ABSTRACT
Even though the last independent Sikh kingdom fell more than 160 years ago, many medieval military rituals seem to have survived and outlived the decline of Sikh military supremacy. A quick glance at the interior of a Sikh gurdwārā, for instance, provides many interesting insights into a long, stately military past. The installment of a royal throne, the open display of ancient weaponry, the hoisting of flags, and the decoration of walls using a khaṇḍā symbol made from various weapons all highlight the continuation of martial visual symbology in Sikh sacred space. The military tradition is likewise continued in the verbal rhetoric of the Sikhs inside the gurdwārā. The use of epithets such as maharaja (supreme emperor) and sāhib (king) for the Gurū Granth Sāhib, the collective remembrance of the martyrs and warriors of the past that concludes each prayer service, and the loud chanting of warrior battle cries reveal that the mainstream Sikhs are continuing old practices that have their origins in a completely different era. Even the physical appearance of the Sikhs emphasizes this combative past, as is seen in the adornment of swords and knives on the body of an initiated Khālsā Sikh. The martial influence on the Sikhs is seen all the way down to the way most Khālsā Sikhs put on their undergarments, reflecting the notion of the Sikh being ever ready for battle. It is indeed difficult to study the Sikhs without noticing these military and martial customs in their architecture, rhetoric, physical appearance, and everyday practices.
