikhism, the five original Panj Pyare played a pivotal role. These spiritual warriors pledged to work toward the abolition of caste and the betterment of humankind overall, not only on the battlefield.

Panj Piyare: A Brief History

At the base of a hill near Anandpur Sahib, Guru Gobind Singh addressed a crowd of over 80,000 people. He drew his blade and ordered the victim to be sacrificed.

The first two times he called out, no one came forward, but on the third try, a man named Daya Ram (later renamed Bhai Daya Singh) stepped up and offered his head to the Guru.

Guru Gobind Singh took him inside the tent and emerged a few minutes later, blood dripping from his sword. After that, he requested a new skull. A second willing participant came up and entered the shelter tent with him. The Guru reappeared, but this time his sword was stained with blood.

The five volunteers came out of the tent and were found to be unharmed. Panj Pyare was the collective noun for the five disciples who were prepared to die for their Guru. Water was poured into an iron dish by Guru Gobind Singh. While reciting the Five Banis, Guru Ji’s wife Sahib Devan sprinkled sugar crystals into the water, and he stirred it with a Khanda, a double-edged blade. The ultimate beverage is called “Khande Di Pahul” or “Amrit.”

Amrit was poured five times into the eyes of each of the Panj Pyares, and they each drank five fistfuls. They kept chanting, “Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.”

The Guru then knelt in front of his five closest disciples and formally asked for the Amrit. The new name for this place is Takht Shri Keshgarh Sahib.

For the first time in history, a religious leader is advocating for his followers to become members of the religious group he established. Apey Gur Chela, Waho Waho Gobind Singh Ji.

The five Sikhs—three from the referred to as low castes, a Kstriya, and a Jat—were the foundation of the self-sacrificing, martial, and caste-free Khalsa founded by Guru Gobind Singh.

were given the lion’s name as a surname and instructed to wear the Khalsakes’ five symbols: unshorn hair and beard; kanghd, a comb in the kes to keep it tidy as opposed to the recluses, who maintained it matted as a sign of having relinquished the world; kard, a steel bracelet; kachchh, short trousers worn by military personnel; and kirpdn.

At critical junctures throughout history, the Panj Piare have worked together as the highest authority, symbolizing the GuruPanth. During the Chamkaur conflict, the five remaining Sikhs created the Council of Five, Panj Piare, and ordered Guru Gobind Singh to leave the Bastion and save himself to rejoin the Sikhs.

Before his death, Guru Gobind Singh eliminated the masand system and the succession of living gurus. Through his founding of Panj Piyare, he laid the groundwork for a more egalitarian and democratic society.

Read More: What is the difference between Gurmukhi and Punjabi?

History of the Panj Pyare

1. Daya Sing Bro.

One of the first Panj Pyare to comply with Guru Gobind Singh’s request and give up his head was BhJi Daya Singh. After deciding to renounce his caste and all ties to it, Daya Ram became Daya Singh and joined the Khalsa warriors. Both “Daya” and “Singh” mean “merciful, gentle, and empathetic,” qualities shared by the five beloved Panj Pyare who share this name.

2. Dharam Singh, Brother

The second of the Panj Pyare to answer Guru Gobind Singh’s call was Bhai Dharam Singh. Dharam Ram gave up the trade and the company of his Jatt caste and became Dharam Singh, a member of the Khalsa warriors. “Dharam” has come to denote “righteous living.”

3. Brother Himmat Singh

After the first two Panj Pyare, Bhai Himmat Singh answered Guru Gobind Singh’s call. After leaving his Kumhar caste occupation and affiliation, Himmat Rai became Himmat Singh and joined the Khalsa soldiers. The word “Himmat” has come to imply “courageous spirit”

4. Bhai Muhkam Singh Ji

Guru Gobind Singh Ji called four people, and the fourth was Bhai Muhkam Singh. After abandoning his Chhimba caste’s vocation and association, Muhkam Chand became Muhkam Singh and joined the Khalsa warriors.

The word “Muhkam” is Arabic for “strong and firm leader or manager.” On December 7, 1705, Bhai Muhkam Singh devoted his life to Guru Gobind Singh and the Khalsa during the battle of Chamkaur, which took place near Anand Pur.

5. Bhai Sahib Singh Ji

After receiving initiation into the Khalsa, Sahib Chand abandoned the trade and union to which he had belonged as a member of the Nai caste. Said another way, “Sahib” implies “lordly” or “masterful.” at order to save Guru Gobind Singh and the Khalsa, Bhai Sahib Sigh sacrificed his life at the Battle of Chamkaur on December 7, 1705.