Marriage Biodata with Ik Onkar, the Sikh Way to Start

A Sikh marriage biodata usually starts with ੴ (Ik Onkar) or the Khanda at the centre top, and the line ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ (Ik Onkar Satgur Prasad) under it. Some families write "Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh" instead. The title comes next. Then the photo and the details.

Either symbol is right. Pick the one your family uses on its wedding cards.

What Ik Onkar Means

Ik Onkar means "there is one God", one creator. It is the first word of the Mul Mantar and the opening of the Guru Granth Sahib, which is why it carries so much weight for Sikh families. Wikipedia's page on Ik Onkar also notes that it is written in gurdwaras and on some Sikh flags.

The sign ੴ joins the Gurmukhi numeral one (੧) with the letter oora (ੳ), drawn with a long curve over the top. On a biodata it sits alone at the top, small and centred.

Ik Onkar or Khanda, Which One to Use?

Both are seen on Sikh biodatas in Punjab, Delhi and among families abroad. The difference is in what they show.

The Khanda is the emblem most people recognise at a glance, from the Nishan Sahib outside every gurdwara. The Khanda page on Wikipedia) explains that the two kirpans stand for miri and piri, worldly and spiritual authority.

Some Amritdhari families prefer the Khanda. Many others use Ik Onkar because it is a written word of the Guru. Neither choice says anything bad about a family. Do not overthink it.

The Line Under the Symbol

These are the lines Sikh families commonly write under ੴ or the Khanda.

Write the line in Gurmukhi if the family reads Punjabi. On an English biodata for a family in Canada or the UK, the English spelling is fine too.

One small thing elders notice: if you use ੴ as the symbol, do not print ੴ again as a separate line right under it. Use the symbol, then the full line.

How to Type ੴ on a Phone

ੴ is a single character. Unicode gives it its own code point, U+0A74, so it prints as one clean sign and not as two joined letters.

Add a Punjabi (Gurmukhi) keyboard to your phone and look for ੴ among the symbols. If your keyboard does not show it, copy ੴ from this page and paste it. On a computer, many fonts that support Gurmukhi include it.

What Else Goes on a Sikh Biodata

The symbol is the first line. The details below it follow the usual four blocks, with a few things Sikh families often add.

1. Got (clan), such as Sandhu, Gill or Grewal, in the personal or family section.
2. Whether the boy or girl is Amritdhari or keeps kesh, if the family wants to mention it. Many do, because it is one of the first things the other side asks.
3. The family's gurdwara or town, which helps families place each other.

Many Sikh families do not match horoscopes, so the biodata often has no rasi or nakshatra. Some families, especially in mixed Hindu and Sikh homes, still add the time of birth. Both are fine.

Our Jat Sikh biodata guide goes into got and family lines in detail.

A Filled Sample with Ik Onkar on Top

The person below is made up for this page.

The sample has no horoscope section and no time of birth, as many Sikh biodatas do not. For a boy's version, see our Sikh boy biodata sample.

Making It in Our Maker

In the Top of the Biodata card, God / Symbol has both Khanda and Ik Onkar among its 11 symbols. The Blessing Line list then offers ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ and the Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa line in Gurmukhi, and you can type your own. On an English biodata the Blessing Line starts switched off, so turn it on.

When you pick Sikh as the religion, the Horoscope section turns itself off, and you can switch it back on if your family wants it. There is no separate Got field. Write it in Caste / Community, or add a line with Add Your Own Field. Pick Punjabi as the biodata language if you want every label in Gurmukhi.

You can pick a design and set the top in a minute. A free download has a small "Made free at hellobiodata.com" line at the bottom, and Biodata Plus (₹29) removes it.