Girls in my office getting crazy about my turban colors now..

Somya on May 10, 2005 03:33 PM Linda, unless you’ve been to India I would cool it on claiming that Sikhism is into equal rights for women. Although the book the Sikhs consider holy may not say anything against women and may say something in favor, perhaps even granting them equal status with men in the community, it is not practiced. You will find mostly Sikh men taking on roles of “power” and influence in the Gurudwar, more than women. Exceptions are always there – I’m not addressing those

FIRSTLY, poor Linda was just extolling the virtues of her religion, not attacking anyone else’s religion. You shouldn’t attack her like this for believing in her religion or try to insult her religion as retaliation. I feel obligated to come to her defence. I shall try to stick to the facts and not to insult any religion in the process. Please do excuse me if i inadvertently still do so.

So let me answer you one at a time. To ASR, (since you insist on comparing) I am sure the vedic religions you mention were created for the better of mankind and to guide a then-barbaric man (for the want of a better term) to lead an innately “good” life. But unfortunately, possibly because they are so old (and I do not mean any disrespect by that), they are shrouded by enormous superstition and feed on man’s fear of the un-known elements by threatening man with “punishment” etc if he displeases any of the gods. Also, there are too many rituals & gods, fasts, casteism etc etc and their ramifications which of course are exploited abundantly by the pandits and other keepers of the faith. Let me give u a tiny example: my hindu girl-friends do not enter temples or do puja at mandirs at home when they have their period as they will make the place/ritual “impure”; another was instructed to buy a brass sun & worship it everyday, wash it and drink it’s water for a few months and then give it away as that would shoo away bad grahas hampering her marriage. The poor thing fell ill half way – it does leave you a little appalled that such practices continue in this time & world. There are numerous other examples I can give you but not possible here to tell u bout it. Coming back, Sikhism, on the other hand has the unfair advantage of being a relatively recent and modern religion founded at about the same time Columbus discovered America in the west, and has narrowed the 33 crore gods of the vedic religions & Hinduism to one. Secondly, it discourages openly ANY kind of superstitions and teaches man not to be afraid of anything unknown or its wrath -rather only try to understand it(scientific). As for the pro-democracy, it teaches not be under anyone or answerable to anyone except yourself and your god. Also doesn’t discriminate on the basis of sex or caste. Hence it is pro-sci/tech and democratic.

To SOMYA – Sikhism is VERY much into equal rights for women and I understand your ignorance of the history as well as teachings of the religion. And kindly refrain from being disrespectful of other religions’ holy books – be it the Guru Granth Sahib as in this case or any other holy book like the Bible or Quran. I trust you have never read the Guru Granth Sahib or you would not have so rudely insulted “the book that the sikhs CONSIDER holy that might even say something in favor of women” as you put it. Well, I think you mixed up on things here. If you read what Linda has written you’ll see that she stated that the holy book grants women equal rights. She never once claimed what you are trying to imply. What she has stated IS a fact. You would have to read the Guru Granth Sahib to see for yourself. As for the men “holding positions” in Gurudwaras, you assume that that has something to do with power or equality because in Hinduism, women cannot be pandits. It is not so in Sikhism. You probably haven’t seen women in gurudwaras just for the simple reason that it is a difficult job to do and also not safe for a single woman to live on the Gurudwara grounds and fulfil all the rigorous duties required of a caretaker. It has nothing to do with “power” or “equality” as you choose to see. Numerous Gurudwaras are located on stretches that become deserted at night (like open fields in villages and closed marketplaces in cities) and anyone residing inside provides an easy target for attack, a woman more so. Women are religious leaders all over the world in Sikhism including India. They just don’t have to live in Gurudwaras to do so as there are infinite other ways to be religious. It’s more important to serve your people/humanity.

A sikh means no problem. If a sikh enters a hall where many people are discussing a problem, mostly a sikh will have the solution for it.

Sikh which is a Khalsa & as our Guru Gobind Singh ji wrote that ‘Kalsa mero pind pran, Kalsa meri jan ki jan’. This means that our Guru is always with us at all the time.

Life is mixture of goods, bads & worsts.

Remeber Guru in Good time :- If we remeber guru in good time we are blessed with all the best in good time. We get a juice of postive work or energy to fight in the bad times.

Remeber Guru in Bad time :- If we remeber guru in bad time it helps to fight the results of bad deeds.

In last I will like to say that there has been noon in the history who is like Guru Gobind Singh ji. There has been no matching poet like him, there has been no fighter like him, there has been no saint like him, there has been no scarfier like him. I am thankful to Guru Gobind Singh ji who has given me a chance to be sikh & want my all next coming birth to be born as sikh & always close to him.

Jagjit Singh

Converting to Sikhism or any other religion is unlikely to better the lives of Dalits or other lower caste Hindus. When Dalits convert, they not only face persistent discrimination in their adopted religion/community but they are further unable to claim relief from the government (affirmative action/quotas for scheduled castes) because they’re no longer considered Hindus. It’s a double whammy for Dalits.