Sikhism and Challenges of Twenty-First Century
* Dr.
D.P. Singh, M.Sc. Ph.D., P.E.S. teaches Physics at Govt. Shivalik College, Naya
Nangal 140126. Dist. Ropar, Punjab.
Sikhism is one of the
five major world religions. It has the unique distinction of being the
only one that arose in the second millenium. Sikhism, a modern religious
philosophy propounded by our Gurus, is not an individualistic religion meant
for personal salvation. It is meant to usher world peace by its moral
authority. The “Granth and Panth” is a philosophy for total emancipation of
mankind.
Arnold Toynbee has observed
that Sikh religion had the potential of ushering in a new, higher civilization
qualitatively different from the earlier Indic and Hindu civilizations. The
potential of Sikh religion, its elan vital, can play a dominant role in
shaping the 21st century society. There are numerous problems that confront
people of all religions. Some of these (as listed below) pose serious
challenges to the followers of Sikh religion in the present century.
Casteism
and Sikh Society
A well-known aspect of
Hinduism is Varna or Caste System, which divides the society vertically into a
rigid society, based on one’s birth. This system considers caste status above
economic and/or political status. A person born into this system has virtually
no way out. Indeed the average Hindus does not seek a way out. He views his
caste standing as preordained and inescapable-the result of his past deeds (Karma)
in prior existence. This religious
teaching of Karma has millions of people locked into perpetual poverty and
injustice. One historian of Hinduism noted “the lower castes (Sudras)
were denied almost every human right other than the right to eat and
procreate”.
The Caste System was from the
very inception totally rejected in Sikhism. The Sikh Gurus declared that all
persons were entitled to complete equality. They considered this to be the
fundamental moral principal for regulating social relations and communications.
Promulgation of equality and the categorical rejection of the caste system and
other symbols of inequality are attempted systematically and comprehensively in
the Sikh scriptures: Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
Guru Nanak says : “ the pride
of caste and pride of glory are vain as it is the Lord alone who gives shape to
all”.
Guru Ram Das says: “Whosoever
contemplates of God, caste or no caste, he is a perfect man of God”.
(SGGS,
Basant Mohalla 4, p 1178)
Guru Amar Das says: “ It is
only fools (Murakh Gavara) who have the pride of the caste (Jati Ka
Garb). It creates many evil tendencies (Vikara)”.
Guru Gobind Singh, while
invoking Akal Purkh, pronounces that God is without caste (Varan Jati)
and subcastes (Pati).
The idealistic social system
of Sikhism acclaims universal brotherhood. This is based on equality of all
human beings. The Guru by starting the tradition of langar (eating food
together) in the Gurudawara totally eliminated all taboos related to the
concept of untouchability.
Guru Gobind Singh consummated
this brotherhood - Khalsa, a body devoted to the service of humanity. To ensure
complete severance from previous caste, cultural and tribal groupings, Amritdharie
code of conduct mandated all entrants into the order of Khalsa to forsake
their caste or tribal names and take the name of “Singh” – for males and “Kaur”
for females. The theory of separate duties for different castes was replaced by
a doctrine that proclaimed the same ethical and religious duties for all
persons. Thus the fundamental equality of all persons was ensured by free and
voluntary admission to the brotherhood of the Khalsa through Amrit
ceremony. The rejection of Caste system is also incorporated in the code of
conduct, the Sikh rahit maryada, compiled under the warrant of SGPC,
Amritsar.
The Sikh teaching and Sikh
practice, however have been two different things. Since the end of the Guru
period the caste system has been creeping into the Sikh society. Even though
Sikh community has eliminated most symbols and practices of caste system, its
practices in social relations, especially in marriages, continue to persist
very strongly. The caste and sub-caste system is still prevalent in Sikhs. By
assiduously fighting for the inclusion of Sikh Scheduled Castes among the
beneficiaries of Scheduled Castes for whom reservations have been made, we have
made a mockery of our casteless society. We still want our marriages, our
Gurudwaras, our bhaicharas, our functions and our common heritage of
Sikhism to be divided into Pothohari, Ramgarhia, Bhallas, Bedis, Sethis and
Gills, etc. With the dawn of the new century we should have a fresh look at
this
‘Manmati’ practice among the Sikhs and should take suitable
steps to follow the ‘Gurbani’ in true spirit so that the gap between the
Sikh teachings and Sikh practice is bridged over.
Use
of Modern Media
Guru Granth Sahib enshrines the ideals and institutions of a
modern and universal religion as well as of an excellent and comprehensive
ethical system, which has the entire human race its welfare and uplift in view.
Arnold Toynbee claimed it to be “part of mankind’s common spiritual treasure”.
“ It is important”, he says, “that it
should be brought within the direct reach of as many people as possible”. Gurbani,
with which we have been blessed, is not the sole possession of a particular set
of people, but is meant for the whole humanity and its serious students should
have access to it. As we enter the Twenty-first century, we have an opportunity
to share the Divine message of Gurbani with the rest of the world, as
well as with our future generations through creative use of the newest
technologies and media. Modern high-tech media such as CD-ROMs and the Internet
with sophisticated support for text, audio and video, provide powerful new
avenues for delivering the message of Sikhism and for interactions within the
community.
Modern media includes Print Media (Newspapers, Magazines,
Books etc.) and Electronic Media (Radio, TV, Electronic devices like PC,
CD-ROM, Internet, E-mail) and Audio-Visual devices like Movies, films, Theater,
etc. Almost all modern electronic gadgets and media, should be put to use for
the promotion of Gurbani for preaching and practicing Sikhism.
But it is sad to note2
that we have not been able to use print media fully as yet. A daily English
newspaper at national level with its Punjabi, Hindi and International editions,
is required. Sikhs and their
institutions have the resources for the same. Sikhs lack good public relations
and are suffering from negative image. A daily English newspaper is the
immediate need of the day.
Technology:
Adaptation of modern technology for propagation of the Sikh
religion is a positive sign. The Audio Cassettes of Sri Guru Granth Sahib have
come into vogue. The availability of ‘kirtan’ (Devotional music) of the
‘Shabads’ (Hymns) on Audio/Video Cassettes is a common thing. Radio
broadcasting and telecasting of Gurbani has become order of the
day. Broadcasting of the programs from
the Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar is a regular feature. Gurbani cassettes
are a bed-side need for the lovers of Gurbani. Efforts are on to
install Guru Granth Sahib into the computer. Soon it is likely to become
available worldwide on the computer (Electronic) network. The Gurbani,
as individual Shabads, is already reaching people through this medium.
The Project to prepare compact discs and also to make the scriptures and the
Sikh literature available on C.D. Rom (The discs for Computers) are under
active planning by various Sikh organisations. Thus these technologies,
encompassing PCs, CD-ROMs, multimedia and the Internet, provide unlimited
opportunities to serve the needs of the Sikhs in new and creative ways.
Archives:
But much more is needed to preserve our history, culture and
literature. The Golden Temple Library should prepare back-up material through
microfilming and electronic technology. Such storage could have saved priceless
documents lost through mindless invasion in 1984. Numerous original
manuscripts, including those of the Gurus, have been permanently lost. The
coming generations and the world have been deprived of this heritage by our
negligence. Preparation of the electronic data-base in the Gurbani , and
the Sikh literature is a project of great import to facilitate research. For
making the printing of Gurbani and even of Guru Granth Sahib, one
hundred percent accurate and fault-free, special computer software should be
prepared. The computer software on Gurbani should have printing ability
so that the insertion of quotations from Guru Granth Sahib into literary or
research works becomes easy.
On computer, Guru Granth Sahib
may be installed3 in the form of different chapters like “Sainchis”.
The computer work may have chapters, headings, sub-headings but page and line
numbers should tally with the Guru Granth Sahib to eliminate confusion. To make
Gurbani available to millions and to promote it at a reasonable cost, it
is justified to accept the revolutionary printing and to use the ever advancing
technology. The Sikh organisations, like S. G. P. C. and D.G.P. C., should have
a separate Electronic Block to house independent Electronics Library,
Electronic Network, Electronic Printing Facility, Electronic Record Office,
Electronic Hall –modern and very well equipped.
The new technologies and media
offer tremendous opportunities, but they also raise some challenging issues4.
A few such issues are: When we have the whole Guru Granth Sahib in a CR-ROM or
available on a web site and a Sikh sits in front of a computer to read it,
should one take off one’s shoes and cover one’s head? What are the new rules to
be followed? Can a notebook computer, loaded with a Gurbani CD-ROM, take
the place of a traditional book version of the Guru Granth Sahib during a
religious service? What about Prakash
and Sukhaasan in that case? Do you stand up and do the ardaas
before switching the computer on or off?
Moral
issues:
Clearly, we have to strike the
right balance between adopting new technology and maintaining valuable
traditions, between embracing the future and preserving the past. The key is to
use modern high-tech media and technology to supplement traditional forms, not
to replace them. The high-tech information explosion of the 21st Century will
travel in cyberspace on info-highway. Young Sikhs have to become comfortable
with these new modalities of teaching and learning. The fundamentals of Sikhism
can be taught by a variety of new tools- from Jig-saw puzzles and Scrabble to
interactive video and computer games. Other religions are adapting such
techniques to their use, so should we5. An International standard museum on
Sikh history and culture, making use of all the modern technologies is need of
the hour to spread the message of Sikhism in its true perspective.
Environment
Conservation:
The Sikh scriptures teach us
the importance of living in harmony with Mother Earth and Nature. According to
Sikhism the Absolute qua Spirit, pulsates the Cosmos: the Divine
pulsation holistically binds man and nature in unity and inter-connectedness6
. Man and Nature are no more seen as
external to each other, being involved in inter-dependent network relationship,
reciprocally conditioning the life of each other. Guru Nanak stresses this kind
of relationship at the end of his composition ‘Japji’:
‘Air is the Vital Force, Water
the Progenitor, the Vast Earth the Mother of All, Day and Nights are nurses,
fondling all creation in their lap.’
Do human beings consider Earth
as their Mother and treat her with respect?
Perhaps, not. With the advance of industrialization man has forgotten to
respect her. We have become indifferent and arrogant in our treatment of our
Mother. Modern civilization is colliding violently with our Mother Earth (our
planet’s Eco-system) with horrific consequences7.
The “Green House” effect, the
Global Warming, the Depleted Ozone Layer, the Deforestation, Air pollution,
Water-pollution, Noise Pollution and Soil-pollution etc caused by the needs of
ever increasing industrialization, urbanization and large population of the
world has put a serious strain on the natural resources of our planet. If this
trend is not checked in time, it is likely to result in collapse of critical
biological system destroying all life. Keeping this fact in view–making a
pollution free environment/Society should be a new Ideology for all of us.
The entire process of
degradation and devastation of environment is often invisible. Common man
remains unaware of the dangers human beings are facing. All of us especially
leaders, social workers, teachers, priests, preachers, institutions and
communities have to take immediate action to save Mother Earth
The concept of
inter-relatedness of man and nature places tremendous responsibility on Sikhism
for addressing the problems of safety and protection of earth, its eco-system and of life on this planet.
By creating awareness about this serious threat to human beings. This can be
done by taking up various kinds of environment related and anti-pollution activities
such as organising seminars/symposia/ poster competitions/ Quiz
competitions/tree plantations/participating in Green Movements etc by
individuals as well as by institutions and organisations. Let the Sikhs help in
saving Mother Earth from death and devastation. This could be our greatest
contribution to the mankind.
Moral
and Ethical Dilemmas
Sikhism is a modern religion
which has proved to be robust enough to maintain its moral and social values
and yet liberal enough to embrace the innovations of science and technology of
the twentieth century. However the innovations of technology on the threshold
of twenty-first century have brought us face to face with the moral and ethical
dilemmas which until now had been considered contradictions of the Western
religions.
The pre-natal tests performed
in the name of choice (boy or girl) and the wide spread acceptance of a
procedure called abortion, have brought forward the conflict in Sikh religious
doctrine and its profession by the Sikhs.
Unfortunately, the Sikh clergy have not risen to the challenge and have
pronounced little on these important social issues. Abortion is not the first,
or the last, controversial issue. The issues of test tube fertilization,
artificial insemination for infertile couples and human cloning are bound to
arise in the coming years. Though Sikhs have to embrace modern technology to
their advantage, yet religious guidance should be provided before the
technology overtakes the moral and ethical questions8.
Similarly the rise of
capitalistic materialism of the twentieth century has given rise to a number of
problems facing the society today. Sikhs being an essential part of such a
society cannot ignore the realities. We have to confront such problems as the dowry
system, pre-marital sex, incompatible marriages resulting in divorce from a
religious perspective. The challenge of the twenty-first century exhorts us to
develop a support infrastructure of trained clergies who can provide moral and
spiritual guidance and counseling on the important social and moral issues of
the day.
Educational
Reforms - Need of the Hour:
The Khalsa, created by our
great Guru Gobind Singh Ji, was envisaged as a Divine dynamic force to lead the
Human race to strive to achieve excellence in Human relationship for
establishing a society of equals without any discrimination of caste, creed and
country. It is in this context that the Khalsa spirit becomes relevant to the
present day world. For achieving this aim we will have to educate and train our
youth to imbibe the Khalsa spirit and achieve highest levels of excellence in
various professional fields.
But, the present scenario of
our educational set-up presents a dismal picture9.
For achieving excellence in any field, Sikh students need a wholesome,
qualitative school education to build up their sound base, both for the
professional growth and Khalsa spirit. Our present school education set-up in
Punjab is facing a serious decline in the teaching-learning process. Starting
from primary and secondary schools, it has now eroded the qualitative base in
colleges and universities, which should be taken as a danger signal. Punjab
state ranks 17th in India in order of Quality and Quantitative measures. Good
public schools are mainly in cities and towns. Most of the schools in rural
areas are centers for copying and money making, having no relevance to quality
education. The main impact of this dismal picture is on the Sikhs who form the
major section in rural areas.
Except for a few good public schools
run by Sikh missionary organisations, other private schools are serving the
role of drag-lines. Large scale copying in the Board examination, and the lack
of public awareness against this evil, has eroded the whole quality base in
schools. Increasing reliance on ‘Sifarishbazi’ and open graft in
civil/subordinate services and teacher recruitment, have further worsened the
situation. An ordinary student in a school or college, having no hope of
justice on merit, looks to other means or becomes a drop out.
Mass
Mobilization:
The Sikh youth is yearning for adventure and action. Unless we
direct their energies through qualitative education and moral guidance, there
is fear of their being “used and abused” or getting into drugs and crime. It is
the need of the hour for the Sikh scholars and policy makers to understand it
and find ways and means to provide proper guidance and quality education to the
Sikh youth. There is a dire need for a well organised effort by top Sikh
organisations, such as S.G.P.C., Chief Khalsa Diwan and D.G.P.C. in the field
of religious education, or missionary work among Sikh students. An all-out
effort should be made by the Sikh organisations to start a mass movement for
improving the quality of education being given to our Sikh students. Immediate
efforts must be made by Sikh organisations for identifying the brilliant
students with Khalsa spirit. They may be guided and helped for achieving their
highest level of excellence in the professions of their choice so that they are
able to play their historic role in the Twenty-first Century with true Khalsa
spirit.
The Sikhs have to wrestle with
the reality of being a minority, struggling not only to keep its identity alive
but also to give leadership to the state and country to make better human
beings. They have to rejuvenate themselves with a vengeance by working hard and
doing better in the fields of agriculture, commerce, technology, fine arts,
medicine and above all, politics. The principles, values and religious fervor
of the Sikh heroes of the eighteen-century can be role models for our children
while striving to imbibe the strategies of the twenty-first century10.
At present, we are passing
through the age of gene mutation, of technology, of space exploration, of
computer miracles, of energy crisis and of environmental pollution. But nothing
can save humanity as surely as the humane principles enshrined in Guru Granth
Sahib. The religion of the Guru Granth Sahib is a universal and practical
religion. The world needs its message of peace and love more than ever before.
Let us face the challenges that are before us boldly so that we emerge
successful in carrying the message of our Great Gurus to every nook and corner
of the world in the 21st century.
q
References
1. Gurpal Singh
Khaira, Casteism in Sikh Society: Eradication Strategies, The Sikh Review,
48/9 (2000) 38.
2. Hardyal Singh
Paul, Use of Modern Media to Promote Sikh Values - A Note of Caution, The
Sikh Review, 48/10 (2000) 60.
3. Kulwant Singh,
Technology in the Service of Gurbani, The Sikh Review, 46/6 (1998) 40.
4. Inder Mohan
Singh, Utilization of Modern Media in Sikhism, The Sikh Review, 48/8
(2000) 61.
5. I. J. Singh and
Neena I. Singh, The Khalsa Tricentennial - A suggested Agenda, The Sikh
Review, 47/3 (1999) 35.
6. Jasbir Singh
Ahluwalia, Sikhism & The 21st Century Society, The Sikh Review,
48/8(2000) 19.
7. Hardyal Singh,
Sikhs and Mother Earth, The Sikh Review, 47/5(1999) 62.
8. Satinderpal Singh
Kapur, Challenges of 21st Century, The Sikh Review, 47/3 (1999) 41.
9. Gurbax Singh
Shergill, Role of Khalsa in 21st
Century- Focus on Education, The Sikh review, 47/3 (1999) 32.
10. Satinderpal Singh Kapur, Sikhs in the Twenty-First
Century, The Sikh Review, 46/8
(1998) 47.