A History of Agriculture in India v2.c87.s3.10

v2.c87.s3.10

Guru Gobind Singh gave a distinctive form to his Singhs by prescribing five symbols, viz. unshorn hair, a sword, a steel bangle on the right wrist, a comb to keep the hair clean, and a knee-length *kachh* or shorts. Smoking of tobacco was forbidden. This ban promoted physical fitness, as tobacco is an insidious poison, which contributed significantly to the deterioration of the physique and stamina of the Mughal soldiers, the adversaries of the Singhs. As the bulk of the converts were the Jats of the Punjab, this ban added to their efficiency as farmers and soldiers.