1. Is it necessary to partake of Amrit? If we do not, who are we, Khalsa or what?

(i) Yes, for becoming a Sikh, a member of the Khalsa Panth, one has to partake of Amrit. The question is answered in detail in Chapter III. Briefly, it may be restated here that to enter any political party or a religion one has to enter any political party or religion one has to undergo a ceremony. For being a member of a party or school, one has to fill a form and sign it as a token of accepting its principles and discipline. Similarly, for being a member of a faith, there is a religious ceremony, Sunnat for a Muslim, Janju (sacred thread) for a Hindu, baptism for a Christian and Amrit for a Sikh. In this aspect Sikhs are no way different from other major faiths. Even Guru Gobind Rai himself took Amrit and became the first member of the Khalsa Panth admitted by the Panj Pyaras. If Amrit is a requirement for every Sikh to join the Panth.

Anyone who wants to be a member of the Sikh Panth has to partake of Amrit and abide by the code of conduct (Reht) told at that time.

(ii) The Khalsa Panth has, however, no franchise on Gurbani or Gurmat, the Sikh way of life. Anyone, a Hindu, a Muslim or a member of any other faith or none, can read, practice and take advantage of Gurbani. One can live his/her life accordingly without being a formal member of the Panth (without partaking of Amrit). To give an example, one can be a very good player without being a member of any team. One may not be a formal member of the Panth but may be living the model life of a devotee mentioned in the Guru Granth Sahib. Goodness and holiness are not reserved for the Amritdhari people only. A Muslim, a Hindu or a Sehjdhari too, may be a good and a holy person. Being holy and good, however, does not mean that a person becomes a member of the Panth.

(iii) There is another aspect of this question as well. A person looking like a Sikh, knowing Gurbani and keeping long hair covered with turban, may not be a Sikh. The head of the Radha Swami and some of his followers may be mistaken for a Sikh which they are not. They declare themselves to be Rhada Swmai (not Sikhs). Similar is the case with false Nirankaris (who look like Sikhs but disclaim to be Sikh) and Communists (who do not believe in God and claim not to belong to any religion). Any person can claim to be a Sikh and follow the Reht to the extent one can, provided one believes in the ten Gurus, the Guru Granth and the Amrit ceremony started by Guru Gobind Singh. Anyone who becomes a Sikh cannot practice any other faith, may it be Hinduism, Christianity, Yoga, or the recent groups including Radha Swamis, false Nirankaris or Communists. For being identified as a formal member of the Panth taking Amrit is an essential requirement. Before taking Amrit, one may be of any faith (Hindu, Muslim, etc.) or of none. One may be a child of a Sikh or a Sehjdhari. Sehjdhari is one who believes only in the Sikh faith but has not become its formal member, that is, one who is on one's way to take Amrit. For example, a medical student is a student-doctor but not a doctor until he gets through the graduation ceremony. A Sehjdhari is a student Sikh, who is living like a Sikh. A Sejhdhari is expected to partake of Amrit as and when an Amrit ceremony is available to him.

2. Is it necessary for a Sikh to take Amrit? If we don't take Amrit can we still be considered close to the Guru Ji? Yes, to be a Sikh one has to join the Sikh Panth, and for this, as stated above, one is required to go through the Amrit ceremony. It is a promise made voluntarily, willingly and sincerely in the presence of the Panj Pyaras, to live the life of a Sikh. The person is told about the Do's and Don'ts to be observed by an Amritdhari Sikh. Taking Amrit means making a public promise to join the Khalsa Panth, to live a right kind of virtuous life of sewa-Simran and remain free from vices. If one wants to benefit from being close to the Guru, one must obey the command of the Guru and then why should one hesitate to take Amrit? Some persons are reluctant to take Amrit because it means commitment to recite Gurbani regularly, live according to its directions, and not to do wrong actions. It should be made clear that one cannot, on his own, declare h imself to be a Sikh, a Muslim, a Hindu or a Christian. Every faith has an obligatory ceremony for a child (see answer to Question #1 above) to enter the faith of his/her parents. Having been born in a faith, one does not automatically become a member of the faith. In the Sikh faith, the ceremony is performed when one can practice the ceremony is performed when one can practice the faith and can read Gurbani to understand and follow it. As a matter of principle, one born in a Sikh family is expected to take Amrit anytime before marriage, which is to be performed according to Sikh rites.

If a Christian, a Muslim, or a Hindu keeps long hair, does not smoke or drink, reads Gurbani and gives contributions to a Gurdwara, he cannot on his own declare himself to be a Sikh, a member of the Panth. To join the Panth, he or she has to take Amrit. A best player cannot himself claim to be a member of a team unless he joins the team and wears the uniform of the team.How to be close to the Guru? Guru is a spiritual light to guide all seekers to the holy panth. No one has a franchise on the Guru or God. Everyone, whatever his faith, may be close to the Guru to the extent one desires to be. It is not the physical closeness which matters; it actually means how much you listen to the Guru and how much you obey him. The two sons of Guru Nanak Dev were, of course, physically very close to the Guru but did not listen to him, hence they were spiritually away from him. Bhai Lehna Jee, a devotee of a Hindu goddess, became a disciple of the Guru. He listened to the Guru and obeyed him; as a result he became the Guru himself.

Gurbani; the living spirit of the Gurus, is with us. To be close to the Gurus, we may recite it, listen to it and follow it. This is the way to be in touch with the Gurus and enjoy their sermons.