Women in Sikhism
Encyclopedia
The role of women in Sikhism is outlined in the Sikh scriptures
, which state that the Sikh
woman
is to be regarded as equal
to the Sikh man
. In Sikhism, women are considered to have the same souls as men and an equal right to grow spiritually
. They are allowed to lead religious congregations, take part in the Akhand Path
(the continuous recitation of the Holy Scriptures), perform Kirtan
(congregational singing of hymns), work as a Granthi
, and participate in all religious, cultural, social, and secular activities. As such, Sikhism was the first major world religion to state that women were equal in every single respect.
Sikh history has prominently recorded the role of women, portraying them as equal in service, devotion, sacrifice, and bravery to men. Examples of various women's moral dignity, service, and self-sacrifice are a source of inspiration to the Sikhs.
According to Sikhism, men and women are two sides of the same coin of the human
race, a system of inter-relation and inter-dependence in which man takes birth
from a woman, and woman is born of a man. According to Sikhism a man can never feel secure and complete during his life without a woman, and a man's success depends upon the love and support of the woman who shares her life with him, and vice-versa. The founder of Sikhism
, Guru Nanak, reportedly said in 1499 that "[it] is a woman who keeps the race going" and that we should not "consider woman cursed and condemned, [when] from woman are born leaders and rulers."
Sikhs, therefore, have had an obligation to treat women as equals, and gender discrimination in Sikh society has not been allowed. However, gender equality has been difficult to achieve.
India were reduced to a position of subordination during the time of the Lawgivers.
n society. Affirmation of the dignity of humans, both men and women, was central to Guru Nanak's teaching. He said that all creatures were equal before God, so to make distinctions among them on the grounds of birth or sex was sinful. He was also bold, at least for his time, in his praise of women. In the Asa di Var
, a long composition sung in sangat
in the morning service, he expresses extreme respect and admiration for women, "of whom great men are born".
to which she belongs:
Instead of celibacy and renunciation, Guru Nanak recommended grhastha — the life of a householder. Husband and wife were seen as equal partners and fidelity was enjoined upon both. In sacred verse, domestic happiness was presented as a cherished ideal and marriage provided a running metaphor for the expression of love for the Divine. Bhai Gurdas Ji, poet of early Sikhism and authoritative interpreter of Sikh doctrine, pays high tribute to women. He says:
(holy fellowship) and pangat (eating together). According to Sarup Das Bhalla, Mahima Prakash, Guru Amar Das
disfavoured the use of the veil by women. He assigned women to supervise some communities of disciples and preached against the custom of sati
. Sikh history records the names of several women, such as Mata Gujri
Mai Bhago
, Mata Sundari
, Rani Sahib Kaur, Rani Sada Kaur and Maharani Jind Kaur, who played an important role in the events of their time.
Women's displays of steadfastness during the eighteenth century when Sikhs were fiercely persecuted have had a strong impact on modern-day Sikhs, who recount these stories in their ardas
:
by the highest standards of chivalry
. In 1763, for instance, one of Ahmad Shah Durrani’s generals, Jahan Khan, was defeated by the Sikhs at Sialkot
and a number of his female relations and dependants fell into their hands. Ali ud-Din writes in his Ibratnamah, "as the Sikhs of old would not lay their hands on women, they had them escorted safely to Jammu."
Another Muslim chronicler, Ghulam Muhaiy ud-Din, vituperates against the Sikhs in his Fatuhat Namah-i-Samadi, but notices the esteem they had for women. He writes, "[The Sikhs] look upon all women in the light of mothers." This had been how a Sikh was defined by Bhai Gurdas
a century earlier, "A Sikh casting his eyes upon the beautiful womenfolk of families other than his own regards them as his mothers, sisters and daughters."
has been the rule for them, and polygamy is exceptionally rare. Female infanticide is prohibited. The Rahitnamas (codes of conduct) prohibit Sikhs from having any contact or relationship with those who indulge in this practice. As for sati (widow-burning), Scripture itself rejects it.
In a shabad (hymn) in measure Suhi, Guru Amar Das says, "Satis are not those that burn themselves on the husband's funeral pyre; satis are they, O Nanak, who die of the pangs of separation (GG, 787)"
As a practical step towards discouraging the practice of sati, Sikhism permitted remarriage of widows.
In the present-day democratic
politics of India
, women as a whole have been rid of many of their disadvantages. They enjoy political franchise and many 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 in all respects. They can lead congregational services and participate in akhand paths, uninterrupted readings of scripture to be accomplished within forty-eight hours. They vote
with men to elect Sikhs' central religious body, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, which administers their places of worship.
Ji, the mother of the first and founding guru, Guru Nanak. She is said to have meditated while carrying the child Nanak in her womb, and to have brought him up with love and tender care, while attempting to protect him from his father Mehta Kalu
's undue wrath.
Another famous woman is Bebe Nanaki Ji, the elder and only sister of Guru Nanak. She is a highly intelligent, spiritually awake, and pious lady who recognised the divine light in her brother and envisaged his mission of life before anyone else could perceive it; she did not treat him just as a brother but also respected him as she would a Guru, supporting him throughout her life.
Sikh scriptures
The principal Sikh scripture is the Adi Granth , more commonly called the Guru Granth Sahib. The Sikhs do not regard this as their "holy book" but as their perpetual and current "Guru", Guide or Master...
, which state that the Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
woman
Woman
A woman , pl: women is a female human. The term woman is usually reserved for an adult, with the term girl being the usual term for a female child or adolescent...
is to be regarded as equal
Gender equality
Gender equality is the goal of the equality of the genders, stemming from a belief in the injustice of myriad forms of gender inequality.- Concept :...
to the Sikh man
Man
The term man is used for an adult human male . However, man is sometimes used to refer to humanity as a whole...
. In Sikhism, women are considered to have the same souls as men and an equal right to grow spiritually
Spiritualism
Spiritualism is a belief system or religion, postulating the belief that spirits of the dead residing in the spirit world have both the ability and the inclination to communicate with the living...
. They are allowed to lead religious congregations, take part in the Akhand Path
Akhand Path
Akhand Path is the common practise of continuous recitation of sacred religious texts in Hinduism and Sikhism.-Sikhism:...
(the continuous recitation of the Holy Scriptures), perform Kirtan
Kirtan
Kirtan or Kirtana is call-and-response chanting or "responsory" performed in India's devotional traditions. A person performing kirtan is known as a kirtankar. Kirtan practice involves chanting hymns or mantras to the accompaniment of instruments such as the harmonium, tablas, the two-headed...
(congregational singing of hymns), work as a Granthi
Granthi
Granthi is any person of either gender, who performs the reading of the Guru Granth Sahib at congregational occasions, however this task can be performed by any individual who is part of the congregation...
, and participate in all religious, cultural, social, and secular activities. As such, Sikhism was the first major world religion to state that women were equal in every single respect.
Sikh history has prominently recorded the role of women, portraying them as equal in service, devotion, sacrifice, and bravery to men. Examples of various women's moral dignity, service, and self-sacrifice are a source of inspiration to the Sikhs.
According to Sikhism, men and women are two sides of the same coin of the human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
race, a system of inter-relation and inter-dependence in which man takes birth
Birth
Birth is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring. The offspring is brought forth from the mother. The time of human birth is defined as the time at which the fetus comes out of the mother's womb into the world...
from a woman, and woman is born of a man. According to Sikhism a man can never feel secure and complete during his life without a woman, and a man's success depends upon the love and support of the woman who shares her life with him, and vice-versa. The founder of Sikhism
Sikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
, Guru Nanak, reportedly said in 1499 that "[it] is a woman who keeps the race going" and that we should not "consider woman cursed and condemned, [when] from woman are born leaders and rulers."
Sikhs, therefore, have had an obligation to treat women as equals, and gender discrimination in Sikh society has not been allowed. However, gender equality has been difficult to achieve.
History
Women who were used to having the same privileges as men in VedicVedic
Vedic may refer to:* the Vedas, the oldest preserved Indic texts** Vedic Sanskrit, the language of these texts** Vedic period, during which these texts were produced** Vedic pantheon of gods mentioned in Vedas/vedic period...
India were reduced to a position of subordination during the time of the Lawgivers.
Purdah and sati
Sikhism was a liberating force for women in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n society. Affirmation of the dignity of humans, both men and women, was central to Guru Nanak's teaching. He said that all creatures were equal before God, so to make distinctions among them on the grounds of birth or sex was sinful. He was also bold, at least for his time, in his praise of women. In the Asa di Var
Asa di Var
Asa Ki Var is a collection of 24 pauris or stanzas written by Guru Nanak Devji .Some people argue that the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev ji wrote the first 9 together on one occasion and later wrote 15 more stanzas on a different occasion but Professor Sahib Singh and some of the foremost Sikh...
, a long composition sung in sangat
Sangat
Sangat is a Sikh term with its origin in the Sanskrit word 'sangh', which means company, fellowship and association. In Sikh vocabulary, the word has a special connotation. It stands for the body of men and women who meet religiously, especially in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib...
in the morning service, he expresses extreme respect and admiration for women, "of whom great men are born".
Sutak and celibacy
In another stanza in the Asa ki Var, Guru Nanak Dev Ji rejects the prevalent superstition of sutak, the belief that a woman giving birth to a child is unclean for a given number of days depending upon the casteCaste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
to which she belongs:
"The impurity of the mind is greed, and the impurity of the tongue is falsehood.
The impurity of the eyes is to gaze upon the beauty of another man's wife, and his wealth.
The impurity of the ears is to listen to the slander of others.
O Nanak, the mortal's soul goes, bound and gagged, to the city of Death.
All impurity comes from doubt and attachment to duality.
Birth and death are subject to the Command of the Lord's Will; through His Will we come and go."(GG, 472)
Instead of celibacy and renunciation, Guru Nanak recommended grhastha — the life of a householder. Husband and wife were seen as equal partners and fidelity was enjoined upon both. In sacred verse, domestic happiness was presented as a cherished ideal and marriage provided a running metaphor for the expression of love for the Divine. Bhai Gurdas Ji, poet of early Sikhism and authoritative interpreter of Sikh doctrine, pays high tribute to women. He says:
"A woman, is the favourite in her parental home, loved dearly by her father and mother. In the home of her in-laws, she is the pillar of the family, the guarantee of its good fortune... Sharing in spiritual wisdom and enlightenment and with noble qualities endowed, a woman, the other half of man, escorts him to the door of liberation." (Varan, V.16)
Equal status for women
To ensure equal status for women, the Gurus made no distinction between the sexes in matters of initiation, instruction or participation in sangatSangat (term)
Sangat is a Sikh term with its origin in the Sanskrit word 'sangh', which means company, fellowship and association. In Sikh vocabulary, the word has a special connotation. It stands for the body of men and women who meet religiously, especially in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib...
(holy fellowship) and pangat (eating together). According to Sarup Das Bhalla, Mahima Prakash, Guru Amar Das
Guru Amar Das
Guru Amar Das was the third of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and was given the title of Sikh Guru on 26 March 1552.-His life:...
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 (practice)
For other uses, see Sati .Satī was a religious funeral practice among some Indian communities in which a recently widowed woman either voluntarily or by use of force and coercion would have immolated herself on her husband’s funeral pyre...
. Sikh history records the names of several women, such as Mata Gujri
Mata Gujri
Mata Gujri was the wife of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of Sikhism, and the mother of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of Sikhism...
Mai Bhago
Mai Bhago
Mai Bhago also Known as Mata Bhag Kaur was a Sikh woman who led Sikh soldiers against the Mughals in 1705. She killed several enemy soldiers on the battlefield, and is considered to be a saint by Sikhs...
, Mata Sundari
Mata Sundari
Mātā Jīto was the first of three wives of the last Sikh guru Gobind Singh Mata Jito was the daughter of Harjas Bhikia of Lahore. She married the guru on 21 June, 1677. The couple had three children together: Zorawar Singh, Jujhar Singh and Fateh Singh. Very little is known of her life outside the...
, Rani Sahib Kaur, Rani Sada Kaur and Maharani Jind Kaur, who played an important role in the events of their time.
Women's displays of steadfastness during the eighteenth century when Sikhs were fiercely persecuted have had a strong impact on modern-day Sikhs, who recount these stories in their ardas
Ardas
The Ardās is a Sikh prayer that is done before performing or after undertaking any significant task; after reciting the daily Banis ; or completion of a service like the Paath , kirtan program or any other religious program. In Sikhism, these prayers are also said before and after eating...
:
"Our mothers and sisters they repeat every time in their prayer, who plied handmills in the jails of Mannu [the Mughal governor of Lahore (1748-53)], grinding daily a maund-and-a-quarter of corn each, who saw their children being hacked to pieces in front of their eyes, but who uttered not a moan from their lips and remained steadfast in their Sikh faith—recall their spirit of fortitude and sacrifice, and say, Vahiguru, Glory be to God!"
Praised treatment of enemy women
Even in times of severe trial and suffering, Sikhs were guided in their treatment of the women prisoners of warPrisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
by the highest standards of chivalry
Chivalry
Chivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood which has an aristocratic military origin of individual training and service to others. Chivalry was also the term used to refer to a group of mounted men-at-arms as well as to martial valour...
. In 1763, for instance, one of Ahmad Shah Durrani’s generals, Jahan Khan, was defeated by the Sikhs at Sialkot
Sialkot
Sialkot is a city in Pakistan situated in the north-east of the Punjab province at the foothills of snow-covered peaks of Kashmir near the Chenab river. It is the capital of Sialkot District. The city is about north-west of Lahore and only a few kilometers from Indian-controlled Jammu.The...
and a number of his female relations and dependants fell into their hands. Ali ud-Din writes in his Ibratnamah, "as the Sikhs of old would not lay their hands on women, they had them escorted safely to Jammu."
Another Muslim chronicler, Ghulam Muhaiy ud-Din, vituperates against the Sikhs in his Fatuhat Namah-i-Samadi, but notices the esteem they had for women. He writes, "[The Sikhs] look upon all women in the light of mothers." This had been how a Sikh was defined by Bhai Gurdas
Bhai Gurdas
Bhai Gurdas was a Punjabi Sikh writer, historian, preacher and religious figure. He was the original scribe of the Guru Granth Sahib and a companion of four of the Sikh Gurus.-Early life:...
a century earlier, "A Sikh casting his eyes upon the beautiful womenfolk of families other than his own regards them as his mothers, sisters and daughters."
Monogamy and banning of infanticide and widow burning
Such being the respect for womanhood among the Sikhs, monogamyMonogamy
Monogamy /Gr. μονός+γάμος - one+marriage/ a form of marriage in which an individual has only one spouse at any one time. In current usage monogamy often refers to having one sexual partner irrespective of marriage or reproduction...
has been the rule for them, and polygamy is exceptionally rare. Female infanticide is prohibited. The Rahitnamas (codes of conduct) prohibit Sikhs from having any contact or relationship with those who indulge in this practice. As for sati (widow-burning), Scripture itself rejects it.
In a shabad (hymn) in measure Suhi, Guru Amar Das says, "Satis are not those that burn themselves on the husband's funeral pyre; satis are they, O Nanak, who die of the pangs of separation (GG, 787)"
"They, too must be reckoned satis who live virtuously and contentedly in the service of the Lord, ever cherishing Him in their hearts...
Some burn themselves along with their dead husbands: but they need not, for if they really loved them they would endure the pain alive."
As a practical step towards discouraging the practice of sati, Sikhism permitted remarriage of widows.
Current status
In the present-day democratic
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
politics of India
Politics of India
The politics of India takes place within the framework of a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of India is head of state and the Prime Minister of India is the head of government. Executive power is exercised by the President and is independent of the legislature...
, women as a whole have been rid of many of their disadvantages. They enjoy political franchise and many 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
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
and in the professions such as teaching and medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
. Within the Sikh system, they are the equals of men in all respects. They can lead congregational services and participate in akhand paths, uninterrupted readings of scripture to be accomplished within forty-eight hours. They vote
Voting
Voting is a method for a group such as a meeting or an electorate to make a decision or express an opinion—often following discussions, debates, or election campaigns. It is often found in democracies and republics.- Reasons for voting :...
with men to elect Sikhs' central religious body, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, which administers their places of worship.
Famous women in Sikhism
The first woman to be remembered in Sikhism is Mata TriptaMata Tripta
Mata Tripta was the mother of the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev. Mata Tripta gave birth to Guru Nanak Dev on April 15, 1469 in the village of Rai Bhoi Di Talwandi, some forty miles west of Lahore in the Shekhupura district of Punjab . The name of the town was changed to Nankana Sahib in honour...
Ji, the mother of the first and founding guru, Guru Nanak. She is said to have meditated while carrying the child Nanak in her womb, and to have brought him up with love and tender care, while attempting to protect him from his father Mehta Kalu
Mehta Kalu
Kalu Mehta was the father of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder and first guru of Sikhs. A Khatri by caste of the Bedi clan, he worked as an accountant of land revenue in the government. He later became a disciple of the Guru, also his son.-See also:* Caste...
's undue wrath.
Another famous woman is Bebe Nanaki Ji, the elder and only sister of Guru Nanak. She is a highly intelligent, spiritually awake, and pious lady who recognised the divine light in her brother and envisaged his mission of life before anyone else could perceive it; she did not treat him just as a brother but also respected him as she would a Guru, supporting him throughout her life.
See also
- Women in the Guru Granth Sahib
- Women in IndiaWomen in IndiaThe status of women in India has been subject to many great changes over the past few millennia. From equal status with men in ancient times through the low points of the medieval period, to the promotion of equal rights by many reformers, the history of women in India has been eventful...
- Women's rightsWomen's rightsWomen's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
- Legal rights of women in historyLegal rights of women in historyThe 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 systems....