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Kirpan and Turban-The Sikh Identity

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Kirpan and Turban-The Sikh Identity Kirpan and turban-the Sikh identity Kim Kyung-hak Professor, Chonnam National University n November 2001, a 12-year-old Sikh named Gurbaj Singh Multani showed up to his Montreal elementary school class wearing a kirpan ─a ceremonial dagger he is required to wear under the tenets of his I Sikh religion. The school banned Mutani from wearing the dagger, citing its zero tolerance against weapons, and sent notice to his family that he would be asked to leave the school if he continued to wear the kirpan. The Multani family and the Montreal Sikh community filed a suit against the school board’s council of commissioners for violating the Canadian Charter of Rights that guarantees freedom of religion. After the five-year court struggle from the Quebec Superior Court to the Court of Appeal and to the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court found the school board’s decision to expel Gurbaj for wearing a kirpan to school unjustified and ruled against the total ban on kirpans. When I met Gurbaj at his home in Montreal in 2010, he was a college student wearing a turban and beard. The legal battle which lasted nearly six 126 POSRI Chindia Quarterly�Spring 2013 :: Culture years had turned him into an orthodox Sikh with a clear sense of identity. In 2006, the Central Sikh Council in Punjab, India recognized Gurbaj Singh Multani as an “Honorable Sikh,” an award given to Sikhs who have fought to keep their religious beliefs. Gurbaj and the Sikh community’s single- minded struggle to protect their religious symbol, through a legal battle, is understandable in light of the beginning and development of Sikhism. ○● Early Sikhism rejected idol worship and emphasized egalitarianism Sikhism was created in the 15th century by Guru Nanak, who rejected idol worship. During the Nanak era, the term Sikh only meant a disciple of a guru. Nanak was only interested in leading laypeople to redemption rather than introducing a new religious movement. As the Sikhs were not concerned with creating their own identity to distinguish themselves from Hindus and Muslims in Punjab in the 17th century, they enjoyed Hindu festivals and even adopted certain Hindu philosophies and belief. However, Sikhs did have their own book of chants at the time, independent of Hindu or Muslim scriptures. Sikhism had its own religious characteristics of rejecting idol worship, criticizing the caste system, and emphasizing egalitarianism. From the founder Guru Nanak to the 10th Guru Gobind Singh, ten Gurus have developed Sikhism. Since the death of Guru Gobind Singh, there has been no human Guru but Guru Granth Sahib─a scripture of the Sikhs─ treated as the eternal Guru. ○● 5 Ks as a clear marker of Sikh identity Sikh as an organized religion with external symbols revealing its distinctive identity was developed by Gurus that succeeded the founder Guru Nanak. The biggest stumbling block for the Sikhs in Punjab was the oppressive rule of the Mughal Empire. The 5th Guru Arjan Sahib Ji and the 127 Spring 2013�POSRI Chindia Quarterly 9th Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji were beheaded by Mughal Emperors Jahangir and Aurangzeb, respectively. Under the 6th Guru Hargobind, whose father had died a martyr, Sikhism became militaristic in nature. Gobind Singh, who became the 10th Sikh Guru in his teen after his father’s death, inaugurated the Khalsa order and created the 5Ks and required all followers to observe them to clearly identify them as Sikhs. The 5Ks are the five articles of faith that Khalsa Sikhs wear at all times: Kesh, uncut hair; Kangha, a wooden comb; Kachera, cotton underwear as a reminder of the commitment to purity; Kara, a steel bracelet representing devotion; and Kirpan, a dagger which symbolizes self-defense, dignity and unyielding spirit. By wearing the 5Ks, the Sikhs became easily distinguishable from Hindus and Muslims. Though not one of the 5Ks, the turban has become the most clear Sikh symbol of identification. Presumably, the 10th Guru Gobind Singh emphasized the strict observance of the 5Ks in order to distinguish the Sikhs from Muslims. Punjab was the gateway to India from the north, and the most powerful outside threat at that time was posed by Muslim invaders. After seizing the Punjab region in 1799, Maharaja Ranjit Singh destroyed the Mughal Empire and created the Sikh Empire which enjoyed years of golden prosperity. In fact, he was not a devout Sikh, but he nonetheless was responsible for the gold-gilded upper floors of Harmandir Sahib, since renamed the Golden Temple. After the annexation of Punjab to the British Dominions in 1849, Governor-General Lord Dalhousie welcomed into the British army Sikhs whose bravery, he believed, stemmed from the Khalsa appearance of wearing kirpans and turbans. With the help from Sikh priests, the colonial army held an initiation ceremony for Sikh recruits and gave special attention to the appearance of Sikh soldiers. It is interesting that the British colonial government played a role in solidifying the Sikhs’ religious identity and appearance. 128 POSRI Chindia Quarterly�Spring 2013 :: Culture Until the 19th century, some Brahmans in the Punjab region officiated Sikh wedding ceremonies and controlled some Sikh temples. Arya Samaj, a new Hindu reform movement, actively conducted missionary work targeting Sikhs. In reaction to the proselytizing efforts, Sikhs began the Singh Sabha Movement to establish the Sikh identity. A review of the history shows that the Sikh identity only began to be clearly defined in the early 20th century. ○● The caste system in Sikhism today A Sikh temple is called a gurdwara. Sikhs eat the same food, while sitting together on the floor of the common dining area of Sikh temples known as langar. This ritual represents a rejection of the hierarchical caste system. All Sikh men are given the last name Singh and all women, the name “Kaur”, so as not to reveal the caste of a person prior to their conversion. Despite such efforts, Sikhs continue to be separated by their castes before conversion. Upper caste converts, for instance, do not marry or dine with untouchable converts. More than 65% of Sikhs are Jat Sikhs, mostly farmers and peasants who formerly belonged to the Jat caste. They still comprise the majority of the Sikh population who control the Gurdwara Central Board, the highest Sikh governing body in Punjab. 129 Spring 2013�POSRI Chindia Quarterly.
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