Kakar refers to any or all of the five required articles of the Sikh faith. Because the name of each one of the five articles begins with the letter (or sound of) K, they are commonly referred to as the five Ks of Sikhism: Kachhera

Kanga

Kara

Kes

Kirpan An Amritdhari, or initiated Sikh, is required to wear all of the 5 Ks during the Sikh baptism, or initiation ceremony of Amrit, and forever thereafter. The five articles of faith or 5 Ks are to be kept on or with the person at all times. The kakar each have a practical function.

01 of 05 Kachhera, Undergarment Singh Wearing Kachhera, the Required Sikh Personal Undergarment. Gurumustuk Singh Khalsa Kachhera is a loose undergarment worn by Sikhs and is one of 5 Ks or required articles of faith known in Sikhism as kakar. The kachhera is designed for ease of movement while maintaining modesty, whether sitting cross-legged for worship, participating in seva, or engaging in martial arts. Historically, the kachhera worn by Sikh warriors allowed for agility in battle or when riding astride on horseback.

02 of 05 Kanga, Wooden Comb Kanga Wooden Comb Sikhism Article of Faith. S Khalsa The Kanga is a wooden comb and is one of 5 K's, or articles of faith known in Sikhism as kakar. It comes in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and types of wood. Some kangas have short fine teeth, while others have long wide teeth. Sikhs do not cut their hair. In the days before shampoo, Sikhs cleansed their hair using a combination of water and oil. The traditional practice of using oil to continues in modern times and helps prevent snarling of the tresses and nourishes the scalp. A large kanga removes tangles easily. A small fine toothed kanga is useful for cleaning and maintaining healthy hair free of dandruff and parasites. Sikhs comb their hair in the morning before tying a turban, and generally at the end of the day, before sleeping. The kanga is generally worn tucked into the joora, or top knot of hair, that is tied up and wound into a bun beneath the turban.

03 of 05 Kara, Bangle Sikh Woman With Kara Worn on Each Wrist. Gurumustuk Singh Khalsa A kara is an all iron bangle or pure steel ring worn on the wrist of the right arm and is one of 5 Ks, or required articles of faith known in Sikhism as kakar. The kara is not considered to be a piece of jewelry. While only a single kara is required wear and is generally worn on the right wrist by both genders, multiple karas may be worn if desired on both wrists. Western women who are converts to Sikhism via 3HO may wear the kara on the left wrist, a distinction not practiced by other sects of Sikhism. Traditionally the kara served as a protective wrist guard for the Khalsa warrior during battle when fighting with swords and other lethal shastar weaponry. The kara also serves as a visible reminder of the bond between the Sikh and Guru.

04 of 05 Kes or Uncut Hair Sikh Man With Kes, Uncut Hair and Beard. Gurumustuk Singh Khalsa Kes means hair and refers to the hair growing from the scalp and is one of 5 Ks, or articles of faith known in Sikhism as kakar. For the initiated Sikh, kes includes all facial and body hair. Kes is to be kept completely intact. This means that a Sikh never cuts, removes, or alters any hair or the head face or body. Hair grows to a particular length depending on the genetic code of an individual. Sikhs honor this physical process as the intent of the creator. Many Sikhs testify that kes has a spiritual significance during meditation and worship and wear a short turban known as a keski to protect the kes as part of their kakar.