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Investigates the ideological attitudes of Sikh Gurus toward women and their resulting social impact. This book is an analytical study of the Sikh Gurus' perception of women and their societal roles, with an emphasis on the impact of religious ideology on gender dynamics. Sikhism stands apart in its respectful attitudes towards women. This book explores how these religious perspectives shaped the social relations and evolution of the Sikh community (Sikh Panth), and whether there existed major differences in the views and ideologies of Sikh Gurus, contemporary Bhakti saints and Guru Nanak himself. The book also examines the influence of Sikh Gurus on patriarchal ideology, and whether their normative beliefs were reflected in operative realities.
Delving into the Sikh ideological history, so as to fully ascertain and comprehend the nuanced message of the Sikh Gurus who advocated for a more gender sensitive society, this work will help connect past and present, shedding new light on faultlines in our understanding which have occurred over the centuries, and have led us where we are today.
List of contents
AcknowledgementsIntroductionPART I: BACKGROUND AND DEVOTIONAL MOVEMENTS
1. The Land and its People
2. Guru Nanak and
Bhakti Sants on Women
PART II: CONTEXTUALIZING WOMEN IN MEDIEVAL PUNJAB
3.
Stri Svabhav, Stri Dharam and Prevailing Realities
4. Aspects of the Marital Bond
5. Women in the Social Sphere
6. Discrimination and Social Evils
7. The Sikh Panth and Women's Identity
ConclusionGlossaryA Note on Primary SourcesBibliographyIndex
About the author
PRATIBHA CHAWLA
began her teaching career with S.G.N.D. College in Delhi in 1998, and was appointed to the permanent faculty in 1999 at S.G.T.B. Khalsa College, University of Delhi. Having contributed extensively to journals of international repute, her research focuses on gender issues and the larger social processes at work. She understands the nuanced intricacies of social concerns such as gender identity, traversing through medieval to modern times.
Summary
Investigates the ideological attitudes of Sikh Gurus toward women and their resulting social impact.
