Caste System in Sikhism

Hi Friends

These days we have seen that more and more young children are getting trimmed day-by-day. Many of them are getting hair cut and rest are getting the beard trimmed. Thus the turban is disappearing from Punjab.

I have come across many reasons for this. I am sharing some of these reasons with you.

1. The major reason behind this is the rejection of Sikh boys by the Sikh girls.The Sikh boys which are not trimmed and wearing turban are facing lot of rejections and humiliation of Sikh girls which prefer the clean shaven boys only. Please pick up the matrimonial section of any news paper. You can find many advertisements in which it would be clearly mentioned "Clean Shaven Preferred". This thing is very common in Punjab and Delhi side.Can't a Sikh guy in turban and untrimmed beard be smart?

What steps are taken by the parents of the girls to improve this thing? All the times parents accept the decision of their daughters not to get married to the Sikh turbaned guy. This is the major reason among the young guys.

In metro cities where friendships among boys and girls have become very common, you will see only countable examples where a Sikh girl is and Sikh boy are going around each other. Maximum number of times you will find the Sikh girls with the non-sikh boy only. This is because the non-sikh guys don’t have beard and turban which makes them good looking(as said by girls.). So how can you expect the younger generation having the beard and turban.

2. In Punjab , we are divided into many castes like Jatts, Khatri, Ramgarias etc. Each caste has its +ve and -ve points. Jatt caste is considered as a dominant caste in punjab. A small child getting born in this caste starts considering himself superior to the other castes. Getting a hair cut is considered as a prestige issue in this society "Jattaan da munda ho ke vaal nahi katwaye". You will hardly find any Jatt boy who is a Gursikh. So getting married in Jat caste is preffered in this caste.

Now comes the Khatri caste. They can be easily recognized with their Gursikh look. They have long beard and always wear turban. They go to gurdwara daily and are gursikhs ( amrit chakhya hoya hai) but they have a bigger misunderstanding that the load of whole of the Sikhism is carried on their shoulders only and they are the only who are true sikhs. Hence they considers themselves as superiors to the other castes of sikhs. Their selection criterion of a boy is that he must have a untrimmed beard and turban. As they considers themselves as superiors, they never get ready to marry their daughters in the other castes of the sikhs. They can marry their daughters with the boys of their relatives like "bua da munda", "mame da munda" etc.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-youth/14462-caste-system-in-sikhism.html
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=14462

Similarly Ramgarias want to get married to Ramgarias only.

Now as we have divided ourselves into different castes, we already have shortened our choices. Ultimately the boys and girls don't get their compatible matches and have to get married by doing compromises. This kind of compromise marriage ultimately breaks in the future. That is why the young girls are taking their own decisions to get married to the non-sikh boys because they don’t get compatible matches.

I know in writing all these rude things I have hurt the feelings of many people. I am extremely sorry for that but my main aim to is request all the Sikhs of India to get together and fight collectively against this problem. First of all we should get united, by leaving our egos and superiority feeling, then we should think of fighting against this kind of problem. We should start making the marriage relations in all castes of sikhs. Guru Gobind Singh Jee ne amrit dee daat panj piyareya nu ditti c, oh panj piyare different castes nu belong kerde c.

If we want to save and flourish our religion, the elders will have to improve themselves so that they can teach the youngers sikhism.

Regards
richa

 
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Waheguru ji ka khalsa
Waheguru ji ki fateh

Richachhaba ji,

Your findings are very true but mere talk cannot solve these problems.
One must practice what one says !

Unless one set's an example, it is very hard to influence and change the mind set of others.

Guru Gobind Singh ji formed the Khalsa Panth an equal platform for Gursikhs (Singhs & Kaurs) One has to partake Amrit follow the Rehat and let go of their caste.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=14462
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=14462

There has to be a common ground on which the marriage is based. Like religion, custom, financial or social standing, caste, love etc

It is upto the individual what is his / her priority !

One can choose to lead or follow others.

Waheguru ji ka khalsa
Waheguru ji ki fateh

IN Sikhi/Gurmatt everything has a subtle message.
1. Everyone is EQUAL in the eyes of the GURU.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=14462
2. This is even carried to the Karah Parshad that is sanctified enough for the Gurus Darbar.

You see, when we make Gaffeh/Karrah at home..we can cut back or add on...more Sugar..less GHEE..more Atta accordign to OUR PERSONAL Taste/liking/health etc...
BUT the Karah Parshad to be made for the Gurus drabar is MANDATED to be TRIPHAVAL - EQUAL amounts of atta/khand/ghee/water. NO SHORTCHANGING..NO ADDING more of anything /ingredients. This is to show that even the Karah Parshad that is to be distributed in the Gurus Darbar to his Sangat has to be EQUAL !!!
Then This sanctified food is to be EQUALLY distributed to ALL..no discrimination..vitkara at all. Again Principle of EQUALITY is upheld.
The FAULT lies with US SIKHS..we have FAILED our GURU in understanding Him..following HIM..
Lets make an attempt at really understanding the LOFTY Principles Guru Ji brought for us...they will UPLIFT us from all this quagmires....
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=14462
Its ALL in the MINDSET..as one poster wrote soem time back..YES..Mann Jeeteh Jagjeet !!!
Gyani jarnail Singh

For anyone claiming caste discrimination doesn't effect Sikhs today: I found this on another site. I think it is pertinent.


Casteism raises head, cremation stopped

FEROZEPUR: Many in the country face the evil of caste-based discrimination in their lives. But in case of a Dalit woman in Bholuwala village, it continued even after she died. The dominant Jat Sikhs of the village did not let Dalit families cremate the body of Gurdial Kaur, 75, at the common cremation ground on Tuesday. She had died on Monday.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=14462

Jat Sikhs of the village allegedly threw out the pyre wood from the cremation ground following which the situation got tense. District administration sent the local executive magistrate and SHO of Ghal Khurd police station to the spot to diffuse the tension and persuade the Dalits to cremate the body at a vacant land in the village late on Tuesday afternoon.

According to sources, some Jat Sikh families had filed a case some time back to prevent Dalits from using the common cremation ground of the village, but the court had issued a stay order in favour of the Dalits pending a final decision. However, Jat Sikhs of the village claimed they hadn't received any such orders from the court.

They said Dalits had been given a separate piece of land, measuring about one kanal, for use as cremation ground for the last many years. Jagtar Singh, a resident of the village belonging to the dominating caste said Dalits had unnecessarily raised this issue at the behest of some local politicians to create tension.

Some people said similar tension had gripped the village when a Dalit man Gurdial Singh had died. That issue was resolved peacefully. Caste-based discrimination has deep roots in the village, which actually has two separate gurdwaras for the two communities. Dalit residents of the village alleged that being a minority and a financially depressed community, they were being discriminated against by the influential Jat Sikhs of the village.

Caste Concerns in Cremation Grounds in Punjab - Totally Contrary to Sikh Teachings

OTTAWA(Canada): The World Sikh Organization (WSO) expresses shock and outrage at the caste-based discrimination disallowing cremation of Gurdial Kaur in the common cremation grounds in the village of Bholuwala, Punjab.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji strongly condemned the ugly caste system prevalent in India over 500 years ago. He advocated equality of all individuals. "Amongst Sikhs, there is no caste" said, Ram Raghbir Singh Chahal, International President of WSO. Guru instituted langar, a community kitchen where all people, regardless of caste, race, religion or gender, sit side by side to eat.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the 10th Guru, put his final seal on the concept of equality at the first initiation ceremony of the Khalsa. He offered sacred Amrit, to all people, regardless of caste, creed or gender. It is relevant to note that he declined to admit so-called upper caste Rajputs to the new order of Khalsa, as they desired a special initiation ceremony, separate from those, they believed to be, of lower castes. The Panj Piarey (the five beloved ones) came from different caste backgrounds. "It's shameful that hundreds of years later, we're still arguing about cast based cremation grounds in Punjab" said, Gurpreet Singh Bal, WSO Canada President.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=14462

"Clinging on to the discriminatory divisions like Jat, Ramgharia, Khatri or Dalit Sikh is contrary to Guru's teaching and reflects ignorance on part of some Sikhs. This incident highlights a pressing need for strong educational campaign among Sikhs to rid our society of the lingering effects of the caste system and other social evils like drugs, dowries and female infanticide", said Gian Singh Sandhu, WSO Senior Policy Advisor.

The WSO urges the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) to launch a community wide educational endeavour to understand and practise Sikhism as it was intended to be. We also urge public media in Punjab to accept these and other societal challenges and become agents of desirable and necessary changes.

More sad news.

I am just checking to see if the thread is functional

Did he expect to be told that YES Jatts are SUPERIOR ??

I am a supposed "Jatt" (Dhillon Clan whose ancestor/founder is said to have founded Delhi !!)..but as things stand now..i dont own any farmland..i TEACH for a Living and retired as aTEACHER......so how am i "superior" to my neighbour who is supposedly Chamaar but who retired as a HEADMASTER and earns more than me ??

When will we listen to our Gurus..REALLY LISTEN..not just pretend to do so. Waheguru is NOT interested in our diets, our colour, our superiroty/lowness, where we stay, what passport we hold...etc etc...all HE will see is our Naam kamaii..our DEEDS..whether we really LOVED His CREATION as He does...whether we see all as ONE..as He does....etc etc. How right someone has said..You DONT see GOD if you dont see His Creation..one cannot see ONE God if one doesnt see His People as One.

Gyani jarnail Singh

SSA,
There is no room for caste system in sikhism. Many will say that they have experianced it in many sikhs then only things I will say that those who believe in caste system cannot be called sikhs. For real sikhs caste system does not exists
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=14462
Roopsidhu

Bling ji, You are welcome to repost in English. Any comments written exclusively in Punjabi without some English summary are a violation of TOS. The official language of SPN is English. Therefore a post has been deleted. spnadmin

I HAVE NEVER SEEN A"JATT GURDWARA" BUT HAVE COME ACROSS "RAMGARHIA GURDWARA" WRITTEN ON SOME GURDWARAS.

Admin note: Ramgarhia is not a caste, but one of the missls of Sikhi to follow the death of Guru Gobind Singh.