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Guru Gobind Singh Ji and the Women Empowerment Hardeep Kaur Assistant Professor of History, Khalsa College for Women, Sidhwan Khurd, Ludhiana, Punjab

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Guru Gobind Singh Ji and the Women Empowerment Hardeep Kaur Assistant Professor of History, Khalsa College for Women, Sidhwan Khurd, Ludhiana, Punjab International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue 09 August 2017 Guru Gobind Singh Ji and the Women Empowerment Hardeep Kaur Assistant Professor of History, Khalsa College for Women, Sidhwan Khurd, Ludhiana, Punjab. (Email Id: [email protected]) Abstract- In this paper an attempt has been made to sikh gurus for the cause of upliftment of examine the contribution of Guru Gobind Singh for the cause of women. It is generally women,it is better to examine the general said that a state of society can be judged condition of women duringthe medieval from the status, a woman occupies in the period. The position of woman was society. Sikh gurus worked for the upliftment different in different ages . With the and emancipation of women. According to advent of the Muslim rule ,the status of Guru ji, women being the most important woman degraded. They had no part of the society should be treated with respect. His compositions reveals that he individuality of theirown.Theyweretreatedas was concerned at the severely degraded and slaves .They were considered as an oppressed state of women and preached the object of man's sexual satisfaction .Many message of equality between the two sexes. social evils in the societycropped up like He raised his voice against women female infanticide ,child marriage ,dowry discrimination and social evils like Adultery, system ,sati system ,polygamy, pitiable Female infanticide,Polygamy etc. It is an attempt to underline how they were condition of widows etc .Young unmarried encouraged to dream, hope to have spiritual girls were carried off by the members of aspiration and fight against tyranny. He the ruling class. To save their daughters freed women from the slavery of men by from this evil ,the parents adopted two giving the name Kaur to them. This paper methods -they either killed their newborn also highlights the famous women during daughters or married them at the age of 5 Guru Gobind singh ji period like Mata Sikh Gujari,Mata Sundari ,Mai Bhago etc. or 6. These methods gave birth to new evils - female infanticide and child Key Words -Guru Gobind marriage respectively .The birth of a girl Singhji,Women,Social evils,Kaur,Mata child was considered a source of misery Gujari,Mata Sundari,Mai Bhago the condition of widows was miserable .They were forced to die with the funeral In order to appreciate the contribution of pyre of their husband . Although the Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 942 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue 09 August 2017 widower could remarry ,the widows of the father. God is the mother as well could not remarry or enjoy the pleasures as father. of life . ''thoulord ,art my mother and thou my father, Polygamy was prevalentthe society.''One wif husband and wife, who have one soul in two e,OneMan''applied only to women and not to .” bodies 1 the men.In the religious field,they were not There are 3 concepts in Sikhism which lay allowed to read or study the holy scripture. great importance to women. They were denied access to education.The women had no identity of 1. The women is equated with nature or their own .Further ,the ideals of Kudrat or Prakriti which is a Feminine asceticism and Renunciation also had 2. The Earth or the Dharti is referred to as their impact on the status of woman a Mother .The attraction of the female was 3. Sangat enjoys a great place in Sikhism. considered to be a temptation .She was Sangat comes from the word Samiti callled a seducer .Thus ,we find which means" Daughter of God." condemnation of woman in this period .In this period of injustice with woman , we The Sikh Gurus have made abundant use of Feminine symbols in Sikh Scriptures and find her receiving full respect in SGGS . day to day life. The Sikh Gurus have used The Nine gurus and the status of poetry as the medium of Communication. The poetry of the Gurus were not called women 'Guru Vak' which is Masculine but 'Gurbani' All the Sikh Gurus worked for the social which is Feminine. upliftment of women.The sikh gurus have great Guru Nanak Dev ji, father of Sikhism, was reverence for women .In SGGS , there are the first to start, a social reform Movement many Hymns which shows that women is as he raised a strong voice in favour of given due respect in it. In many religions, social equality of women. In his hymns, God has been addressed as father. particularly, ASA DI VAAR and many other However, in Sikhism, God hymns enshrined in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, has been addressed as motherland father. Guru Nanak dev ji strongly advocated Guru Arjun dev ji, raised the status of respect and equality for women. The woman by using the feminine name principle of equality was followed and given to God [mother ] before the name propagated by successive Gurus, in the Sikh Galaxy. Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 943 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue 09 August 2017 In Sri Guru Granth Sahib, there are several women not only towards her rights but also verses which shows that women is given due towards her womanhood that she had respect. Infact, there is no other scripture in forgotten due to years of exploitation. In the world which gives so much importance SGGS, we find many banis which explains to the women that separate banis present the the various qualities a women should character and virtues of a women. possess. Guru Nanak dev ji has considered. Air as the Guru Nanak Dev ji, father of Sikhism, was Guru; water as the father and the Earth as the first to start, a social reform Movement the womb of Mother where everything as he raised a strong voice in favour of needed by the mankind is produced. In Fact, social equality of women. In his hymns, it is the essence of Nanakian philosophy and particularly, ASA DI VAAR and many other is given at the end of JAP. hymns enshrined in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak dev ji advises to practice Guru Nanak dev ji strongly advocated righteousness for peaceful life and to save respect and equality for women. The this (Mata Dharat Mahat) for coming principle of equality was followed and generation of the humanity. The earth, as a propagated by successive Gurus, in the Sikh place, to practice righteousness has also Galaxy. been explained by Guru Nanak dev ji in the In Sri Guru Granth Sahib, there are several stanza 34 of Jap. The tradition of verses which shows that women is given due condemnation of women was seen during respect. Infact, there is no other scripture in Guru Nanak’s period. In this period of the world which gives so much importance injustice with women, We find her receiving to the women that separate banis present the full respect in SGGS. character and virtues of a women. Guru Nanak dev ji said in Asa di Vaar, Guru Nanak dev ji raised a strong voice in “Why call her bad who gives birth to the favour of social equality of women. In “Asa kings.”2 di Vaar” and many other hymns of SGGS, Guru Nanak dev ji emphasized that man Guru Nanak dev ji advocated respect and must Accept respect and protect the rights equality for women. The principle of of every women. He also emphasized on the equality was followed by successive Gurus. equality of both man & woman. In one of In SGGS, equal importance is given to his verses, he said “there is only one male Mother & father. that is almighty God, rest all are females.” “Wisdom is the mother & Guru Nanak dev ji not only praised women contentment is father” and “great is the in his verses but also tried her to arise out of mother that gives birth to child and great is slumberness. Guru Nanak dev ji said, “Jaag the father” 3 Salondriye.” Wake up, o you sleeping women. It was a slogan to wake up the Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 944 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue 09 August 2017 Guru Nanak dev ji said,”Sikhi does not Widows,Polygamy etc. They advocated teach you to raise your hand on a women it equality of women and men. teaches you to respect them”4 During the period of Sikh Gurus, the Sikhism also preaches that equal respect custom of sati was prevalent in India. The should be given to women. women used to burn herself with her “In the earth and in the sky, do not see any husband on the funeral pyre after his death. second. Among all the women and the men. It was a kind of suicide where woman was His light is spinning.” forced to die against her wishes. Guruji Ad vocation of women Rights in SGGS in denounced Sati and advocated widow prize of women Guru Nanak Units Remarriage. He declared that a true Sati is “From the women is an birth, in the one who bravely bears the shock of woman’s womb are we shaped; separation with virtues (husband).
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