This powerful statement is recognized to have originated from the founder of Sikhism, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He boldly asserts that women are the root from which all has evolved, thus playing a most important role in the rise of this harmonious doctrine of Sikhi. Yet, there is a recent commonalty amongst media campaigns to cast Sikh women aside during their righteous attempts to promote global awareness. It is not to say we aren’t proud, elated and pleased by the recent recognition of our fellow Sikh men; however, it is our right and the nature of the religion to represent both males and females equally. So then I question, what constitutes this pattern of media neglect? Is it our lack of aesthetic blatancy? Yes, I agree that the Sikh man wearing his pagh (turban) while keeping his full beard is a beautiful and shock-worthy symbol but so is a strong Sikh woman with her long uncut hair. Our daily struggles, although different, are just as important.

To preface, I feel briefly summarizing Sikhism is a paradoxical task. Describing the poetic virtues of any sagacious institution of thought becomes impossible within limited constraints. Therefore I apologize to anyone who may or may not agree with my highlighted points.

Sikhism, a so-called contemporary ideology, can be described as a revolutionary movement that challenged the rituals and beliefs surrounding hierarchal distinctions amongst the masses of India during the mid 1400s. Guru Nanak Dev Ji (Gu, meaning darkness or ignorance, Ru meaning light or knowledge) professed “we are all one, created by the One Creator of all creation”. This simple yet profound intention paved the way for liberalism, pluralism, humanism and revised philosophical thought that promoted disparities amongst caste, creed and gender. Such practices as Sati (where a widowed woman sacrificed herself on her husband’s funeral pyre since it was reasoned that her life ended when his did) unraveled and became nothing more than an abysmal memory. Following Guru Nanak Dev Ji, nine more dispellers of darkness, in addition to the current Guru, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (a compilation of sacred writings of those who experienced the enlightenment), solidified this doctrine with the birth of the Khalsa. This divine brotherhood and sisterhood merged purity of thought with action. It gave Sikhism its aesthetic distinction that most are aware of today. With committing oneself to maintain an elevated state of consciousness, it is vowed to ordain the five K’s : Kesh, uncut hair or beard, as ordained by God, to maintain a higher consciousness of thought and a turban, the crown of spirituality, ; Kangha, a wooden comb to groom ones hair, a symbol of cleanliness; Katchera, cotton underwear to remind ones commitment to purity; Kara, a steel bracelet worn on the wrist, representing a connection to Truth and freedom from entanglement; and lastly, Kirpan, sword to depicts ones commitment to righteousness. However, the momentum of this movement would not have reached such levels without strong women figures aiding the spread of these ground-breaking modalities. Whether it being a mother, wife or daughter of these disciples, they all added strength, dedication, illumination and intellect to Sikh thought.

Nonetheless, I hope this brief insight allows you to reason why Sikh women desire to be involved with the representation of such regal faith. Our struggles do encompass the typical judgmental stares and the unnecessary change of attitude in our acquaintances. Although Sikh men may receive harsher glances and more flagrant remarks, our struggles are still struggles and just like our male counterpart we constantly strive to float above the ignorance without wavering. I can recall when I was in grade school, being under constant scrutiny for my long hair and untamed Frida Kahlo-like eyebrows. Although these types of situations eventually outgrew when I reached a certain age, a new issue arose to the surface. My current distress surrounds the notion that our once strong disposition as Sikh women is being dissolved. I recently encountered a photographer whose work only included Sikh males, and inquired about the logic behind his secluded specimens. He responded that a Sikh woman is far less defined and can be easily mistaken for a Hindu woman. This idea of being “less defined” deeply troubled me. If asked, I would first identify myself as a Sikh, and then take in account my dual cultural background as an American and an Indian. But now I realize that society does not share my perception. Most likely, if I were described by someone not in my immediate community, I would be ambiguously assigned to some south-east Asian group just as if they had to chose from one of those vague categories in the ‘provide personal information’ section of a generic form. If this is the reality, then I employ why not correct it. Why not use this conception of ‘global awareness’ and inform people of these subtle, yet most significant differences. I feel that media projects harp on the highly controversial and forget the whole scope of their mission to illuminate society’s mind on the wonderful multiplicity in the world.

Several past media projects were concerned with clarifying the disparities between the Sikh and Muslim way of tying the turban. They went into painstaking details to show these slight but once again, important differences. The blurry edges of Sikh male physical idiosyncrasies have been sharpened and become more ‘defined’ time and time again. This same strategy of elucidation can be superimposed onto women but it has not. It as if women are being blamed by the media for our lack of palpable qualities. What is more vexing is that there are women who chose to wear the dastaar, a parallel version of the male turban and still they are overshadowed.

My main concern is the effect that this constant media neglect will have on Sikh women. I feel as if their importance in this world will not only be lost amongst society but within themselves. It is not the new-age thinking that will amend this current state of forgetfulness, but the retroactive vision of the Sikh woman we must regain.

This is not an evangelistic attempt to neither propagandize Sikh women nor deny the importance of the recent Sikh male recognition. It is just my individual attempt at global awareness and justice.

by Mohini Bedi