The Hindu : New Delhi News : Bibi Jagir Kaur wins rare praise

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 12, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Bibi Jagir Kaur wins rare praise

Move to usher women's religious rights draw accolades from harshest critics

NEW DELHI: The SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur is drawing rare praise from some of her harshest critics, including scholars, for her initiatives aimed at allowing women to do voluntary work or seva at the inner sanctum of the Golden Temple, a move they say will symbolise a giant leap in gender equality among Sikhs.

Until now, women are not allowed to perform the traditional midnight sanctum seva. Nor are they allowed to do kirtan or hymn-singing there for unexplained reasons although Sikhism advocates gender equality.

"The Guru Granth Sahib is replete with feminine symbolism and women played a pivotal role in religious affairs since the time of the Gurus," renowned scholar and former Ambassador Jaspal Singh said as he praised a Bibi-appointed panel for recommending woman volunteers be allowed to carry out kirtan and seva at the sanctum.

Dr. Singh referred to a number of Sikh women who became historical figures for their varying roles as brave mothers, grandmothers, devout wives and sisters to spread message of humanity and during severe crises.

"Guru Nanak's wife Mata Sulakhani extended full cooperation to her husband during his criss-cross journeys in and outside India. Mata Thivi is known for establishing the Sikh tradition of free community kitchen as an institution. Guru Amardas' daughter Bibi Bhani is another historical woman," Dr Singh, also a columnist, said.

Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) chief Paramjit Singh Sarna, a fierce critic of the SGPC chief, also supported her moves over the Golden Temple seva issue.

"We can oppose somebody's style of functioning. But we cannot and must not oppose principles and doctrines. There is no place for gender bias in Sikhism," Mr Sarna said.

Akali Dal (Santokh Singh) president Manjit Singh, another opponent of the Bibi, also appreciated the SGPC chief for taking steps "to achieve a great symbolism".

"Guru Nanak, our founder, started the community kitchen so that all Sikhs should eat together and show we are not agreeing with the caste system, like in Hinduism, and that men and women aren't keeping separated, like in Islam."

"It's the same in gurdwaras everywhere: rich and poor, young and old, men and women, all eating together. The scene maybe basic, but the symbolism is fine fusion,' Mr Manjit Singh, also a senior DSGMC member, said.

Some scholars, however, attribute what they call a redundant ban on woman seva and kirtan at the Golden Temple sanctum to the British era when the holiest of the Sikh shrines was under control of British-appointed custodians called mahants.

"Maybe, there were some safety issues that prompted gurdwara elders to keep women from the midnight or early morning seva. But if we keep this unfair practice in place now -- when there is no other reason except to show off male superiority -- it will only reflect our subjugation to a mindset opposed by the great Gurus themselves," Dr Jaspal Singh said.

The issue is pending clergy approval.

"We hope that the Singh Sahiban (top five clerics) will deal with it in the light of Sikh principles and doctrine," the former Ambassador remarked.

UNI

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