ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Amrit Sanchar

Okay, imagine you are building a sandcastle on the beach with your friends. You all have different tools like buckets and shovels, but you all work together to build the sandcastle. This is kind of like what happens during the Amrit Sanchar ceremony in the Sikh religion.

Instead of building a sandcastle, people who want to become Sikh take part in the Amrit Sanchar to become members of the Khalsa community. It's kind of like a special baptism ceremony that happens once in their lifetime. During this ceremony, they get a special drink called Amrit that is made from sugar and water.

But getting the Amrit is not easy. The people who want to become members of the Khalsa community have to follow a strict set of rules for several months before the ceremony. They have to wake up early and pray every day, be kind to others, and not cut their hair or beard. These rules help them to prepare themselves to become a member of the Khalsa community.

When the day of the ceremony arrives, everyone comes together in a special room called the Gurdwara. The ceremony is led by five people called Panj Pyare who are dressed in traditional clothes. They sit on a platform and everyone else sits on the floor to listen to them.

The Panj Pyare ask the people who want to become a member of the Khalsa community if they are ready to follow the rules and be part of the community. If they say yes, the Panj Pyare then prepare the Amrit drink in a special bowl called Sarbloh.

The people who want to become a member of the Khalsa community then go up one-by-one to drink the Amrit from the Sarbloh pot. After drinking the Amrit, they are given a new name that starts with Singh for boys and Kaur for girls. This new name shows that they are part of the Khalsa community.

Finally, everyone gets to eat some sweet food called Karah Parshad, which is made from flour, butter, and sugar. This is a way to celebrate and share their happiness.

So, basically, the Amrit Sanchar ceremony is a special event in the Sikh religion where people become members of the Khalsa community by following strict rules and drinking a special drink called Amrit. It's like building a sandcastle with your friends, but instead of sand, you build a community of people who follow a certain set of beliefs and values.