Sikh Religion and Women Respect those who endure great pain and give birth to Kings, Saints and the whole human race. First Edition 2006 1000 copies G.S.Sidhu M.A Publisher:…………… 1 Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................ 5 OPINIONS........................................................................................................ 6 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 11 FOREWORD ................................................................................................. 13 CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................ 15 WOMEN IN SOCIAL HISTORY ........................................................................ 15 CHAPTER TWO ........................................................................................... 21 WOMEN IN ISLAM ........................................................................................ 21 CHAPTER THREE....................................................................................... 29 WOMEN IN CHRISTIANITY AND JUDAISM ..................................................... 29 (a) Judaism......................................................................................... 30 (b) Christianity ....................................................................................... 34 CHAPTER FOUR.......................................................................................... 38 WOMEN IN HINDUISM,BUDDHISM, AND JAINISM ........................................ 38 4.1 Women in Vedic Period.................................................................... 38 4.2 Post-Vedic period ............................................................................. 40 4.3 Medieval Times................................................................................. 48 4.4 Modern Times................................................................................... 49 4.5 Dev Dasis ......................................................................................... 50 4.6 Buddhism.......................................................................................... 51 4.7 Sidh Naths ........................................................................................ 53 4.8 Jainism ............................................................................................. 55 4.9 Shaivas and Vaishnavas ................................................................... 56 4.10 Influence of Hinduism on the Panjab ............................................. 57 CHAPTER FIVE ........................................................................................... 60 WOMAN IN SIKH RELIGION AND HISTORY.................................................... 60 5.1 Female morality of the time.............................................................. 60 5.2 Contribution of the Sikh Gurus......................................................... 61 5.3 Family life ........................................................................................ 65 5.4 Celibacy............................................................................................ 72 5.5 Purdah (veil) .................................................................................... 73 5.6 Sati.................................................................................................... 74 2 5.7 Sutak/ Patak...................................................................................... 76 5.8 Spiritual/ social discrimination ........................................................ 76 5.9 Gender differences ........................................................................... 77 5.10 Discrimination in Education .......................................................... 79 5.11 Molestation of women/ shielding unprotected women.................... 80 5.12 Re-marriage of widows................................................................... 82 5.13 Right of Opinion ............................................................................. 82 5.14 Female infanticide.......................................................................... 83 5.15 Dev Dasis ....................................................................................... 84 5.16 Varat (fasting) ................................................................................ 84 5.17 Liberated Women ........................................................................... 86 CHAPTER SIX .............................................................................................. 88 THE WESTERN SCENE .................................................................................. 88 6.1 Western marriages ........................................................................... 90 6.2 Divorce in the West .......................................................................... 93 6.3 Social Trends in Western morality ................................................... 94 6.4 Honour Killing ................................................................................. 95 CHAPTER SEVEN........................................................................................ 97 CONTRIBUTIONS OF SIKH WOMEN................................................................ 97 7.1 Women in Sikh History ..................................................................... 97 7.2 Women in Sikh Politics................................................................... 100 CHAPTER EIGHT...................................................................................... 102 SPIRITUAL SIKH WOMEN ............................................................................ 102 8.1 Bibi Nanaki (1464-1518 AD).......................................................... 102 8.2 Bibi Basant Kaur............................................................................ 103 8.3 Mata Khivi...................................................................................... 103 8.4 Bibi Amro ....................................................................................... 104 8.5 Bibi Bhani Ji................................................................................... 105 8.6 Bibi Viro Ji ..................................................................................... 106 8.7 Mata Sahib Kaur (1681-1747 AD) ................................................. 107 8.8 Mata Gujri (1619-1704 AD)........................................................... 110 8.9 Mata Sundri.................................................................................... 111 8.10 Mai Bhatti..................................................................................... 114 8.11 Mai Bhagbhari ............................................................................. 114 8.12 Bibi Raj Kaur................................................................................ 115 8.13 Bibi Roop Kaur............................................................................. 115 8.14 Bibi Pardhan Kaur Kaur.............................................................. 116 8.15 Bibi Bhan Kaur Chhiniwal ........................................................... 117 8.16 Meer Mannu’s (1748-1753 AD) Atrocities................................... 118 8.17 Torture camps in Malwa .............................................................. 120 CHAPTER NINE......................................................................................... 122 3 POLITICIAN AND FIGHTER SIKH WOMEN ...................................... 122 9.1 Maharani Fatto (Fateh Kaur) ........................................................ 125 9.2 Bibi Rajinder Kaur ......................................................................... 127 9.3 Bibi Sahib Kaur.............................................................................. 128 9.4 Mai Bhago (Bhag Kaur)................................................................. 133 9.5 Bibi Sharan Kaur 1......................................................................... 136 9.6 Bibi Sharan Kaur 2......................................................................... 137 9.7 Bibi Deep Kaur............................................................................... 138 9.8 Bibi Dharam Kaur.......................................................................... 138 9.9 Bibi Maan Kaur.............................................................................. 139 9.10 Mata Kishan Kaur ........................................................................ 139 9.11 Bibi Maan Kaur (Rameana) and Bibi Balbir Kaur ...................... 142 9.12 Sada Kaur (1762-1832AD)........................................................... 143 9.13 Maharani Jind Kaur..................................................................... 145 9.14 Struggle for independence............................................................ 148 CHAPTER TEN........................................................................................... 149 MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE.......................................................................... 149 10.1 What the Sikh Gurus inherited...................................................... 149 10.2 What the Sikh Gurus left............................................................... 151 10.3 Arranged marriages ..................................................................... 153 10.4 Sikhism and Violence.................................................................... 154