By Dr. Jasbir Kaur
Miss Jasbir Kaur, who holds a doctorate in Sikh philosophy (Concept of Man in Sikhism), critically analyses and sets forth her thoughts on the place of woman in Sikh Society in her paper published here. Originally a ‘Sindhi, during her research work she was so much impressed by the Sikh philosophy that she received Khande-Ki-Pahul and was renamed (from Lajwanti Lahori) as Jasbir Kaur.
At the time when Guru Nanak came on the Indian scene, the position of woman was indeed miserable in the Indian Society.
Both Muslim and Hindus considered her inferior to man. She ‘was treated as man’s slave and was regarded as an instrument for entertainment and recreation. Hindus considered her as impediment in the way of spiritual progress of man: From ethical point of view she was thought to be a seducer and cause of man’s moral degradation,
Polygamy was legal and permissible. Man could marry as many times as he wanted but the poor widow was not permitted to remarry. She was forced to bum herself on the pyre of the dead husband as sati
Child marriage, and female infanticide were prevalent and purdah system was in vogue. The legal rights of women were also unfavorable. She could not inherit the property of her forefathers ‘Thus she always remained economically dependent either on her father or on her husband or on her sons or other relatives. If she did not give birth to a child or did not beget male children for her husband, she was not respected in the family, and the man could marry more women for the sake of his offspring.
Indian history is a witness that Hindu women were taken away as slaves and sold as cattle in foreign markets. She was treated as a commodity rather than respected as a person. She was never given the status equal to man either from religious or social point of view.
The Sikh Gurus felt pained at the then prevailing miserable portion of the woman in Indian society. They, therefore, did their best to ameliorate the sordid condition ‘of women and rehabilitated them to a place of honor in Indian society. The equality, status and place the Gurus gave to the woman in the sixteenth century was much more than the freedom and equality given to the woman by the Indian society as a whole during the last century and even in the beginning of the present century.
The Sikh thought asserts that the woman ought to take active art in the social, cultural and religious pursuits. The thought that the Woman is inherently evil, unclean, an impediment, a seducer ‘and responsible for the fall of man is repudiated and rejected by the Sikh scriptures. Instead she is considered as strength for man and helps him in character-building and attainment of spiritual heights. Guru asserted that woman equally shares the grace of God and can achieve liberation (moksa) as a result of her deeds, Guru Nanak held her in great veneration and said that we have no right to call her evil; in fact it is she who gives birth to men and saints; without her, man is incomplete. ‘The great Sikh savant Bhai Gurdas proclaims that woman is one half of the complete personality of man and is entitled to share secular and spiritual knowledge equally. This thought was a protest against the Hindu belief that the woman was not entitled to attainment of moksa in this life and had to wait for another life as a man, According to Sikh thought, woman is not only equal to man as a spiritual being but is something more than that. She is the gateway for spiritual liberation for man himself. This is unique position bestowed on woman in Sikhism. (Bhai Gurdas, Var 5 Pauri 16).
As the Guru’s aim was to transform India into a nation of self-respecting men and women with equal dignity, he considered the participation of women in all aspects of life equally necessary.
The humanitarian teaching of Guru Nanak became the foundation on which the dignity of woman was restored and all forms of inferior status built through the ages by social systems were brushed aside by the later Sikh Gurus,
All practices which stood in the way of woman’s emancipation were challenged and condemned: the Sikh Gurus raised a voice against the practice of Sati system and strictly prohibited it among his disciples. The third and fourth Gurus even encouraged a widow remarriage to re-establish the unfortunate ones. Similarly the practice of female infanticide was disapproved and even orders were issued by the tenth Guru prohibiting the Khalsa to have any relation ‘with those who resort to the practice of female infanticide. The third Guru, Guru Amardas condemned the practice of purdah and ensured’ the abolishment of this system among his devotees by ensuring that no woman came into the sangat with face veiled. The sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind respected the Woman by calling her the conscience of man. He condemned asceticism and sanyas and called the escapist yogis, sanyas is and sidhas as runaways from the social responsibilities, He also condemned the belief that the celibacy was a merit and a passport to the heaven ‘sand that the marriage was a barrier to achievement of self-realization. Instead he gave prime importance to leading house holder’ life.
The Gurus condemned all sex relations outside marriage and regarded prostitution 2 shameless sin, The fifth Guru, Guna Agan says in Rag Bhairo that the prostitute sins without hesitation and commits fornication’ without shame, To ensure that a woman took active part and shouldered the social and religious responsibility equally with man, the Sikh Gurus introduced the practice of men and. ‘women sitting side by side in the religious gatherings and congregations. They were given equal status in all religious affairs. The Sikh baptism was made equally compulsory for the Sikh women and men by the tenth Guru, She had as much right to salvation as the man had All the Sikh Gurus condemned those who denigrated women. Guru Nanak said why denigrate ‘woman when a man is born of the ‘woman; nourished by the woman and is wedded to the woman. Man’s love starts the woman and reproduction is made possible through woman; if a woman dies, one looks for another woman to regulate his life; so why revile her who gives birth to great heroes, saints and kings. All are born out of the ‘woman, its only God; the True ‘One, who is unborn of woman.
To make married life happy and ideal, Guru Nanak treated the institution of marriage as highly pure and sublime. He however, asserted that married life was worth only if it was conducive to spiritual progress. He therefore, laid a high moral code of living for both husband and wife, Fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Dev in Rag Bilawal urges a woman to be a virtuous wife by making truth, contentment, kindness, sweetness, faithfulness and other noble qualities as her cosmetics. To man he urges to become a virtuous husband by being sincere and faithful to his ‘own wife. To ensure that all evils which make inroads in the serenity and peace of domestic life are arrested, Bhagat Namdey in Rag Bhairo asserts that he who deserts his wife and commits adultery is blind and mean. The Gurus further warn that married life is not a license to sensuous pleasures and that the sensuous pleasures are the cause of physical diseases and spiritual degeneration. One should restrain oneself from indulgence in Conjugal relations. According to ‘Guru Amardas the test of a successful marriage was complete identification of man and woman: the true wife and husband are not those who live together only physically but those who are united in spirit as well. (Dhan pir-Adi granth)
In order to treat woman equal with man in religious and social spheres, the third Guru Amardas, entrusted women with the responsibility to spread the message of Sikhism. He appointed many women as missionaries for spread of Sikhism.
The second Guru, Guru Angad Dev, entrusted the management of guri-ka-langar (the community kitchen) to his wife, Khivi, Mata Khivi served the Sikh sangats with her own hands. This brought an awakening and new social consciousness among the women.
The Sikh history is replete with the instances which go to prove that not only the woman was treated equally in the socio-religious sphere, but also that she was given equal importance with man and had the equal status in the management of the politico-military affairs. Mata Sahib Kaur was designated as mother of Khalsa by the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh and after Guru Gobind Singh she continued guiding the Khalsa, Mata Sundri played a significant role in establishing harmony between Tat Khalsa and Bandai KhaIsa after the martyrdom of Banda Singh Bahadur.
On the military front, the Sikh women showed a great courage and bravery in the face of the ‘enemy. To give one example, the Forty Immortals were put to shame by their women-folk for their betrayal of the tenth Guru, Mai Bhago charged them with lack of faith and led them back to the battle at Mukisar against the army ‘of Wazir Khan. She herself fought ‘with valour and redeemed the faithless who are called the Forty Immortals. (chali mukte)
During the period of the persecution of Sikhs, 1748-63, when the Sikhs were fiercely persecuted by Mir Manno, the Governor of Lahore, the Sikh women stood side by side their menfolk and bore the brunt of persecution; Thousands of women were tortured and cruelly treated in the prisons of Lahore. Their children, in front of them were hanged on spears, cut into pieces, which were flung in their laps but it is to the credit of those ‘brave women who showed a great fortitude and did not budge an inch from their faith in Sikhism. The history records that not a single woman yielded to these atrocities and cruelties of Mir Manoo.
The numerous Sikh women di tinguished themselves as politicians, diplomats, administrators and regents, Many even led forces and fought battles shoulder 10 shoulder with men, with bravery and courage. In this context, the name of Sardarni Sada Kaur, the head of Kanihiya Misal, Maharani Jind Kaur, the widow of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Rani Sahib Kaur who herself commanded the battles in battlefield, Rani Fatch Kaur and Rani Rajinder Kaur are of outstanding importance.
In the first quarter of the twentieth century, the Sikh women along with their men took equal part in Gurdwara Reform Movement. They suffered untold atrocities at the hands of British rulers but continued to struggle for the freedom of Gurdwaras from the Mahants.
When India gained independence in 1947, the Punjab was partitioned and thousands of Sikh women had to suffer the cruelty, atrocities and torture at the hands of the Muslims in West Pakistan. The history repeated itself; the Sikh women refused to waver from their faith; their valour, heroism and self-sacrifice was unmatched.
Today in the Sikh society, the ‘woman enjoys not only equal status but also takes an active part in all spheres of life, be it religious, social, political or any other, In gurdwaras (Sikh temples) women not only sit side by side with men in the congregations but also conduct the prayers by performing Kirtan, They take equal part in various forms of service in gurdwaras, be it construction, cleaning, or cooking in community kitchen.
They have proved their mettle in the past to share all the responsibility with their menfolk in war peace and they continue to serve the society as in the past. Thus we see that the Sikh Gurus were the first to ameliorate the Position of the woman and rehabilitate her with equal status in all spheres of life in the Indian society. Their efforts were crowned with success and in actuality she was rehabilitated; she is not only treated/as equal to man in the Sikh society but also takes an active part in socio-religious and politico-military affairs of the Sikh society. In the present time when the U.N.O. is still trying to give equal status to the woman with man in all spheres in various countries, it indeed was a great achievement by the Sikh Gurus who brought into actualization the equality of man and woman in the Sikh society as far back as three centuries ago.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 18, 1986
