Gender in Sikh Traditions

Interrogating Gender in Sikh Tradition and Practice

“…In the online SriGranth.org translation, the interpreters put in the superfluous word Lord and also add Master-"My Lord and Master is One" (SriGranth.org, p. 350) and further interpret the stanza: "He is the One and Only; O Siblings of Destiny, He is the One alone" (p. 350)-and here how the interpretation of Bhai signifying 'siblings of destiny' is not fully understood. (Jakobsh 2014) is right in suggesting that the honourific Sahib has masculine utility, but I suggest that in terms of the Guru Granth's inclusive views in this regard, Sahib can also be a guide/teacher for the learner and can be inculcated as such. In analyzing the androcentric colonized mentality of the translations of the Guru Granth, (Singh 2014b) suggests that "[w]hereas the Divine is the transcendent, metaphysical One, it is invariably translated into a Western monotheistic 'God' and given a male identity" (p. 619).…”

“…Emancipatory feminist thought establishes new patterns of behaviour, attitudes, and religious understanding to ensure that relations of power are shared between and amongst genders. The clarion call to Sikh feminist thought has been attuned to by scholars, historians, and translators to produce much-needed perspectives and interpretations (Jakobsh 2014;Singh 2014a). (Singh 2000) correctly states: "The Adi Granth as a scriptural text has inexhaustible hermeneutic potential.…”

Women and Sikhism in Theory and Practice: Normative Discourses, Seva Performances, and Agency in the Case Study of Some Young Sikh Women in Northern Italy

“…Within the Guru Granth Sahib, both male and female images and metaphors for "Akal Purakh", the divine, are used by Sikh gurus (Jakobsh 2014(Jakobsh , 2017. The divine is understood as transcending every binary and category, moving beyond an exclusively masculine-gendered image of a monotheistic, 12 To highlight some socio-demographic characteristics of Sikhs in Italy, I will refer to the population of Indian residents, the only one with official data available.…”

“…14 This code of conduct-by defining Sikh religious identity, correct behavior, proper ways of conducting birth, marriage, and death rituals-also enshrines non-gendered practices and leadership roles. Indeed, women are allowed to serve as ragis (musicians) and granthis (the readers and custodians of the Guru Granth Sahib) and; therefore, to take on leadership roles within gurdwaras (Jakobsh 2006(Jakobsh , 2014. Though their heads must be covered, they can read the Guru Granth Sahib in public, receive initiation into the Khalsa through a ritual process that is identical to males, and can also be part of the panj piare who administer it (McLeod 1997).…”

“…Only five men came forward (known as the panj piare) and this is at the origin of the exclusion of women from this role. According to Jakobsh (2014Jakobsh ( , 2017, this has prohibited women from contributing to Sikh ritual life in significant ways, as panj piare must be present in all central rites and ceremonies. Exceptions to the exclusion of women as panj piare can be found within groups outside of the Sikh mainstream such as 3HO Sikhs, also known as Sikh Dharma of the Western Hemisphere and others.…”