khanda

Symbol of Sikhism. The double-edged sword at the centre of the Sikh symbol carries the same name. The emblem is complex in its symbolism. Truth and justice, themes that have permeated Sikh history, are represented by the khanda standing upright in the centre. This is surrounded by a circle or chakar, the meaning of which is encompassed in the Sikh beliefs about God – Waheguru – timeless, omnipresent, oneness. The two single-edge swords, kirpans, on either side of the circle take names used by Guru Hargobind, Meeri, and Peeri. Two types of authority are represented here, temporal (Meeri) and spiritual (Peeri) emphasizing a Sikh's responsibility not only to God but also to fellow humans.