Extract From "SINGHAN DA PANTH NIRALA"

By Bhai Randhir Singh Ji
Translated by: Jaspinder Singh sqn.ldr (Retd) I.A.F


Among Sikh young men religious faith has suffered on account of the missing beard and among Sikh ladies such down fall is the non-belief in ‘Keski’ as part of Sikhi Rehat, the Code of ‘Five Kakkars’. The two evils have ushered in the epidemic of apostasy.

Here is question-answer dialogue between an abiding Sikh girl with Keski and another fashionable ‘modern’ Sikh girl:-

Chatter Kaur: O sister Suchet Kaur Ji! Since when did the usage of turban tying start among Sikh females?

Suchet Kaur: Turban tying among Sikh ladies has been in usage ever since Sri Dasmesh Ji created Khalsa-Panth. Now you tell me since when has the lowly practice of tying hair in pleats, parting hair in the middle and hanging braids at the back started among you?

C.K.: This has ever been in vogue with the females. The men are distinguished by their turban that the ladies do not wear.

S.K.: Is this distinction right from birth?

C.K.: No, it is not from birth.

S.K.: When is a female distinguished?

C.K.: Right from birth

S.K.: What is mark of distinction then? At the time of birth, a baby girl has no pleats nor parting of hair.

C.K.: (Interrupting S.K.) The new born have no hair, fit for pleating.

S.K.: You only stated that pleats and parting of hairs starts from the very birth of females.

C.K.: What I mean is that whether it is a boy or a girl is known from the very birth. Is it not a distinction?

S.K.: But this distinction is of the sex-organs and not the hair. All other body parts are just the same.

C.K.: This is right.

S.K.: Now you agree that hair is not a distinguishing feature. In both cases ears and nose are not pierced. The natural gift of hair is cared for in the natural way only by Gursikhs. The nursery of Gursikhi, young boy and girls are taught to care for their hair in accordance with Gurmat-Code of living from the very beginning. All those of other faith are not particular concerned for maintaining natural hair as these grow.

C.K.: In the case of children the hair are taken care of by pleating by braiding from the earliest custom.

S.K.: The Sikh families, defying Gurmat and following-mind-wardness, copy the custom of braiding hair otherwise the abiding Sikhs comb the hair of their children with wooden comb and the grown hair are combed twice and tied in a knot over the head, irrespective of the child’s sex.

C.K.: The usage of pleating is also followed.

S.K.: Mere copying another’s custom does not make it the ordained
Gurmat Code of living.

C.K.: However a good custom does not call for negation.

S.K.: What is good about tying up the hair in pleats and braids?

C.K.: The hair is nicely kept and grows faster.

S.K.: What is the urgency for fast growth of hair? Gurmat sanctions normal natural growth. The artificial growing or shortening is self-orientation instead of ordained Gurmat. There cannot be a better care for hair than combing, tying their knot at the top of head and covering the head with a turban. The mind-oriented ladies part the shortened hair of their children or make long braids at the back. This is ill-advised copying of others, non-sikhs. The lazy mothers are thus negligent of their duty to comply with Gurmat Rehat (code of living) and get the heads of their children infested with lice. The caring mothers comply with Gurmat practice of combing, making a knot at the top of head and tying a turban. Not only the hair is cared for and kept clean there is no scope for infestation with lice. The Gurmat ordained discipline ‘Combing twice and tying the turban layer by layer’ is maintained.

C.K.: Of course the change is mere copying others.

S.K.: The Gurmat Code is not following any custom, but a well thought of principle.

C.K.: However it is difficult to comply with.

S.K.: What is difficult about it? On the other hand making pleats and then picking up lice is cumbersome. The Gurmat style is unique and different from other customs. The difficulty is in parting from the old wrong practices. Tell me, is it better to part with wrong practices or sticking to them in fool hardiness?

C.K.: No doubt Gurmat way is good and easy, yet the common people are prone to regard this as inferior and difficult.

S.K: Leave aside what common people believe, let us talk about the discipline of Guru’s House. The abiding Sikhs are forbidden to follow fashion of parting hair and having long braids at the back.
Non-compliance of Gurmat is rebellion against Guru.

C.K: Some cunning preachers state that Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji never administered Amrit of The Double-edged Sword to ladies. They could only be initiated with Amrit of Kirpan, ordinary sword.

S.K.: This is an utterly foolish statement. There is only one kind of initiation with Amrit. All get initiated with Amrit of The Double-edged sword irrespective of sex, according to Gurmat. "O, Nanak! There is only One Amrit and none other." This quote in Gurbani confirms Gurmat belief.

Dasmesh Guru administered Double-edged-sword-Amrit Himself and then through the Five Beloved Ones to one and all, without discrimination of male of female or caste at Sri Kesgarh, Anandpur Sahib.


To be continued...