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Guru Granth Sahib
Composition, Arrangement & Layout
ਜਪੁ | Jup
ਸੋ ਦਰੁ | So Dar
ਸੋਹਿਲਾ | Sohilaa
ਰਾਗੁ ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ | Raag Siree-Raag
Gurbani (14-53)
Ashtpadiyan (53-71)
Gurbani (71-74)
Pahre (74-78)
Chhant (78-81)
Vanjara (81-82)
Vaar Siri Raag (83-91)
Bhagat Bani (91-93)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਝ | Raag Maajh
Gurbani (94-109)
Ashtpadi (109)
Ashtpadiyan (110-129)
Ashtpadi (129-130)
Ashtpadiyan (130-133)
Bara Maha (133-136)
Din Raen (136-137)
Vaar Maajh Ki (137-150)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗਉੜੀ | Raag Gauree
Gurbani (151-185)
Quartets/Couplets (185-220)
Ashtpadiyan (220-234)
Karhalei (234-235)
Ashtpadiyan (235-242)
Chhant (242-249)
Baavan Akhari (250-262)
Sukhmani (262-296)
Thittee (296-300)
Gauree kii Vaar (300-323)
Gurbani (323-330)
Ashtpadiyan (330-340)
Baavan Akhari (340-343)
Thintteen (343-344)
Vaar Kabir (344-345)
Bhagat Bani (345-346)
ਰਾਗੁ ਆਸਾ | Raag Aasaa
Gurbani (347-348)
Chaupaday (348-364)
Panchpadde (364-365)
Kaafee (365-409)
Aasaavaree (409-411)
Ashtpadiyan (411-432)
Patee (432-435)
Chhant (435-462)
Vaar Aasaa (462-475)
Bhagat Bani (475-488)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗੂਜਰੀ | Raag Goojaree
Gurbani (489-503)
Ashtpadiyan (503-508)
Vaar Gujari (508-517)
Vaar Gujari (517-526)
ਰਾਗੁ ਦੇਵਗੰਧਾਰੀ | Raag Dayv-Gandhaaree
Gurbani (527-536)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਹਾਗੜਾ | Raag Bihaagraa
Gurbani (537-556)
Chhant (538-548)
Vaar Bihaagraa (548-556)
ਰਾਗੁ ਵਡਹੰਸ | Raag Wadhans
Gurbani (557-564)
Ashtpadiyan (564-565)
Chhant (565-575)
Ghoriaan (575-578)
Alaahaniiaa (578-582)
Vaar Wadhans (582-594)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸੋਰਠਿ | Raag Sorath
Gurbani (595-634)
Asatpadhiya (634-642)
Vaar Sorath (642-659)
ਰਾਗੁ ਧਨਾਸਰੀ | Raag Dhanasaree
Gurbani (660-685)
Astpadhiya (685-687)
Chhant (687-691)
Bhagat Bani (691-695)
ਰਾਗੁ ਜੈਤਸਰੀ | Raag Jaitsree
Gurbani (696-703)
Chhant (703-705)
Vaar Jaitsaree (705-710)
Bhagat Bani (710)
ਰਾਗੁ ਟੋਡੀ | Raag Todee
ਰਾਗੁ ਬੈਰਾੜੀ | Raag Bairaaree
ਰਾਗੁ ਤਿਲੰਗ | Raag Tilang
Gurbani (721-727)
Bhagat Bani (727)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸੂਹੀ | Raag Suhi
Gurbani (728-750)
Ashtpadiyan (750-761)
Kaafee (761-762)
Suchajee (762)
Gunvantee (763)
Chhant (763-785)
Vaar Soohee (785-792)
Bhagat Bani (792-794)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ | Raag Bilaaval
Gurbani (795-831)
Ashtpadiyan (831-838)
Thitteen (838-840)
Vaar Sat (841-843)
Chhant (843-848)
Vaar Bilaaval (849-855)
Bhagat Bani (855-858)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗੋਂਡ | Raag Gond
Gurbani (859-869)
Ashtpadiyan (869)
Bhagat Bani (870-875)
ਰਾਗੁ ਰਾਮਕਲੀ | Raag Ramkalee
Ashtpadiyan (902-916)
Gurbani (876-902)
Anand (917-922)
Sadd (923-924)
Chhant (924-929)
Dakhnee (929-938)
Sidh Gosat (938-946)
Vaar Ramkalee (947-968)
ਰਾਗੁ ਨਟ ਨਾਰਾਇਨ | Raag Nat Narayan
Gurbani (975-980)
Ashtpadiyan (980-983)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਲੀ ਗਉੜਾ | Raag Maalee Gauraa
Gurbani (984-988)
Bhagat Bani (988)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਰੂ | Raag Maaroo
Gurbani (889-1008)
Ashtpadiyan (1008-1014)
Kaafee (1014-1016)
Ashtpadiyan (1016-1019)
Anjulian (1019-1020)
Solhe (1020-1033)
Dakhni (1033-1043)
ਰਾਗੁ ਤੁਖਾਰੀ | Raag Tukhaari
Bara Maha (1107-1110)
Chhant (1110-1117)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕੇਦਾਰਾ | Raag Kedara
Gurbani (1118-1123)
Bhagat Bani (1123-1124)
ਰਾਗੁ ਭੈਰਉ | Raag Bhairo
Gurbani (1125-1152)
Partaal (1153)
Ashtpadiyan (1153-1167)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਸੰਤੁ | Raag Basant
Gurbani (1168-1187)
Ashtpadiyan (1187-1193)
Vaar Basant (1193-1196)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸਾਰਗ | Raag Saarag
Gurbani (1197-1200)
Partaal (1200-1231)
Ashtpadiyan (1232-1236)
Chhant (1236-1237)
Vaar Saarang (1237-1253)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਲਾਰ | Raag Malaar
Gurbani (1254-1293)
Partaal (1265-1273)
Ashtpadiyan (1273-1278)
Chhant (1278)
Vaar Malaar (1278-91)
Bhagat Bani (1292-93)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕਾਨੜਾ | Raag Kaanraa
Gurbani (1294-96)
Partaal (1296-1318)
Ashtpadiyan (1308-1312)
Chhant (1312)
Vaar Kaanraa
Bhagat Bani (1318)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕਲਿਆਨ | Raag Kalyaan
Gurbani (1319-23)
Ashtpadiyan (1323-26)
ਰਾਗੁ ਪ੍ਰਭਾਤੀ | Raag Prabhaatee
Gurbani (1327-1341)
Ashtpadiyan (1342-51)
ਰਾਗੁ ਜੈਜਾਵੰਤੀ | Raag Jaijaiwanti
Gurbani (1352-53)
Salok | Gatha | Phunahe | Chaubole | Swayiye
Sehskritee Mahala 1
Sehskritee Mahala 5
Gaathaa Mahala 5
Phunhay Mahala 5
Chaubolae Mahala 5
Shaloks Bhagat Kabir
Shaloks Sheikh Farid
Swaiyyae Mahala 5
Swaiyyae in Praise of Gurus
Shaloks in Addition To Vaars
Shalok Ninth Mehl
Mundavanee Mehl 5
ਰਾਗ ਮਾਲਾ, Raag Maalaa
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<blockquote data-quote="Archived_Member16" data-source="post: 93758" data-attributes="member: 884"><p style="text-align: left"><strong><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #ff0000"><u>FOOD FOR THOUGHT: </u></span></span></span></strong></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><strong><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #ff0000"><em>We must first focus on and define the causes : What attracts the "people" to these Deras ? How can we fulfil those desired needs within the Sikh institutions? Genuine actions are a must, not mere words !</em></span></span></span></strong></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><strong><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="color: #ff0000">Harbhajan</span></span></em></strong></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><strong><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 9px"><span style="color: #800080"><span style="color: #000080">source: </span></span></span><a href="http://www.southasiapost.org/2007/20071031/features.htm" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 9px"><span style="color: plum">http://www.southasiapost.org/2007/20071031/features.htm</span></span></a></span></strong></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><strong><span style="color: #000080"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 15px">Caste, Gender and the Sikhs</span></span></span></strong></p> <p style="text-align: left"><strong><span style="color: #000080"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">By Balvinder</span></span></span></strong></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><span style="color: #000080"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>T</strong></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">HE Supreme Court of India recently confirmed life imprisonments for three Sikh men, accused of ‘honour kills’. While delivering the judgment one of the judges, Justice H.S. Bedi expressed his anguish and disbelief by stating that how could such a thing happen in a family of Sikhs, who are fundamentally opposed to caste, based classifications.</span></span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #000080">The Sikhs are expected nay ordained by their religion to keep their woman folk in high esteem. Yet Punjab, where they are in majority, is currently facing an imbalance in the sex ratio that is tilting heavily against female population; and for no hidden reasons. Both nadi mar [smokers] and kudi mar [killers of daughters] are back with vengeance.</span></span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #000080">While nothing tangible is being done to tackle these burning issues that have been disturbing the Sikh social fabric, many a non-issue are raked almost regularly.</span></span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #000080">Specific issues apart, the pictures of 'angst-ridden' protesting Sikhs, belonging to different politico-religious organisations that have come up in large numbers both in India and abroad, keep appearing in the media almost regularly.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: left"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #000080">The range of these generally 'peaceful' protests, brandishing swords et al, from local to international levels, being so wide, it perhaps can not be measured in quantum. It is another story that many of these seemingly loud agitations, due to their ingenious dramatization by the media, often have less number of actual agitators than the flock of press photographers and journalists!</span></span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #000080">Equally enigmatic remain the purposes and profits of such recurring agitations. Take for instance the ongoing demonstrations that are being organised against religious 'atrocities' that allegedly are inflicted, rather 'discriminately', particularly upon Sikhs living and working in the Western countries!</span></span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #000080">'Atrocities'? Like that of preventing, as per the Western local laws, a handful of Sikhs from wearing weapons ('kirpans') or turbans at work places or educational institutions. These outwardly 'anguished' protest-fights by many a local Sikh group include, apart from the routine road shows, a number of paid-by-others 'taxing' trips to foreign lands also. Mercifully none objects to the wearing of safety helmets, in place of turbans, by the Sikh fighter pilots of Indian Air Force.</span></span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #000080"><strong><em>Unfortunately, some of the recent Sikh-religious protests, which are aimed against the 'dera' culture, because of blatant political interferences, have started taking violent shapes in this region. A really disturbing trend indeed that could push Punjab into quagmire of violence that only recently ended.</em></strong></span></span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #000080">Sadly enough, no proactive Sikh religious organisation, local or foreign based, seems to have ever bothered to find reasons that have lead to the abrogation of the traditional turbaned/bearded Sikh-look by a large majority of the Sikhs; youngsters in particular. This unfortunate trend has now penetrated into the Sikh psyche so intensely that today a large number of Sikh girls show their unconcealed preference for 'cut-surds' as their life partners. Innumerable matrimonial ads in the media, emphasising this inclination, sufficiently confirms this fervour.</span></span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #000080">This fast shrinking Sikh base should, in fact, have been the real cause of worry.</span></span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #000080">It seems no one's concern to find causes that have lead to the regular mass drift of Sikhs, mostly from the lower social strata,(a distinction that the fundamental doctrine of Sikhism refuses to accept; rather the caste based categorisations are considered offensive), towards comparatively 'newer' and controversial faiths/'deras', and even the putting up of separate caste based gurudwaras.</span></span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #000080">During more than two-hundred-year long era of living Sikh Gurus, from Guru Nanak (1469 AD - 1539 AD) to Guru Gobind Singh (1666 AD - 1708 AD), only two major, modifications were introduced into Sikhism. Both were necessitated by the changing times and these altered socio-political landscape of Punjab.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: left"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #000080">The first significant change was pioneered about a century after the birth of Sikhism, by Guru Hargobind, the Sixth Sikh Guru, who added a royal element to Sikhism by adopting a dual role of a saint and a warrior. Another century later the second and the most significant transformation was introduced by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and the last living Sikh Guru. He gave Sikhism not only an exclusive warrior like identity but also discontinued the tradition of having living Gurus. It too was timely and wisely considered.</span></span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #000080">A well intended 'masand' system was started by Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru, to raise funds for the construction of the holy tanks in Amritsar. Though initially the system played a successful role in preaching and organising early Sikhism it got corrupted with the passage of time. So Guru Gobind Singh had to put an end to this system.</span></span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #000080">More than three centuries have passed by since that last major change in Sikhism. However no upward modification, to suit the changed socio political situation, has been introduced into this religion during this rather longish period. Rather the corrupted 'masand' system seems to have returned to the fold.</span></span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #000080">A majority of people are getting disillusioned not with the mainstream Sikhism as they find no mitigation of the social, cultural and economic problems. The fast rise of many a sub sect within Sikhism, including the emergence of controversial 'Dera' culture and caste-based exclusive 'Gurdwaras', sufficiently substantiates the clogged approach that various managers of the Sikh affairs have been adopting for long.</span></span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #000080">So it becomes imperative to have a serious re-look at the current functioning of Sikh-affairs, both at the religious and socio-political level, which seemingly is mired in petty politics and outdated customs.</span></span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #000080">Lead purely by the then popular Bhakti movement Sikhism began as a rationalist revolt against all the prevalent orthodox religious-beliefs that had grown into fraudulent practices and were cause of immense pain to the people. Dr Gokal Chand Narang described this situation as following;" The spring of religion had been chocked up by weeds of unmeaning ceremonials, debasing superstitions, the selfishness of the priests, and the indifference of people. Form had supplanted the reality and the highly spiritual character of the Hinduism had been buried under the ostentatious paraphernalia of sects".</span></span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #000080">Guru Nanak acutely ridiculed these entire practices trough his 'Bani' (his poetic religious renditions that comprise a major part of the Adi Granth). Despite such a straightforward attack by the first Sikh Guru on both Hindu and Muslim religious rites and traditions that he considered meaningless and unworthy of continuation, the Guru's followers did not drift away from their basic ethnic characters. They continued to be the integral parts of their original cultural identities. Sikhism even after the installation of Guru Granth Sahib as the perpetual Guru of the Sikhs has gone through innumerable upheavals and conflicts.</span></span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #000080">Sikhism is passing through a relatively stable socio-political phase that is laced by an extensive democratic freedom and a global awareness; it can afford to have a close re-look. It needs to meet the current socio-political scenario in a harmonious way and check the present degradation. Sikhism needs to be re-examined, rather right away.</span></span></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Archived_Member16, post: 93758, member: 884"] [LEFT][B][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#ff0000][U]FOOD FOR THOUGHT: [/U][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B][/LEFT] [LEFT][B][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#ff0000][I]We must first focus on and define the causes : What attracts the "people" to these Deras ? How can we fulfil those desired needs within the Sikh institutions? Genuine actions are a must, not mere words ![/I][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B][/LEFT] [LEFT][B][I][FONT=Verdana][COLOR=#ff0000]Harbhajan[/COLOR][/FONT][/I][/B][/LEFT] [LEFT][B][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1][COLOR=#800080][COLOR=#000080]source: [/COLOR][/COLOR][/SIZE][URL="http://www.southasiapost.org/2007/20071031/features.htm"][SIZE=1][COLOR=plum]http://www.southasiapost.org/2007/20071031/features.htm[/COLOR][/SIZE][/URL][/FONT][/B][/LEFT] [LEFT][B][COLOR=#000080][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=4]Caste, Gender and the Sikhs[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/B] [B][COLOR=#000080][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2]By Balvinder[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/B][/LEFT] [LEFT][COLOR=#000080][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=4][B]T[/B][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2]HE Supreme Court of India recently confirmed life imprisonments for three Sikh men, accused of ‘honour kills’. While delivering the judgment one of the judges, Justice H.S. Bedi expressed his anguish and disbelief by stating that how could such a thing happen in a family of Sikhs, who are fundamentally opposed to caste, based classifications.[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/LEFT] [LEFT][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000080]The Sikhs are expected nay ordained by their religion to keep their woman folk in high esteem. Yet Punjab, where they are in majority, is currently facing an imbalance in the sex ratio that is tilting heavily against female population; and for no hidden reasons. Both nadi mar [smokers] and kudi mar [killers of daughters] are back with vengeance.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT] [LEFT][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000080]While nothing tangible is being done to tackle these burning issues that have been disturbing the Sikh social fabric, many a non-issue are raked almost regularly.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT] [LEFT][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000080]Specific issues apart, the pictures of 'angst-ridden' protesting Sikhs, belonging to different politico-religious organisations that have come up in large numbers both in India and abroad, keep appearing in the media almost regularly.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000080]The range of these generally 'peaceful' protests, brandishing swords et al, from local to international levels, being so wide, it perhaps can not be measured in quantum. It is another story that many of these seemingly loud agitations, due to their ingenious dramatization by the media, often have less number of actual agitators than the flock of press photographers and journalists![/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT] [LEFT][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000080]Equally enigmatic remain the purposes and profits of such recurring agitations. Take for instance the ongoing demonstrations that are being organised against religious 'atrocities' that allegedly are inflicted, rather 'discriminately', particularly upon Sikhs living and working in the Western countries![/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT] [LEFT][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000080]'Atrocities'? Like that of preventing, as per the Western local laws, a handful of Sikhs from wearing weapons ('kirpans') or turbans at work places or educational institutions. These outwardly 'anguished' protest-fights by many a local Sikh group include, apart from the routine road shows, a number of paid-by-others 'taxing' trips to foreign lands also. Mercifully none objects to the wearing of safety helmets, in place of turbans, by the Sikh fighter pilots of Indian Air Force.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT] [LEFT][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000080][B][I]Unfortunately, some of the recent Sikh-religious protests, which are aimed against the 'dera' culture, because of blatant political interferences, have started taking violent shapes in this region. A really disturbing trend indeed that could push Punjab into quagmire of violence that only recently ended.[/I][/B][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT] [LEFT][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000080]Sadly enough, no proactive Sikh religious organisation, local or foreign based, seems to have ever bothered to find reasons that have lead to the abrogation of the traditional turbaned/bearded Sikh-look by a large majority of the Sikhs; youngsters in particular. This unfortunate trend has now penetrated into the Sikh psyche so intensely that today a large number of Sikh girls show their unconcealed preference for 'cut-surds' as their life partners. Innumerable matrimonial ads in the media, emphasising this inclination, sufficiently confirms this fervour.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT] [LEFT][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000080]This fast shrinking Sikh base should, in fact, have been the real cause of worry.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT] [LEFT][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000080]It seems no one's concern to find causes that have lead to the regular mass drift of Sikhs, mostly from the lower social strata,(a distinction that the fundamental doctrine of Sikhism refuses to accept; rather the caste based categorisations are considered offensive), towards comparatively 'newer' and controversial faiths/'deras', and even the putting up of separate caste based gurudwaras.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT] [LEFT][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000080]During more than two-hundred-year long era of living Sikh Gurus, from Guru Nanak (1469 AD - 1539 AD) to Guru Gobind Singh (1666 AD - 1708 AD), only two major, modifications were introduced into Sikhism. Both were necessitated by the changing times and these altered socio-political landscape of Punjab.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000080]The first significant change was pioneered about a century after the birth of Sikhism, by Guru Hargobind, the Sixth Sikh Guru, who added a royal element to Sikhism by adopting a dual role of a saint and a warrior. Another century later the second and the most significant transformation was introduced by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and the last living Sikh Guru. He gave Sikhism not only an exclusive warrior like identity but also discontinued the tradition of having living Gurus. It too was timely and wisely considered.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT] [LEFT][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000080]A well intended 'masand' system was started by Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru, to raise funds for the construction of the holy tanks in Amritsar. Though initially the system played a successful role in preaching and organising early Sikhism it got corrupted with the passage of time. So Guru Gobind Singh had to put an end to this system.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT] [LEFT][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000080]More than three centuries have passed by since that last major change in Sikhism. However no upward modification, to suit the changed socio political situation, has been introduced into this religion during this rather longish period. Rather the corrupted 'masand' system seems to have returned to the fold.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT] [LEFT][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000080]A majority of people are getting disillusioned not with the mainstream Sikhism as they find no mitigation of the social, cultural and economic problems. The fast rise of many a sub sect within Sikhism, including the emergence of controversial 'Dera' culture and caste-based exclusive 'Gurdwaras', sufficiently substantiates the clogged approach that various managers of the Sikh affairs have been adopting for long.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT] [LEFT][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000080]So it becomes imperative to have a serious re-look at the current functioning of Sikh-affairs, both at the religious and socio-political level, which seemingly is mired in petty politics and outdated customs.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT] [LEFT][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000080]Lead purely by the then popular Bhakti movement Sikhism began as a rationalist revolt against all the prevalent orthodox religious-beliefs that had grown into fraudulent practices and were cause of immense pain to the people. Dr Gokal Chand Narang described this situation as following;" The spring of religion had been chocked up by weeds of unmeaning ceremonials, debasing superstitions, the selfishness of the priests, and the indifference of people. Form had supplanted the reality and the highly spiritual character of the Hinduism had been buried under the ostentatious paraphernalia of sects".[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT] [LEFT][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000080]Guru Nanak acutely ridiculed these entire practices trough his 'Bani' (his poetic religious renditions that comprise a major part of the Adi Granth). Despite such a straightforward attack by the first Sikh Guru on both Hindu and Muslim religious rites and traditions that he considered meaningless and unworthy of continuation, the Guru's followers did not drift away from their basic ethnic characters. They continued to be the integral parts of their original cultural identities. Sikhism even after the installation of Guru Granth Sahib as the perpetual Guru of the Sikhs has gone through innumerable upheavals and conflicts.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT] [LEFT][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000080]Sikhism is passing through a relatively stable socio-political phase that is laced by an extensive democratic freedom and a global awareness; it can afford to have a close re-look. It needs to meet the current socio-political scenario in a harmonious way and check the present degradation. Sikhism needs to be re-examined, rather right away.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT] [/QUOTE]
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