Sir,
I congratulate Dr. Upinder Jit Kaur for a very informative and a superbly written article, “Roeland Status of Women in Sikhism” published in the four-part series of World Sikh News. The first portion of the article “Place of Women in the Hindu Society” published in the WSN dated July 17,1992, granted us a very brief account of this rather threatening topic.
The purpose of this letter is to: provide an addendum to Dr.Kaur’s article. In order to fully appreciate the Sikh teachings with respect to women, one must come to terms comprehensively with the reality of the status of women in Hinduism. For the benefit of our readers who are interested in learning the plight of women in the Hindu society in much more detailed version, I provide the following few but important references: 1.Mayo, Katherine. Mother India. Jonathan Cape and Company, London. 1927. 2.Mayo, Katherine. Slaves of the Gods. Jonathan Cape and Company, London. 1929,
3.Field, Harry H. After Mother India. Jonathan Cape and Company, London. 1929,
4.Mayo, Katherine, Volume Two. Harcourt, Brace and Company, New York, 1931.
5.Dubois, Abbe J.A. Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies. Translated & edited by H.K. Beauchamp; 3rd edition; Clarenden Press, Oxford, 1959.
I must alert the potential reader of these books, The subject of women discussed in these books is a heart-breaking and emotionally a painful experience. Only those of you bold enough and terribly curious on this subject, should contact your public or a university based library. If the books are not available in your local library, ask for the interlibrary loan.
G.B. Singh Waynesville, MO
Article extracted from this publication >> September 11, 1992
