When Guru Nanak appeared on the Indian scene, the place assigned to woman was low and unenviable. The tyranny of caste had left its marks on Hindu women. They had resigned themselves to their miserable lot. A widow had to burn herself on her husband’s funeral pyre to become a Sati.

SATI—the ancient Hindu Muslim was rejected by the Gurus.

The position of Muslim women was also far from satisfactory. A Muslim could lawfully marry four women, who were regarded chiefly as objects of sexual gratification, Women were kept within Purdah (veil) and their education and movements were restricted. ‘The Sikh Gurus gave women equal status. They gained social equality and religious freedom, the false notion that they were inherently evil and unclean was removed.

Sikhism conferred religious nights on women, Some Hindu scriptures had allowed an inferior position to women, and affirmed that they were unworthy of performing religious worship. A woman was regarded as temptation incarnate. The lot of a widow was deplorable. The Gurus exposed the folly of such notions. They rehabilitated women in Indian society. Religious gatherings and Kirtan were thrown open to women; they could participate fully in religious Ceremonies and receive the baptism (Amml) on equal terms with men, Guru Amar Das deputed some women for missionary work, Guru Hargobind called women ‘the conscience of man’. In religious gatherings, men and women sang and preached, without any distinction.

 Guru Amardas condemned the practice of female infanticide and Sati, He advocated widow remarriage, Guru Teg Bahadur blessed the women of Amritsar and said that by their devotion they had made themselves “acceptable to God”, Sikh history furnishes names of many women who inspired men to heroic deeds, The “40 immortals” were put to shame by their womenfolk on their betrayal of the 10th.

Guru, and thus goaded to action they welcomed martyrdom and earned pardon of the Guru. They were returned to the Guru faith by a woman. The first woman police office in India was a Sikh. She is now an Inspector General of Police, Kiran Bedi. There are no bars to Sikh women following any profession, Today; they have distinguished themselves as Doctors, teachers, social workers and in many other professions. By:

G.S.Mansukhani

Article extracted from this publication >>  June 18, 1993