Kaur Power

Mai Harinder Kaur · #10 (**permalink**) 31-Jul-2008, 07:44 AM

Quote:

You have misunderstood my post I am not talking about family responsibilty.I am talking about responsibility toward religion.That include following tenants of Sikhism,marrying Sikh men and raising their children as sikhs.also Sikh women that marry outside their children could try to raise their children as sikhs.But I am sorry to say that I can,t that majority of Sikh girls are ready to share this reasponsibility.Infact girls are most influenced by media and bollywood and started beleiving that all religions are same so their is nothing wrong in marrying outside religion.Do they ever realise they are biggest loser in terms of religion as in indian culture children inherit religion from their father mostly and slowly they also started following their husband's religion.

Women these days are much better educated ,earning etc than 20-30 years ago but in terms of following Sikhism they are no match what women use to be a generation or 2 ago .Infact women were the one who encouraged Sikh men to follow Sikhism.

ads1980 ji

You are right, I did misunderstand. I spent the whole night thinking about what you said. (One legacy for me of surviving Delhi '84 is insomnia.)

I still believe most women are exhausted, overworked, holding down jobs as well as the lion's, I mean lioness' share of work in the home. I think about my own home life when our son was a young child. Every morning and evening we had our special time together when I took care of his kesh, washing, combing, tying, patka-ing. During this time, he would leisurely tell me whatever was on his mind, and, believe me, young kids have plenty on their minds. I well remember the day he said to me, "Mommy, when you and Daddy can't figure something out, you ask Guru Ji. Can I do that, too?" Of course, he could! I had to bring in a little stool for him to stand on. I remember how carefully he opened Guru Ji, and how slowly and carefully he read the Gurmukhi - and how he insisted on reading it himself with no help from me. I hadn't asked him his question, that was really none of my business, and he was satisfied with the answer he received, the big smile on his face told me that.

A lovely story, you say, from 1975. So what does that have to do with today?

Just this: I was able to stay at home and raise our child. Don't get me wrong, I worked my tush off on our little family farm while Mani, my husband, was in town being a doctor, but I was always there. Even in my generation, though, motherhood was being discredited as an occupation. As time has gone on, this trend has accelerated until today, the stay-at-home mom is considered almost a miscreant. I wonder how much energy I would have had as a teacher of Sikhi had I had to hold down a job, take care of the home AND raise our child.

The young women today did not have the upbringing I had, nor the upbringing my son had. They really have no idea how to bring up Gursikh children. I am not blaming anyone, these are just the facts.

I loved being a mother, that's just my thing. I realise not all women want to be stay-at-homes with the kids. Nor are many able to, financially. That can work out OK, but only with the whole-hearted cooperation of the husband. The married couple must really work together as a team. None of this 50-50 nonsense. Each must give 100%. Oh, dear, I'm not a marriage counsellor, just a 56 year old lioness with some experience.

Quote:

it could have been a man in the picture

the essence would have remained the same.

amarsanghera ji

Not at all. The point is that one would expect to see a man there, not a woman. It is unusual to see a woman, who in Punjabi-Sikh culture is taught to stay in the background and not assert herself, put herself forward like that. Look at the pictures of the recent clashes/protests in Punjab and Mumbai and compare the numbers of men and women.

Quote:

In Thailand, it is the Kaurs who boss around, and the Singhs are their "Yes Men".
Bring some of the Thai Kaurs and the world will never be the same again, ever.

Oh, really? Please send me the list of the ladies who are gurdwara presidents in Thailand.

On my computer, I can't get that second picture to download, so I have put it on as my avatar.

I know this is already too long, but I have one more thing I need to say.

Let me tell the ending of my son's story. I am, after all, his mother and terribly proud of him. When the day came - and it did come - when he had to choose between cutting his kesh and possibly surviving or keeping it and certainly dying, he chose shaheedi. Maybe that has nothing to do with this thread, really, but I think it needs to be told.

Narayanjot Kaur · #11 (**permalink**) 31-Jul-2008, 07:55 AM

So there are two Kaurs and three Singhs speaking so far. Singhs, you are welcome as always to join the talk, but.. Please, where are the other Kaurs?

Astroboy · #12 (**permalink**) 31-Jul-2008, 10:23 AM

Presidents don't hold the powers to make the decisions, it is the vajeer (his menteri).
This reminds me of the story of Akbar and his favorite advisor, Birbal.

Narayanjot Kaur · #13 (**permalink**) 31-Jul-2008, 10:26 AM

I don't know the story.

Huck_Finn · #14 (**permalink**) 31-Jul-2008, 10:44 AM

<<It is unusual to see a woman, who in Punjabi-Sikh culture is taught to stay in the background and not assert herself, put herself forward like that. Look at the pictures of the recent clashes/protests in Punjab and Mumbai and compare the numbers of men and women.>>
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/business-and-lifestyle/22488-kaur-power.html
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=22488

times, they are changing