Ujagar Singh Bawa, Ph.D.*
# Presented at the Sikh Renaissance Meeting, Sikh Welfare Foundation of North America, Los Angeles, CA June 30, 1995.
The Sikh symbology was the result of an evolutionary process beginning with the founder of Sikhism, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, and culminating in definitive delineation with detailed specifications by the Tenth Guru, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The form was evolved through a series of exercises and tests, while always keeping in view its practicality. The Tenth Guru defined the process through which the form should be attained and retained.
Sikhism was designed to be a way of life and a universal brotherhood or sisterhood. There was a strong emphasis by the great Sikh Gurus that a religion should be easy to practice and not guided by stringent, narrow-minded, or dogmatic rules. Notwithstanding these concepts, there were no compromises on the basic form of a Sikh. I shall raise some questions in this direction as well, in this paper.
The basic premise is that Sikhism is not a convenience but a conviction. We cannot be casual or approximate Sikhs. Either we are or we are not. We have to be Sikhs with chastity, commitment, and conviction. It is not a game that can be played half or part of the way. Unlike orthodox or other Jews, there are no orthodox or modernized Sikhs, either by style or tradition. A Sikh is a Sikh, is a Sikh. The necessary condition for Sikhism is the form, Saabat Soorat Distaar Siraa. The sufficiency condition, however, requires many more humanistic, ethical, spiritual and social properties.
Young Sikhs, particularly, are confused about the form and the value system, and how to develop, maintain and reinforce them. They have the built-in trepidation of their lonesomeness in this mission. Their fear that they may not be able to withstand the outside pressures alone is rightfully justified. The Sikh population is so scant and sparsely distributed in the United States that the Sikh youth feel utterly insecure and unprotected. This constant emotional and oppressive fear can inhibit their physical and intellectual development and growth. And when they do get some moral support from their Sikh peers, they face conflicting situations in their homes or family circles. They question: "My parents have cut or trimmed their hair, why can’t I?" "My father or mother do not perform their religious chores regularly, do I have to?" "How rigidly is the prescribed form followed and adhered to?" "Can I believe in the first nine Gurus who may not have been so explicit about the form as the Tenth Guru, and still be a good Sikh?" Their parents and community leaders insist that the youth preserve the proper form, but they themselves usually fail to live up to those examples, and they are not able to put forth cogent and convincing reasons.
Community leaders also have a responsibility to the Sikh youth. They should inculcate the desire to adopt and stick to the Sikh form, to learn more about Sikhism, to assist them at home and outside, to present solid examples of proof from their own lives and precepts, and to encourage and include them in their activities in community programs. They should also include the Sikh youth as an integral and active part of religious congregations.
The significance of the 5 K’s in our daily lives, their basis, and their contributions to the fulfillment of our religious goals must be clearly delineated. Many of us take shelter under the guise of clichés, such as: "the Sikh form is too cumbersome, it is too time consuming, and too elaborate. It, therefore, needs modification and simplification." These are frivolous excuses that can turn our youngsters off and create more confusion.
One way to support our Sikh youth is by organizing youth camps. There are several youth camps organized by volunteer groups in North America. Youth Camps held by The Sikh Youth Forum and The Washington Sikh Center, for example, have supported over 1,000 Sikh children during the past 18 years. The curriculum at these camps include lessons in Gurmukhi and Punjabi, learning Shabad Kirtan, discussion current Sikh issues and social issues in the Western society, and enjoying physical and recreational activities. These camps emphasize Sikh values, Sikh history, and the Sikh form. Excerpt from reports prepared by these children shows the kind of problems our Sikh youth experience:
Sikh children living in the Western civilization have problems just as any child from any other country would have in India. They experience the difference in how they look from the rest of the children.
Long hair for the Sikhs is a symbol of spiritual strength. Having long hair, especially for the boys, has its inconveniences. They are likely to get teased and stared at. Many parents do not take time to help educate their children about the Sikh form. As they get older, the children become aware of the demands of the society. They are faced with serious choices - whom they shall marry and what will they do in future. Religion and the Sikh form in the life of a Sikh are conspicuous.
It is important for the Sikh children to understand Sikh religion because, when people of other religions ask questions about Sikhism, they will be able to explain about it. These people then will become aware of Sikhism and others will know more about it. Disciline is a necessary part of a Sikh child’s life. They grow up to become more aware of the distinct differences in the way they live from other communities. Most Sikh boys keep their hair in a turban or a patka. If Sikh children are to have self-confidence and pride in being what they are, it will not be enough for them to keep their hair long and learn Shabads. They need to understand the spirit of the Sikh religion, especially those aspects of the Guru’s teachings that are most important to take on the problems of living in a complex society.
The attitudes of American Sikh children are changing with the times. They are growing up in a very different environment from their parents. Sikh children take pride in being themselves. We realize that we have a distinctive appearance, and in defending ourselves from insensitive teasers, we gain strength. If a group of children starts pulling on a Sikh boy’s Patka, and telling him that he looks like a girl, the boy should tell them: ‘Don’t touch my hair, I am a Sikh, and I am supposed to grow long hair. Just leave me alone.’ Having to deal with a situation like this, although unpleasant, builds character and lights your inner fire.
Another positive aspect of being a Sikh is that we are raised with a strong moral background. We possess a definite sense of right and wrong. This helps us withstand the overwhelming peer pressure that we are exposed to every day. Staying close to God enables our life to have meaning and help us avoid giving in to harmful demands such as drugs and alcohol.
The boys are teased about their Joorha, and the girls might be given trouble if they didn’t shave their legs. Everyone at some point probably wished that they were more like the American kids. Although this country is diverse, the Sikh youth experience a tremendous amount of pressure to conform. Any deviations from the rest of the group can result in malicious criticism. It is hard to be strong when you are constantly teased. Explaining yourself and your religion sometimes doesn’t help, and, therefore, you have to endure it as best as you can. Often, there is no remedy in the case of totally one-sided people who refuse to accept anything out of the ordinary. We stand out, but at the same time, we should be proud to be different.
Sikh children are also in conflict with their parents and the society. First, in regard to the society, Sikh children have a difficult time adjusting to the carefree ways of the Americans. They try to fit in here while still retaining the customs of their parents. Secondly, Sikh parents were obviously raised in a very different culture from America, and old traditions are still in practice. The parents are trying to impress these values on their children, and sometimes, this conflicts with the changing rules of the American society.
Sikh parents are very strict on the subject of ‘dating’. Americans usually are allowed to start dating at an earlier age than the Sikhs. One possible reason for this is that Sikh parents are overly protective and are concerned about their teen-age children. The parents should trust their children enough to know that they will act according to how they have been brought up.
The Sikhs are a truly unique group of people. In America, they are forced to endure senseless, sometimes vicious teasing. In the end, the pride and strength of the Sikh children will prevail.
When many of us landed in this foreign land a few decades ago, it was disheartening to discover that the intense influence of the Western society was overtaking some of the weak-minded compatriots. They were losing their form. This is still happening in the U.S., Canada, U.K., and other Western countries. The irony of the situation is that what is happening in the foreign lands could, perhaps, be explained by the overwhelming pressures of surrounding cultures in the Western world. But what cannot be explained is that the same phenomenon is occurring in India and Punjab as well, for no obvious outside influences. Some youngsters have even organized gangs to put pressure on individuals to cut their hair, even in Amritsar. This has become a crisis of shape and form.
Westerners keep asking questions with far reaching implications : "Who are you people?" "Why do you look so different?" "What are the purposes of wearing the 5 K’s?" "Why do some of you have one form with beard and hair and others a different one?" The explanations given to such questions have been sometime satisfactory and, on other occasions, not as convincing. This is an identity crisis for Sikhism, a crisis of shape, form, and conviction. Shape and form are absolutely necessary but, certainly, not sufficient to be a good Sikh; the latter involves a deep sense of faith and conviction. Once the faith and conviction of a Sikh is strengthened, their plunging into such dire and dastardly actions, such as cutting or shaving off Keshas on frivolous grounds can perhaps be prevented.
Parents who themselves are cutting their hair are being instrumental for not attempting to prevent the same tragedy for their children. They are doing a great disservice to themselves, the children and, above all, to the Sikhism. They should be held accountable for precipitating and polarizing the Sikh youth.
Divisions within the community, for political reasons, both at home and abroad, is not helping to alleviate this critical impasse. The psyche of the community being in such a disarray is adding incalculable frustration among the Sikh youth. It is further exacerbating when the Sikh youth are themselves struggling to sift our numerous conflicts, confusions, and contradictions in their everyday lives, whether it be at home, at school, in college, or in their professional careers. Unfortunately, the community has failed to provide them with an integrated wholesome approach for addressing their concerns. Endeavors such as the youth camps, Sunday schools, seminars, symposiums, and conferences which involve a tremendous amount of financial, physical and emotional dedication, are all commendable. These attempts address the issues only on a piece-meal basis, however, and have a low degree of effectiveness. In spite of the limited success of these opportunities, we should not be disappointed nor become complacent. These efforts provide forums for teaching and informing the Sikh youth of the Sikh tradition, the Sikh values, and the significance of the Sikh form.
The form of grown-up Sikh children is causing problems in areas of admissions to academic institutions of higher learning and landing professional careers. These problems may grow as our numbers increase. Our youngsters are bright and enterprising. They do - and will - get entry-level jobs, but their progression in the business and commercial world depends on overcoming the hurdle of the oft-repeated excuse of our specially different appearance. We should encourage Sikh children to go to the best educational institutions in this country. They should be extremely competitive and prove to be several percentage points superior to their American counterparts. As a result, prospective recruiters and employers would not question their credibility. We, as a community, should establish an educational fund to provide support and opportunity for these youngsters to seek prestigious slots. We should also organize a support group for the young professionals who have genuine concerns of discrimination and deprivation of opportunity at work places.
Sikh institutions have failed to allocate the rightful importance that the Sikh form deserves. In addition, fissiparous activities of different factions of the Sikh political and religious leadership have not only failed to provide proper direction, but have further accentuated and frustrated the persona of the Sikh youth. Therefore, any failures on the part of the Sikh youth to adhere to the true form and to make their mark in Sikh community is not due to their apathy to the cause. It is because of the fact that the older generation is derelict in projecting a role-model image, whether it be in the standards of their daily lives, in their religious convictions, or even in the management of Sikh institutions where constant infighting and mud slinging is rampant. There is no shame in depleting the community’s scarce resources on legal fees in civil and criminal courts. Some officers on the management boards of Sikh institutions do not even look like Sikhs. But because of political maneuvers, they are able to muster adequate support to move up to the top, even if they lack the proper form. It may not be this political clout that is offensive and discouraging to the Sikh youth, but it is the utter lack of demonstration and fulfillment of Sikh principles by such politician-officers that irks and frustrates the younger generation. Condoning non-Sikh-like activities in our institutions on the one hand, and asking the Sikh youngsters to perpetuate Sikh principles on the other, is nothing short of hypocrisy on a grand scale.
One of the serious lacunae in the institutional framework of the Sikhs is the inadequate role played by Sikh preachers. They should be the stalwarts of propagating the true Sikh form; words uttered from the Gurdwara pulpits carry great weight. It is not entirely their fault that a true message is not being delivered. Not all are trained properly, or have the zeal and dedication of missionary work. Local Granthis, supplemented by visiting Raagi Jathas from India and Punjab, have serious shortcomings in their presentation and approach. They are, in most part, traditional and stereotypical. They lack historical knowledge to portray the form in its proper perspective. Their interpretations of Gurbanee, at times, is incorrect or stale, at best. They have no realization of the Western environment which the Sikh community, particularly the Sikh youth, deals with every day. These preachers, with their traditional approach, do have some influence on the older generation, but they fail to reach the Sikh youth.
Sikhism prescribes five K’s as an integral part of the form. All are symbols which have practical, social, and spiritual significance. Karhaa, a steel bracelet, is worm as a sign of strength and as a reminder not to indulge in evil deeds; Kanga, a comb, is carried to keep the hair clean and tidy; Kachhera, short breeches, is a comfortable and practical wear originating from times of horseback battles; Kirpan, a sword, is kept to protect the weak and helpless, and also used for self defense; and above all, Keshas, long and unshorn hair, is a distinctive symbol of trust and strength that facilitates the approach for help and assistance by the needy in times of turmoil.
The maintenance of 5 K’s is essential not only for the sake of uniformity but also for sustaining enthusiasm for an organization. Such symbols are an inspiration of the personality that created them. The symbols make the ideal more real and meaningful to the follower. The Sikh symbols were intended to create a spirit of exclusiveness, not arrogance, and to represent the tested people. They were meant to serve as aids to the corporate life of the community. Perhaps it is possible for a person to be devoted to God without adopting any outer form or symbols, but if he/she wants to work in an organization, he/she must keep up with the disciplinary form of the group. Just as we may have a good fighter without military drill and uniform, this does not minimize the need for a regular army. In the same manner, the Sikhs of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji should stick to the uniform and the symbols ordained by him. In so doing, they will find them to be a great aid in the solidification of the Khalsa family.
The form has kept the Sikhs united. It has maintained their ideals unsullied in great crises. Many Sikhs have preferred to face death rather than cutting their hair, the Keshas, which is one of the most important of the five symbols. The maintenance of unshorn hair is in keeping with the idea of living to the Will of the Lord. The Keshas are the link to the Guru’s power. Along with the maintenance of the five symbols, an exemplary life, the Rehat, is equally essential. Abstinence from tobacco, narcotics, alcohol, and adultery is part of the discipline of the Sikhs. Undoubtedly, the code of conduct is a difficult one. The Tenth Guru valued the form of the Khalsa and said that so long as the Khalsa maintained the symbols and the form, it will march to glory. When it shows indifference towards them, its luster will tarnish and fade away.
Keshas symbolize Sikhism. Long uncut hair is not just a tradition but the primary basis on which Sikhism was established. It was for the perpetuation of the unshorn hair and beard that thousands of Sikh ancestors sacrificed their lives at the hands of rulers. These Sikhs defied the efforts of those rulers to force conversion and cut their hair. All of them, for their heroic convictions, are remembered today in the daily Sikh prayers.
In spite of the problem posed by the ever increasing trend of apostasy amongst the Sikh community of losing the form, not much serious effort has been directed by the Sikh institutions, including the Gurdwaras, to find the causes of this serious defection or to devise suitable remedial measures. The lag between what is and what ought to be in religious convictions of our young men and women has increased to such a degree, and with such a speed, that the gap appears to be alarmingly widening. It is incumbent on the community leaders to determine if it is the homes (parents), the schools (teachers), the Gurdwaras (priests and missionaries), or a combination thereof, that is driving a wedge in our community.
Religion indicates a search within for better life, but the present trend is outwardly directed. The value system seems to have undergone a metamorphic change in favour of materialistic goals. Materialistic success has become an end in itself. Tremendous emphasis is placed on the almighty dollar rather than the Creator. Parents and community leaders have not done their job rightly to educate the members of the community. The result is that those with shallow roots or flimsy faith are easily uprooted. No wonder the raw youth, the illiterate, and the so-called fashion-ridden people fall an easy prey to the renunciation of the faith, sacrificing the form.
The tempo of distractions is increasing and the effort to impart the desired education is certainly not keeping up with the gravity of the situation. We have conspicuously shied away from discussion the subject of Keshas in our congregations, meetings, or seminars. If the subject does come up at all, the cult aspect of the form will prevail over the spiritual reasons. The sparse literature available on the subject is not of much value, particularly to the wavering section of our youth. This is one area that deserves an immediate research effort and attention.
Keshas have been regarded as a symbol of saintliness and Dharma since ancient times. The biblical story of Samson Agonistes shows that hair was a source of strength and vitality. Guru Nanak Dev Ji started the practice of keeping hair unshorn. His son, Baba Sri Chand, the founder of the Udasee movement, also ordered his disciples to maintain long unshorn hair. The Tenth Guru, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, on June 25, 1699, the day of the ‘baptismal’ ceremony, wrote in a Hukamnanama: "Tusaan Khanday Daa Amrit Panjaan Ton Lana, Kays Rakhnay, Eh Asaadee Mohar Hai". A Sikh becomes an apostate, Patit, if he shaves or trims his hair.
One oft-repeated question by a minority of the Sikh community is: "What is the use of the Sikh form, specially the Keshas?" This question needs to be answered from the spiritual point of view instead of the commercial point of view. We must avoid erroneous, emotional and fundamental representation. Obviously, there is no special use of Keshas in the commercial market where commodities are bought and sold. Keshas may not have special sanctity in certain job markets. Keshas, most assuredly, do have spiritual values which cannot be weighed or rated on the scales of dollars and cents. What is the value of a cross to a Roman Catholic? The cross shows faith and is sacred because of its relationship of God. Keshas, on the other hand, stand on a different yet higher pedestal. They are sacred to Sikhs not only because of their relationship to the true Masters, but also because they are a standing order of the Tenth Master. This is a command for all times and should not be questioned. No one should ask why, or have the audacity to judge the words that come as a command from the true Master. What can be more preposterous than an effort of the finite to criticize or question the infinite. Bhai Nand Lal Goya gives the significance of one hair of the Tenth Guru when he wrote:
"One hair of my beloved enlightener is more precious to me than [the glories of] both the worlds put together."
Waaheguru is remembered by His attributes, and one of the attributes is that He is with Keshas. As such, He is known as Keshav, one with hair, among other names.
Just as every soldier carries an identification card to represent his membership of the group connoting a certain ideology, the form of a Sikh, Saabat Soorat Distaar Sira; beard, hair and turban, are the embodiment of the personality of the Tenth Master, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The form of a Sikh deserves commendation and reverence. Just as a police or an army officer commands respect only through his uniform. Without the uniform, they are ordinary people without authority of any kind. No one extends the respect and privileges deserving of an officer without the uniform, the same applies to a Sikh without the proper form. Every regime has its official coin which bears the official seal without which it is just a piece of metal, and has no special value. The seal represents and ensures the face value which makes it acceptable. Sometimes a coin, in spite of a seal, will be declared fake or fictitious and will not be acceptable on the ground that it lacks the intrinsic worth and the backing of the authority. To be acceptable, therefore, a coin must have the seal, the face value, and also an intrinsic worth.
Similarly, a Sikh must have a Baanaa, the form, the face value, and also be proficient in the understanding of Gurbaanee. The form, the Baanaa, is the outer make up, and the Baanee provides the support for the soul. Those with the form of a Sikh but devoid of a Sikhi Jeevan, or practices, are hypocrites, and those who believe in and practice Baanee but do not have the official seal of the proper form are incomplete.
There is a growing confusion and concern among the Sikh community about the distinction, justification, and significance of different classification groups such as the Keshadharees, non-Keshadharees, and the Amritdhaarees. Do they mean one and the same phenomenon? Do they represent the same faith? Are there disparities in these classifications in regard to the depths of conviction and belief in the tenets of Sikhism? Can the Sehajdharee and non-Keshadharee Sikhs perform and offer services and acts to save the honour of the Sikhs and Sikhism? Some of these and other similar questions have raised controversies, sometimes so intense that the Sikh community finds itself clearly divided. The question does arise: "Who truly does and can represent the Sikhs and the Sikh interests?" To answer the last question, we need to define the following terms:
(1) Sehajdharee - Born in a non-Sikh family but believes in the Sikh faith.
(2) Keshadharee - Has unshorn beard and hair, the necessary requirement.
(3) Amritdharee - Baptized as per Gurmat Maryada, the sufficiency requirement.
(4) Non-Keshadharee - Born in a Sikh family but has cut hair, beard, or both.
The term Sehajdharee was coined for those who wanted to adopt Sikhism with Sehej, slowly, to progress gradually towards Keshaadhaaree. One can be a Sehajdhaaree Sikh having been born in a non-Sikh family but believing in Sikh principles. This is the first and basic stage. He/she becomes a full Sikh in the next stage when he/she becomes Keshaadhaaree. Is a Sehajdhaaree Sikh as good a Sikh as a Keshaadhaaree Sikh? Is the goodness of Sikhism confined to Keshas alone? Practicing Sikhism as per the Rehat is the highest stage of Sikhism.
The Tenth Guru wrote...
Amritdhaaree, undoubtedly, is the only kind that is entitled to be the elitist class. Every faith or religion has certain basic codes. Those codes, sometimes, are matters of faith and cannot be fully explained or justified. Those who follow those codes to the letter and spirit are the true followers. Those who do not are not. Whether those individuals can remain a part of the faith-professing community is a matter of value judgment, and they will have to live by their own conscience. As per the Sikh Rehat, they will be called apostate, Patit, Sehajdhaaree Sikhs without a proper form of a Sikh are perhaps excusable and acceptable as Sikhs. But the casual Sikhs who have committed an act of defiling their hair and form are apostate. When, with the grace and inspiration of the Satguru, they return to their original form and shape, they should not be put on a pedestal and adorned with top-notch visible positions in the community simply because they have readopted their original form. They should be allowed and encouraged to start only from scratch after atonement and be facilitated to make their way up the ladder in Sikhism. In several instances we have praised such persons unduly simply because they have grown back their beard and hair. This is where they should have been to begin with. By so doing, we are being grossly unfair to those who have kept the Saabat Soorat against all types of odds.
In some situations there may be genuine problems of livelihood where some persons, to their chagrin, have to shave off. The community feels sorry for them. One of the underlying problems in such untoward incidents is that the community has failed to provide moral, financial, or physical support to such deserving individuals and their cause. Those who cut their own - or their children’s - hair on frivolous grounds and consider themselves as the so-called modern or westernized Sikhs shall lose the sympathy of the community. There should be a counselling service to assist these groups from falling into this ditch. If we let them drift, and once they have gone too far, it will be difficult, if not impossible to reconciliate. Those who trim are approximate Sikhs and they should accept this fact. They should work towards the fulfillment of a complete form.
These are internal, family-like, problems of the Sikhs. They should not be allowed to be exploited by our friends or adversaries. In places of public contact and exposure, the persons who are delegated to represent Sikhs and the Sikh viewpoint, must be persons with Saabat Soorat Dastaar Siraa. Otherwise we will be creating a disastrous confusion in the minds of the non-Sikhs as well as Sikhs about the Sikh value system and the Sikh tradition. Being divided on this issue will be fatally harmful to the Sikh community. This problem must be recognized, and a joint and unified front by all at this juncture is of utmost essence.
For growing Sikh youth, and perhaps for their parents as well, we must organize more support groups, camps, and educational seminars, and possibly elementary schools, which provide an atmosphere where everyone helps to build confidence in themselves. It is heartening to notice that the Sikh children, by and large, are deeply interested to learn, adopt, and practice the true Sikh form and Sikh principles in their lives. My three-year old grandson proudly says: "Keeping a Joorhaa on the head builds character and courage". We should nab this golden opportunity to convey the essentials of Sikhism and thereby fulfilling parental and communal obligations. We must do some soul searching. Our actions today are models for tomorrow’s generation. If we want to pick up only those portions of the Sikh principles that are convenient, suiting, and face saving, then we are far from inculcating faith and conviction. Religion and religious faith are not casual subjects. They must be taken with the seriousness and sincerity they so rightfully deserve.
There are numerous references in history about the form of a Sikh. Every Sikh is enjoined upon to preserve uncut and unshorn hair. With the removal of his hair, a Sikh becomes an apostate, and is no longer recognized as a Sikh. This is borne out by the commands of the Guru in his Hukamnamaas or letters on the Rules of Sikh Conduct. In other historical records compiled from the beginning of the eighteenth century; Sri Guru Sobha of poet Sainapat, who was not only a courtier of the Tenth Guru but was also an eyewitness to most of the events of the Guru’s life, issued clear injunctions to the Sikhs"... not to shave their hair or beard under any circumstances, not even when their parents died (as was the custom among the Hindus then)"; The Tenth Guru, while turning lambs into lions, enjoined upon them to wear long uncut hair, giving the Khalsa such a unique and distinctive appearance; the obvious advantage being that it stands out in multitudes of crowds. He, like his predecessors, kept his hair long which was the substantiation of the concept of the saint-soldier. Thus, the Keshadhari Sikhs is true model and the sine qua non for Sikhs, in the image of Guru Gobind Singh and in the spirit of Guru Nanak.
