Women in Sikhism
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The principles of Sikhism state that women have the same
souls In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
as men and thus possess an equal right to cultivate their spirituality with equal chances of achieving salvation. Women in Sikhism participate in all religious, cultural, social, and secular activities including lead religious congregations, take part in the
Akhand Path Akhand Path ( pa, ਅਖੰਡ ਪਾਠ, ) The continuous and uninterrupted recitation of Sri Guru Guru Granth Sahib Ji is known as Akhand Path Sahib. Sikhism The continuous nonstop recitation of all the verses in the Guru Granth Sahib from th ...
(the continuous recitation of the Holy Scriptures), perform '' Kirtan'' (congregational singing of hymns), and work as a
Granthi A Granthi ( pa, ਗ੍ਰੰਥੀ, ) is a person, female or male, of the Sikh religion who is a ceremonial reader of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, which is the Holy Book in Sikhism, often read to worshipers at Sikh temples called a Gurdwara. The n ...
s.
Guru Nanak Gurū Nānak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: , ), also referred to as ('father Nānak'), was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated w ...
proclaimed the equality of men and women, and both he and the gurus that succeeded him encouraged men and women to take a full part in all the activities of Sikh worship and practice. Sikh history also has recorded the role of women, portraying them as equals to men in service, devotion, sacrifice, and bravery. Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Raag Aasaa Mehal 1, Page 473: "So why call her omenbad? From her, kings are born. From woman, woman is born; without woman, there would be no one at all." Guru Nanak fought for women's rights and expressed his teachings of equality. He supported women having all rights and privileges a man has.


History

The Sikh Gurus and various Sikh saints did much to progress women's rights which were considerably downtrodden in the 15th century. To ensure a new equal status for women, the
Gurus Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan- Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverenti ...
made no distinction between the sexes in matters of initiation, instruction or participation in '' sangat'' (holy fellowship) and '' pangat'' (eating together).


Guru Amar Das

According to Sarup Das Bhalla, Mahima Prakash,
Guru Amar Das Guru Amar Das (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਅਮਰ ਦਾਸ, pronunciation: ; 5 May 1479 – 1 September 1574), sometimes spelled as Guru Amardas, was the third of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and became Sikh Guru on 26 March 1552 at age 73. Befo ...
disfavoured the use of the veil by women. He assigned women to supervise some communities of disciples and preached against the custom of ''
sati Sati or SATI may refer to: Entertainment * ''Sati'' (film), a 1989 Bengali film by Aparna Sen and starring Shabana Azmi * ''Sati'' (novel), a 1990 novel by Christopher Pike *Sati (singer) (born 1976), Lithuanian singer *Sati, a character in ''Th ...
''. Guru Amar Das also raised his voice against female infanticide.


Guru Gobind Singh

Guru Gobind Singh instructed the
Khalsa Khalsa ( pa, ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ, , ) refers to both a community that considers Sikhism as its faith,Kha ...
to not associate with ''kanyapapi'', those who sin towards woman, and the Guru was also strongly against the objectification of woman. The Guru gave those women who were baptized into the Khalsa, the surname of ''Kaur'', the status of a sovereign princess.


Ram Singh Namdhari

Baba Ram Singh also did much for woman's rights including opposing infanticide, selling of young girls into servitude, the dowry system, the pardah system, and endeavored to achieve higher standards of literacy, and the remarriage of widows.


Singh Sabha

During the Sikh revival movement of
Singh Sabha The Singh Sabha Movement was a Sikh movement that began in Punjab in the 1870s in reaction to the proselytising activities of Christians, Hindu reform movements (Brahmo Samajis, Arya Samaj) and Muslims (Aligarh movement and Ahmadiyah). The move ...
beginning in the 1870s, the Singh Sabha raised its voice against the purdah system, female infanticide, child marriage, sati, bad conditions of widows, practice of dowry and extravagant expenditure during marriage.


Practices Condemned


Sutak

Sutak is a belief associated with impurity of the house on account of birth of a child. It is also believed that women are most prone to such impurity.
Guru Nanak Gurū Nānak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: , ), also referred to as ('father Nānak'), was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated w ...
condemned such notions of pollution/impurity in no uncertain terms.


Asceticism

The concept of
Sannyasa ''Sannyasa'' (Sanskrit: संन्यास; IAST: ), sometimes spelled Sanyasa (सन्न्यास) or Sanyasi (for the person), is life of renunciation and the fourth stage within the Hindu system of four life stages known as '' A ...
had influenced attitude towards women in India. The inherent attraction of female was considered a temptation something that a
Sannyasi ''Sannyasa'' (Sanskrit: संन्यास; IAST: ), sometimes spelled Sanyasa (सन्न्यास) or Sanyasi (for the person), is life of renunciation and the fourth stage within the Hindu system of four life stages known as '' A ...
must avoid. The Gurus, however, did not regard women as hurdles for attaining salvation. They rejected the idea of renunciation and regarded family life, if led in a righteous manner, better than the life of an ascetic. Instead of celibacy and renunciation, Guru Nanak recommends '' grihastha''—the life of a householder.


Menstrual Taboo

Menstruation does not lead to women being considered impure in Sikhism, and women's behavior is not restricted during the time when she is menstruating. In ''The Feminine Principle'' in the Sikh vision of the transcendent, Nikky Guninder Kaur-Singh writes: : 'The denigration of the female body "expressed in many cultural and religious taboos surrounding menstruation and child-Birth" is absent in the Sikh worldview. Guru Nanak openly chides those who attribute pollution to women because of menstruation'.


Polygamy

In a culture where monogamy is generally the rule, Sikh
polygamy Crimes Polygamy (from Late Greek (') "state of marriage to many spouses") is the practice of marriage, marrying multiple spouses. When a man is married to more than one wife at the same time, sociologists call this polygyny. When a woman is ...
is exceptionally rare.


Female Infanticide

Female infanticide is prohibited, and the '' Rahitnamas'' (codes of conduct) prohibit Sikhs from having any contact or relationship with those who indulge in this practice.


Sati (widow burning)

Widow burning, or ''
sati Sati or SATI may refer to: Entertainment * ''Sati'' (film), a 1989 Bengali film by Aparna Sen and starring Shabana Azmi * ''Sati'' (novel), a 1990 novel by Christopher Pike *Sati (singer) (born 1976), Lithuanian singer *Sati, a character in ''Th ...
,'' is expressly forbidden by scripture. As a practical step towards discouraging the practice of sati Sikhism permits remarriage of widows.


Veil

Sikhism was highly critical of all forms of strict veiling,
Sikh Gurus The Sikh gurus (Punjabi: ਸਿੱਖ ਗੁਰੂ) are the spiritual masters of Sikhism, who established this religion over the course of about two and a half centuries, beginning in 1469. The year 1469 marks the birth of Guru Nanak, the founde ...
condemned it and rejected seclusion and veiling of women, which saw decline of veiling among some classes during late medieval period. This was stressed by
Bhagat Kabir Kabir Das (1398–1518) was a 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint. His writings influenced Hinduism's Bhakti movement, and his verses are found in Sikhism's scripture Guru Granth Sahib, the Satguru Granth Sahib of Saint Garib Das, ...
.


Dowry

Guru Ram Das condemned the ritual of
dowry A dowry is a payment, such as property or money, paid by the bride's family to the groom or his family at the time of marriage. Dowry contrasts with the related concepts of bride price and dower. While bride price or bride service is a payment ...
.


Equality

According to Sikhism, men and women are two sides of the same human coin. There is a system of interrelationship and interdependence whereby man is born of women, and women are born of man's seed. By these doctrines a man cannot feel secure and complete in his life without a woman, and man's success is proportional to the love and support of the woman who shares her life with him (and vice versa). The founder of
Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
,
Guru Nanak Gurū Nānak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: , ), also referred to as ('father Nānak'), was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated w ...
, reportedly said in 1499 that " tis a woman who keeps the race going" and that we should not "consider woman cursed and condemned,
hen Hen commonly refers to a female animal: a female chicken, other gallinaceous bird, any type of bird in general, or a lobster. It is also a slang term for a woman. Hen or Hens may also refer to: Places Norway *Hen, Buskerud, a village in Ringer ...
from woman are born leaders and kings."


Status of Women


Historical

There are many examples of women who are considered models of service and sacrifice throughout Sikh history, such as
Mata Gujri Mata Gujri (Gurmukhi: ਮਾਤਾ ਗੁਜਰੀ; ''mātā gujarī''; 1624–1705), also spelt as Mata Gujari, was the wife of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of Sikhism, and the mother of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of Sikhism. Bio ...
,
Mai Bhago Mai Bhago also known as Mata Bhag Kaur, was a Sikh woman who led Sikh soldiers against the Mughals in 1705. She was an exceptionally skilled warrior on the battlefield and is revered as a warrior saint in Sikhism. She was known for rallying t ...
, Mata Sundari, Mata Desan Kaur, Rani Sahib Kaur, Rani Sada Kaur, Rani Datar Kaur and Maharani Jind Kaur.


Current

In the present-day democratic
politics of India Politics of India works within the framework of the country's Constitution. India is a parliamentary democratic secular republic in which the president of India is the head of state & first citizen of India and the prime minister of India is t ...
, a fair amount of organizations study and work in order to rid women of many of their disadvantages. They have access to political franchise and new opportunities for advancement have opened up for them. Sikh women have shown enterprise in several fields and are among the most progressive in education and in the professions such as teaching and medicine. Within the Sikh system, they are the equals of men. They can lead congregational services and participate in akhand paths, uninterrupted readings of scripture to be accomplished within seventy-two hours. They vote with men to elect Sikhs' central religious body, the
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee ( SGPC; "Supreme Gurdwara Management Committee") is an organization in India responsible for the management of Gurdwaras, Sikh places of worship in states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh and the unio ...
, which administers their places of worship (Gurdwara). Sikhs are obligated to treat women as equals, and gender discrimination in Sikh society has no religious basis. However, gender equality has been difficult to achieve in practice due to heavy social, cultural, and caste-related pressure. It's worth noting that the caste system itself goes against the core principles of Sikhism. Though equality for women has always been a major attribute of Sikhism and a great number of women have made significant contributions, it is important to note that it is still a work in progress. In the 1990s a group of Sikh women requested to wash the floors or the Darbar Sahib and were denied. Unlike men, women are still not allowed to assist in carrying the paliquin carrying the primary scriptures in its path to and from the Golden Temple. Also, women make up less than 20% of the SGPC members. While diaspora women take lead in opening many aspects of ritual life for women still female participation in various religious rituals and institutions is very uncommon. Ritual services like ‘chaur seva’ wherein one uses an implement called the chaur to fan the Granth, or Sukh-aasan ritual at Harmandir Sahib ritual where the Guru Granth Sahib is shifted from the sanctum sanctorum to the Akal Takht precincts or Kirtan at golden temple, are mostly male-dominated. So also profession of Granthis to Gurudwara management are mostly male dominated fields. Part of the problem while religion officially does not hold menstruating women to be impure still patriarchy in Sikh society holds the same as taboo.


Kaur Project

Kaur Project is a project that seeks to actively create spaces for Sikh female youth to learn and lead the Hukumnama, Ardaas, Sahajpaath, Akandpaath and Parshaad seva.


Notable women in Sikhism

* Mata Kaulan, disciple of
Guru Hargobind Gurū Hargobind (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਹਰਿਗੋਬਿੰਦ, pronunciation: l 19 June 1595 – 28 February 1644), revered as the ''sixth Nānak'', was the sixth of ten Gurus of the Sikh religion. He had become Guru at the young age of e ...
*
Mata Sahib Kaur Mata Sahib Devan (1 November 1681 – 1747, pa, ਮਾਤਾ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਦੇਵਾਂ) was the wife of Guru Gobind Singh. She was the daughter of Har Bhagwan Devan (alias ''Ramu''), a Bassi Khatri of Rohtas, Jhelum District. Mata Sahib ...
, wife of Guru Gobind Singh and leader of the Khalsa for 40 years * Mata Susheel Kaur, wife of
Banda Singh Bahadur Banda Singh Bahadur (born Lachman Dev) (27 October 1670 – 9 June 1716), was a Sikh warrior and a commander of Khalsa army. At age 15, he left home to become an ascetic, and was given the name Madho Das Bairagi. He established a monastery ...
who fought alongside him *
Sada Kaur Rani Sada Kaur (Punjabi: ਸਦਾ ਕੌਰ; 1762 – 1832) was a Sikh leader. She served as the Chief of the Kanhaiya Misl from 1789 to 1821, following the death of her husband Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya, the heir to Jai Singh Kanhaiya, the lead ...
, chief of the
Kanhaiya Misl The Kanhaiya Misl was founded by the Sandhu Jats. Jai Singh Sandhu (son of Khushal Singh) of the village Kanha (district Lahore) was the founder of this ''Misl''; hence the misl came to known as Kanhaiya Misl; another founder leader of thi ...
from 1789 to 1821 *
Maharani Datar Kaur Maharani Datar Kaur (born Bibi Raj Kaur Nakai; (c. 1784– 20 June 1838) was the queen consort of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh Empire and the mother of his successor, Maharaja Kharak Singh. She was the daughter of Sardar Ran ...
,
consort __NOTOC__ Consort may refer to: Music * "The Consort" (Rufus Wainwright song), from the 2000 album ''Poses'' * Consort of instruments, term for instrumental ensembles * Consort song (musical), a characteristic English song form, late 16th–earl ...
of
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ranjit Singh (13 November 1780 – 27 June 1839), popularly known as Sher-e-Punjab or "Lion of Punjab", was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, which ruled the northwest Indian subcontinent in the early half of the 19th century. He s ...
and mother of
Maharaja Kharak Singh Kharak Singh (22 February 1801 – 5 November 1840) was the second Maharaja of the Sikh Empire. He was the eldest son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, founder of the Sikh Empire and his consort, Maharani Datar Kaur. He succeeded his father on 27 Jun ...
she served as a commander during the Battle of Multan (1818) * Maharani Chand Kaur, ruler of
Sikh Empire The Sikh Empire was a state originating in the Indian subcontinent, formed under the leadership of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who established an empire based in the Punjab. The empire existed from 1799, when Maharaja Ranjit Singh captured Lahor ...
* Rani Jindan, wife of Ranjit Singh * Princess Sophia Duleep Singh, prominent suffragette of womans civil rights movemenent in the United Kingdom * Mata Khivi, notable for her contributions to the establishment of '' Langar'' * Mata Tripta, mother of Guru Nanak *
Bebe Nanaki Bebe Nanaki (, ; ), alternative spelt as Bibi Nanaki, was the elder sister of Guru Nanak, the founder and first ''Guru'' of Sikhism. Nanaki is an important figure in Sikhism, and is known as the first ''Gursikh''. She was the first to realize ...
, elder sister of Guru NanakHistory
/ref> *
Mai Bhago Mai Bhago also known as Mata Bhag Kaur, was a Sikh woman who led Sikh soldiers against the Mughals in 1705. She was an exceptionally skilled warrior on the battlefield and is revered as a warrior saint in Sikhism. She was known for rallying t ...
, prominent Sikh warrior


See also

* Women in the Guru Granth Sahib *
Sikh feminism Sikhism was founded in Punjab in 1469 by Guru Nanak on the foundations that everyone is equal, regardless of caste, age, or gender. Both men and women are supposed to follow the Five Ks: Kesh (uncut hair), Kangha (comb), Kara (iron bracelet), Ka ...
*
Women in India The status of women in India has been subject to many changes over the span of recorded Indian history. Their position in society deteriorated early in India's ancient period, especially in the Indo-Aryan speaking regions, and their subordinat ...
*
Women's rights Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st centuries. In some countries, ...
*
Legal rights of women in history The legal rights of women refers to the social and human rights of women. One of the first women's rights declarations was the ''Declaration of Sentiments''. The dependent position of women in early law is proved by the evidence of most ancient s ...
* Kaur, the name bestowed upon Sikh girls and women by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699


References

* Guru Granth Sahib, p 73. * Guru Granth Sahib, p 788.


External links


Sikh women





www.sikhnarimanch.com





Sikh Spirituality and Contribution of Women
{{Sikhism