Sikh Woman

Strength Through Adversity

My “date with destiny” arrived quite unannounced one evening via the Internet, during research I was doing on a topic of interfaith significance. My initial reaction to Sikhi was absolute love at first sight; I felt instantly magnetized, both intellectually and emotionally.

The three pillars of the Sikh faith - always keeping God in one’s mind and heart, earning an honest livelihood, and sharing one’s resources with all those in need - struck me as a simple, rational and relevant “blueprint for everyday life” as an actively engaged, fully contributing member of contemporary society.

The fundamental teachings that Waheguru (as Sikhs refer to God) is an all-pervading Deity, not one limited to any creed, nation, race, color or gender, and that human life is a unique opportunity to discover and nurture the Divine Light residing within all Creation, tremendously appealed to me. I also found the emphasis placed on performing selfless volunteer service compelling.

Among the many amazingly revolutionary precepts put forth by Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of the faith, and reinforced by the nine Gurus who succeeded him, was the concept of complete gender equality

As a woman, I derived enormous satisfaction from learning that Sikhi accords both sexes the exact same status before God, as well as equal access to scriptures and to positions of Sikh religious and political authority.

My attraction ripened into a life-altering spiritual quest. I began delving into the exquisite poetic text of Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the compilation of sacred writings imbued with the status of a living, eternal Guru by the tenth and last human Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, in 1708.

Exploring these soul-captivating scriptures and trying to incorporate their teachings into my life connected me with the Divine like never before. I knew then that I had arrived at one of those “points of no return” that occur so infrequently over a lifetime: my journey of becoming a Sikh had begun.

In order for my bond to be more than just a private, internal one, I knew a solemn, public commitment was necessary. My desire to become a legitimate, recognizable member of the Sikh people, inextricably linked to its history and heritage, finally came to fruition one April morning.

With Waheguru’s Grace, on the day before Vaisakhi, a holiday that commemorates the 1699 founding of the Sikh nation by Guru Gobind Singh, I was formally initiated into my chosen faith.

While the joys of being a Sikh woman are many, so are the challenges. Here are just a few examples; Celebrating the Gurus’ gift of complete gender equality entails being vigilant against any forms of discrimination or other encroachment upon women’s rights, whether stemming from the mores of the traditional Punjabi or the Indian sub-continental culture in which Sikhi arose, or elsewhere.

Finding ways to effectively educate the public-at-large about Sikhi and Sikhs’ distinctive physical appearance is essential to countering the misinformation and intolerance. Following the lifestyle of a committed Sikh includes regarding the body as a Divine creation and keeping all hair fully intact, requiring acceptance of concepts of beauty that do not always conform to society’s notions of femininity.

Embodying the power, grace and dignity inherent in the name given to all Sikh females - Kaur, meaning “princess” - is a challenge we Sikh women successfully face every day.
I feel truly blessed to be one!

by Manjyot Kaur