Nanika

Assistant Professor
Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University
Fatehgarh Sahib

Understanding Feminist Perspective in Sikh Culture and Its Relevance in the

Contemporary World

The first image that comes to our mind on reading or listening to the word 'woman' is usually of
a tender, docile and humble creature. On one hand, we are living in a well modern society, with
the fourth wave of feminism prevalent in the world,where women are being recognized for their
achievements; on the other hand, a dark world of gender bias is still existing in this world. The
well claimed modern society has not become modern in matters of gender yet. Today's woman
has got a promotion in her tag-from a housewife, she has now become a working woman. But
with this new promotion, the duties of previous Designation are not shunned away. Now she
carries this double burden on her shoulders all alone.
This duality prevails in the media too. Media portrays the stories of glorious achievements of
women in the contemporary world. At the same time, not a single day goes where the cases of
rape, acid attack, molestation etc. are unheard.
In such times, the holy scripture of Punjab, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is the only shelter where
society should take refuge. Long ago, in the fifteenth century itself, Guru Nanak Dev ji, the first
Guru of Sikhs, raised his voice, through his compositions, against the injustice done to women.
He gave a very venerable position to the women in society and emphasised on the equality of
both the sexes. In his famous Bani, Guru Nanak states:

"ਭੰਡਿ ਜੰਮੀਐ ਭੰਡਿ ਨਿੰਮੀਐ ਭੰਡਿ ਮੰਗਣੁ ਵੀਆਹੁ ॥

ਭੰਡਹੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਦੋਸਤੀ ਭੰਡਹੁ ਚਲੈ ਰਾਹੁ ॥
ਭੰਡੁ ਮੁਆ ਭੰਡੁ ਭਾਲੀਐ ਭੰਡਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਬੰਧਾਨੁ ॥
ਸੋ ਕਿਉ ਮੰਦਾ ਆਖੀਐ ਜਿਤੁ ਜੰਮਹਿ ਰਾਜਾਨ ॥
ਭੰਡਹੁ ਹੀ ਭੰਡੁ ਊਪਜੈ ਭੰਡੈ ਬਾਝੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਭੰਡੈ ਬਾਹਰਾ ਏਕੋ ਸਚਾ ਸੋਇ ॥"¹

Through these words, it is revealed how the very existence of society is possible only due to
women. By highlighting the role of women as the creator and sustainer of society, Guru Nanak
Dev Ji has adored this so-called 'lower sex' in unsurpassable terms.
Not only this, Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji represents a woman as the epitome of truest form of
devotion-' prem bhakti'. As per this holy scripture, the Almighty is considered as Husband and
each soul or jivatma, irrespective of its biological sex,is considered as Bride:
"ਇਸੁ ਜਗ ਮਹਿ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਏਕੁ ਹੈ ਹੋਰ ਸਗਲੀ ਨਾਰਿ ਸਬਾਈ ॥"²

Through this metaphor of husband- wife relation, this holy scripture has defined mystic
experience of union of soul with the Almighty, and hence added a spiritual dimension to the aura
of woman. Though the question of attaching masculine attributes with the omnipotent and
formless God is raised by a few feminists, the last stanza of Bara-maha presents a subtle answer
to the question:

“ਧਨ ਪਿਰੁ ਏਹਿ ਨ ਆਖੀਅਨਿ ਬਹਨਿ ਇਕਠੇ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਏਕ ਜੋਤਿ ਦੁਇ ਮੂਰਤੀ ਧਨ ਪਿਰੁ ਕਹੀਐ ਸੋਇ ॥੩॥”
Which means :
“The bride and groom are not those
Who, though together in body, are in spirit alone.
It is when the two bodies have a single soul,
That they become one.”

At the climax of mystical experience, the difference between man and woman is eliminated and
they unite merely as souls.

The giant of Dowry has been a curse on our society since ancient times. This giant has claimed
many innocent lives. Even in today’s world,a woman’s worth is measured as a bride by the size
of her dowry, and not through her character and integrity, thus making dowry a pan India
phenomenon.Here one thing should be kept in mind that dowry is anything given to the in-laws
or the groom, either in cash or material, on their asking for the same as a DEMAND or
CONDITION to the marriage. This system was denounced by the Gurus in vehement terms.
They preached against offering and accepting dowry. The Fourth Guru, Guru Ramdas Ji says:

“ਹੋਰਿ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਦਾਜੁ ਜਿ ਰਖਿ ਦਿਖਾਲਹਿ ਸੁ ਕੂੜੁ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੁ ਕਚੁ ਪਾਜੋ ॥”3 (p.79)
Which means any form of dowry has no place in Sikh marriages. If a Sikh offers the same just
to flaunt his riches and satisfy his ego, he is a Manmukh Sikh displaying false egotism and his
worthlessness.
At the same time, Guru Ji have exalted the significance of teaching values of spirituality to a
woman, which is the purest form of dowry one can seek and give:

“ਹਰਿ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਮੇਰੇ ਬਾਬੁਲਾ ਹਰਿ ਦੇਵਹੁ ਦਾਨੁ ਮੈ ਦਾਜੋ ॥੪॥” 4 (p.79)

However, with the passing time, these teachings of the Guru started fading away.This is the
reason the report of NCRB ( National Crime Records Bureau) is heart-wrenching. The report
says that on average, every hour a woman succumbs to dowry deaths in India with the annual
figure rising upwards of 7000. The figure makes it clear that the teachings of our Gurus are
limited to the scriptures in the holy shrines.The country where women are worshipped and
adored is actually a sham.In this so-called educated world, daughters are still considered a
burden in our society. In today’s world, only a few blessed souls celebrate the birth of a daughter
in the family. The same fact is presented in the headlines, that too in bold to snub the actual
condition of women. But the fact cannot be ignored that even in the contemporary world, people
congratulate on the birth of a daughter in a manner of condolence.. The condolence is due to the
pity felt on parents for the huge burden of dowry which they have to carry, the inheritance a
daughter would not receive, and the name of the family which will not survive long if they don't
get a male heir soon. Thus, there is dire need to propagate those very teachings, as mentioned in
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, to the society again. The tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, adored the
women of Sikh Panth with the glorious word ‘Kaur’ which is taken from the word ‘Kunwar’
meaning ‘next in power.’

There were many evils in the society against women which as per the norms of society are
claimed to have been abolished. But the reality is hidden under the garb of development. Smt.
Indira Gandhi is a name which is taken with great reverence, especially by feminists and
women, as she was the first, and to date, the only female Prime Minister of India. Everytime one
talks of women empowerment in our society, her name is taken with esteem. However, the dark
reality of our society is unveiled in her own words, which she uttered on 23rd November, 1974,
on the occasion of Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Indraprastha College for Women:

“I still remember the days when I was living in old Delhi even as a small child of seven or eight.
I had to go out in a doli if I left the house. We just didn't walk. Girls did not walk in the street.
First, you had your sari with which you covered your head, then you had another shawl or
something which covered your hand and all the body, then you had a white shawl , with which
everything was again covered although your face was open fortunately. Then you were in a doli,
which again was covered by another cloth. And this was in a family or community which did nit
observe purdah of any kind at all.”

This purdah system which was denounced by our Guru Sahibans centuries back is still ingrained
in the society. Laura Maulvey’s concept of male gaze is relevant here. Women do not feel secure
when a man looks or stares at them continuously. Though invisible, a purdah is still being carried
by almost every woman, purdah of fear-fear of being gazed with malicious intentions.

Thus it is the need of the hour to revive the frails of humanity left in the society by reviving the
teachings of Our Gurus through the holy scripture of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The purpose of
Guru Angad Dev Ji’s purpose behind compiling this holy scripture was not to give a Path to the
society to recite at Amrit Vela and forget. The real purpose was to enlighten the society and
create a harmonious world in which man and woman live together with dignity and integrity. It is
upto us whether we participate in the noble cause of uplifting the status of women in the society
or we throw away the teachings of our Gurus in trash.
Singh, Nikky-Guninder Kaur. 2014a. A feminist interpretation of Sikh Scripture. In The Oxford Handbook
of Sikh Studies. Edited by Pashaura Singh and Louis E. Fenech. Oxford: Oxford University Press.