Kaurageous

Equality In Sikhism

In the fifteenth century, Indian women were severely degraded and oppressed by their society. Given no education or freedom to make decisions, their presence in religious, political, social, cultural, and economic affairs was virtually non-existent.

Woman was referred to as “man’s shoe, the root of all evil, a snare, a temptress.” Her function was only to perpetuate the race, do household work, and serve the male members of society. Female infanticide was common, and the practice of sati, the sacrifice of the wife on her husband’s funeral pyre, was encouraged, sometimes even forced. Guru Nanak Dev Ji condemned this man-made notion of the inferiority of women, and protested against their long subjugation.

At a time when witch hunts were still common in the west, and the slave trade was at its height; Guru Nanak Dev Ji rebelled against the stance that society had taken against women in India, and gave them equal status. In Guru Granth Sahib Ji, it states:

“We are born of woman, we are conceived in the womb of woman, we are engaged and married to woman. We make friendship with woman and the lineage continued because of woman. When one woman dies, we take another one, we are bound with the world through woman. Why should we talk ill of her, who gives birth to kings? The woman is born from woman; there is none without her.” (Guru Nanak Dev, Var Asa, Ang 473)

In the 17th century Guru Gobind Singh Ji continued the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, by bestowing the name Kaur (meaning Princess) upon all Sikh Women to give them a unique identity and to defy traditions such as taking the male’s family name upon marriage. Kaur is a name which stays a part of a woman’s identity throughout her life whether married or not.

Could you ever imagine a woman general in an army? We would find it hard to believe in today’s day and age, never mind in the 17th century over 300 years ago in India!

Yet one woman fulfilled this role - a truly inspirational figure who went by the name of Mata Bhaag Kaur Ji.

Sitting on a horse adorned in the same clothing worn by the rest of the male army, as she fought alongside them. She is a true example of how Sikhs have always represented equality
in an age where it was scarcely seen in the rest of the world.

As Sikhs, we should be very proud of the unique stand our religion takes with regard to the equality
between men and women, which has been evident since its origin. Women are entitled to lead
the congregation, recite from Guru Granth Sahib Ji within the Darbar Sahib and take ‘Amrit’ to name but a few.

After 500 years headstart we must strive to recognise and practice the Guru’s teachings of equality. May we strive to uphold this important principle bestowed upon us at all times.