Book Review:
Title: NOBLE AND BRAVE SIKH WOMEN
Description: (Short biographies of twenty Noble and Brave Sikh women)
Author: Sawan Singh
Contact: 714 544 3031 | 916 967 3757
[email protected]
Price: `30 per copy.
Pages: 58
Cover: Not available
Principal Sawan Singh, for the past several years, has been involved in writing half a dozen books concerning Gurbani and Sikh history culminating in his present book 'Noble and Brave Sikh Women.'
Subduing and enslavement of women has been man's prerogative for centuries. Breaking with this tradition, the Sikh baptism of the sword was made available to men and women alike. The Gurus were the greatest emancipators of women and they condemned all those who denigrated them. In Asa di Var, Guru Nanak asks, "Why then revile woman, who giveth birth to great heroes?" aut like the lotus flower, she manages to bloom amidst the mire.
Equality was conferred on women in the Sikh religion, without them asking for it. Outside of the Khalsa, on the other hand, they were exhorted and made conscious of their handicaps and limited rights. Elsewhere, women had to fight to ameliorate their lot, and still continue to do so.
The ladies in the Gurus' households were the first to demonstrate the important role that women were destined to play in the development of the new social order and consciousness that our Gurus were striving to create. Bibi Nanaki, the loving sister of Guru Nanak, and Mata Khivi, the noble wife of Guru Angad, were pioneers in this respect. They actively participated in assisting the Gurus in their divine mission.
Consider the power and grace of these women, when Bibi Amro had the blessing through her melodious singing which resulted in the simple 'churning of curd' to the "churning of a mortal into the Immortal - Ram Das into Guru Ram Das Sahib". The Shabad that she was delivering was Guru Nanak Dev ji's:
BieAw mnUru kMcnu iPir hovY jy guru imlY iqnyhw ] (990-6, mwrU, mÚ 1)
bha-i-aa manoor kanchan fir hovai jay gur milai tinayhaa.
What was turned to slag is again transformed into gold, if one meets with the Guru.
eyku nwmu AMimRqu Ehu dyvY qau nwnk iqRstis dyhw ]4]3] (990-7, mwrU, mÚ 1)
ayk naam amrit oh dayvai ta-o naanak taristas dayhaa. ||4||3||
He blesses the mortal with the Ambrosial Name of the One Lord, and then, O Nanak, the body is held steady. ||4||3||
In the early period of Sikh history, the role of Sikh women was largely confined to religious and social spheres. But, as circumstances changed, Sikh women showed their qualities of courage, bravery and sacrifice. Sikh history in its earlier period was more destined to religious and social pursuits. But circumstances wrought a complete change by bringing the Sikh women to the forefront and thus exemplified them in showing their latent qualities of courage, bravery and valor and above all supreme sacrifice.
All of this is amply demonstrated in the short and simple narrative biographical sketches of twenty Sikh women who excelled in devotion, & steadfastness to the principles of Sikhi in the face of extreme cruelty and terror by the oppressive rulers in succession. Truly, these women set a standard and an example for all modern women.
These narratives are not mythology, but are burning historical examples of the righteous lives of the womenfolk of the times of the Guru Sahibaans. Their lives helped to bring about a renaissance and a transition from those times to the modern one and serve as an inspiration to all modern Sikh daughters and women to lead a healthy lifestyle of devoted service and steadfast courage.
This 3rd edition has been published by a non-profit organization named Sukirt at Ludhiana. It is priced at `30 per copy.
