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Role and Status of Sikh
Women
In Indian society, women were usually
subject to various caste-rules and severe restrictions. They remained illiterate
and were ill-treated. Female infanticide was often practiced.
Guru Nanak challenged the idea of
inferiority and evil associated with women and freed her from slavery and taboos
of the society. In one of his hymns, he said:
From woman, man is born; within woman, man is conceived; to woman he is
engaged and married. Woman becomes his friend; through woman, the future
generations come. When his woman dies, he seeks another woman; to woman he is
bound. So why call her bad? From her, kings are born. From woman, woman is
born; without woman, there would be no one at all. O Nanak, only the True Lord
is without a woman. That mouth which praises the Lord continually is blessed
and beautiful. O Nanak, those faces shall be radiant in the Court of the True
Lord.
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Guru Nanak and his successors gave woman a
status equal to that of man. They regarded woman as man's companion in every
walk of life. The Gurus thought this equality worked to their mutual benefits.
For example, woman is the first teacher of man as his mother. Her function is to
mould children and discipline them. She has to be educated so that her children
may develop their potential to the fullest. She was allowed to join holy
congregations, participate and conduct them. They were appointed missionaries.
They were called 'the conscience of man'. The practice of Sati, (the custom of
burning a woman with the dead husband on the funeral pyre), was prohibited and
widow-remarriage was encouraged. Women soldiers fought side by side with male
soldiers in one of the battles which the tenth Guru fought.
In the Sikh way of life, women have equal
rights with men. There is absolutely no discrimination against women. Women are
entitled to the Khalsa baptism. They have equal rights to participate in social,
political and religious activities. Women are allowed to lead religious
congregations, to take part in recitation of the holy scriptures, to fight as
soldiers in the war, to elect representatives to the Gurdwara committees and
Indian Parliament and Provincial Assembly. Sikh women have played a glorious
part in the history, and examples of their moral dignity, service and upholding
of Sikh values are a great source of inspiration. Sikh women never flinched from
their duty, never allowed their faith and ardor to be dampened, and have always
upheld the honor and glory of the Khalsa. (One famous example is that of Mai
Bhago (Mata Bhaag Kaur) who bravely fought war for Guru Gobind Singh, when some
Sikh soldiers deserted him and returned home). |
