Surjeet Singh has been making swords and kirpans for the last 50 years. He is the main karigar at the Simran Industries in Ajit Nagar, Amritsar. He is the first in his family to learn this craft. He learnt it at the Ajit Singh Karkhana.

The kirpan is a curved, single-edged blade that Khalsa Sikhs are required to wear as part of the Sikh Code of Conduct (the 5Ks) It is commonly manifested as a dagger or knife in the present-day. Traditionally, the kirpan was a full-sized talwar (sword) around 76 cm (30 inches) in length. However, British colonial policies and laws introduced in the 19th century reduced the length of the blade.

The word kirpan comes from two words: Kirpa means an act of kindness; and Aan means honor and self- respect. Kirpans must be made of iron or steel and most range in size from 15 to 22 cm (6-9 inches) but sizes do vary depending of the preferences of the wearer. Some have ornate hilts and sheaths. They must be held securely in place with a fabric belt, gaatra. The gaatra is worn across the torso, keeping the kirpan next to the body.

Kirpans are used prominently in ceremonies marking major life events, including religious initiation (amrit sanchar), marriage (anand karaj), and death (antim sanskar). In congregational settings, a kirpan is touched to karah prasad to indicate the

grace or blessing of the Almighty and then distributed among the gathered devotees.

Surjeet Singh crafts almost a 100 swords daily from beaten iron. These are sold in various shops across Punjab, some made to order while many get exported. The handle manufacturing is separate, of different materials which are fixed in the workshop. The sword holder or the scabbard/ sheath is manufactured elsewhere.