What if sikhs cut their hair

A kirpan does not have a prescribed length. In most cases it is about inches long. The kirpan serves as a reminder to fight against injustice and oppression. A Sikh understands that carrying a kirpan is a great responsibility. It is only intended to protect themselves or others. Some school aged children have made the commitment to become an initiated Sikh, and as such do wear a kirpan.

Generally, school personnel are aware that the Sikh student wears a kirpan, and both parties have come to an understanding about the religious significance and purpose of the kirpan. At the present time, Sikhs put their kirpans into checked-in luggage and do not carry it with them on an airplane. Everyone is welcome at a Gurdwara regardless of their race, religion, color, or class. If you are interested in visiting a Gurdwara, feel free to reach out to Sikhs you know or contact community sikhcoalition.

The Sikh Gurus were very clear about each Sikh making their own spiritual journey directly and not depending on an intermediary or clergy. These are people who have studied the Sikh scriptures extensively, and are available in the Gurdwaras as teachers. They often lead a congregation, but any members from the congregation — regardless of gender — can also perform the same ceremonies. A woman can lead or take part in any service or ceremony just as a man would. Sikh Gurus always taught equality between men and women.

For instance, the Gurus decried the cultural climate that denied women access to religion and advocated strongly for women to have equal rights as men in all spheres. In some Sikh congregations, men and women sit side-by-side as equals — women on one side of the Guru Granth Sahib, and men on the other.

It is important to note that men and women are still in equal proximity of the Guru Granth Sahib. There are both practical and cultural reasons for this practice. Since everyone sits on the floor, often unintentionally touching the person next to them when there is a large congregation can occur.

Having such interactions with the members of the opposite gender can make an individual uncomfortable. However, in some Gurdwaras, men and women may be seen sitting mixed in the congregation. The Sikh Gurus instituted the unique practice of Langar. Langar is food that is cooked by the members of the community and served to all people at the Gurdwara. All Gurdwaras have a community kitchen, where Langar is cooked by volunteers and open to all without discrimination.

Langar is communal cooking, serving, eating, and sharing. Langar is eaten while sitting on the ground for those who are able. The idea is to put into practice treating all people equally, irrespective of caste, creed, religion, race, or sex. Writer Sukhmandir Kaur Khalsa says that keeping kesh honors truth. Hair, like truth, continually asserts itself despite whatever measures are taken to deny it.

Whether plucked, shaved, or curled, or colored hair, the hereditary disposition and condition of hair cannot be changed or concealed, for hair always returns to its original genetic growth pattern, Khalsa, Sukhmandir.

Khalsa also says that keeping kesh benefits the body and soul. Another reason a Sikh may keep long hair is that long hair establishes a complete and natural person. When the body is whole, it represents a whole spirit, a spirit unlimited by worldly consideration, Wylam, Pamela Margaret. Sikhs do not conform to time-bound, secular fashion trends; Sikhs are not attached to the world. Thus, Wylam says, long hair indicates a freedom from socially deemed fashionable haircuts, Wylam, Pamela Margaret.

Personal discipline is central to Sikhi and some feel that keeping long hair, combing it every day and washing it, develops disciplines, Singh, Gurdev.

Some writers feel that keeping kesh vanquishes vanity. Keeping hair intact is a constant reminder to make conscious choices when facing the challenges of confronting ego, Khalsa, Sukhmandir. Keeping kesh builds self-esteem, in another point of view. Keeping hair intact allows one to experience courage, conquer fear, and realize unconditional love, Khalsa, Sukhmandir.

The Sikh eliminates the duality in the mind that may come with cutting hair; that Waheguru made the human perfect but somehow the Sikh is not perfect and thus must cut the hair. Bringing thoughts and actions in line with each other can help establish inner peace.

Since every practicing Sikh keeps long hair, it is the common denominator between all Sikhs. It helps connect everyone mentally, reminding Sikhs that they are all striving to reach the same religious, spiritual, social objective, together, Wylam, Pamela Margaret. Long hair across the panth psychologically connects Sikhs to their fellow Sikhs. As Sikhs in history kept long hair, keeping long hair in the modern era can help connect contemporary Sikhs with the Sikh Panth of the past, keeping history alive and giving Sikhs strength Singh, Trilocan.

Some Sikhs believe that hair is provided by God, with its peculiar distribution over the body, and it should be respected Manasukhani, Gobind Singh. Another reason some Sikhs keep long hair is to live in harmony with the will of God Manasukhani, Gobind Singh. The founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak never laid down such rules. It is only Guru Gobind Singh who asked baptised Sikhs to keep unshorn hair. Guru Gobind Singh also did not say those who are not Khalsa are not Sikhs.

Unshorn hair is only for Khalsa Sikhs. Some orthodox self styled experts on Sikhism made new rehits later during Tat Khalsa movement under British rule to make it seem as if all Sikhs have to keep unshorn hair.

Earlier Sikh women also did not wear turbans. These orthodox trends have come up later as an insecure response to avoid being assimilated by Muslims or Hindus.

Sikhism is originally against any useless rituals. Only God can judge you. Not mere mortals. Many so called Sikhs with unshorn hair commit crimes like honour killing, female foeticide, drugs related crimes, terrorism, assassinations etc. Does that make them great Sikhs?

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Food for thought says:. September 4, at am. But the way women practice kes in Sikhism is policed in a specifically gendered way. Yet, keeping too much hair, makes you not feminine enough. Which forces Sikh women, both who chose to be Sikh and are born Sikh, into being constantly policed on what they do with their hair. The way women practice kes in Sikhism is policed in a gendered way. The tradition of keeping hair goes back to the birth of the Khalsa , where Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs established a code of conduct for all his followers.

And the second reason for keeping hair is due to the heavy persecution Sikhs were facing at the time. The turban and hair became an identity marker, which made people easily identified as Sikh so people were able to uphold their faith. It also forces people to be held up to a higher standard. Thus, you not only have the pressure of living up to yourself but you also have to live up to your religion everywhere you go.

Guru Gobind Singh also asked people to begin wearing the turban, something Sikhs had already begun to do, in an attempt to mimic the Gurus styles. The turban was chosen because at the time they were a symbol of aristocracy, and allowing women and lower-caste people to wear it aimed to abolish the structure within itself.

Then, why is it that most Sikh women do not wear the turban? Technically, we should be wearing them too. Of course, people practice religion to whatever extent their comfortable with. The way kes is performed for Sikh women is currently heavily influenced by patriarchy. The ideal Sikh woman for most Sikhs of course this varies , is one who keeps the hair on her head but still removes facial and body hair.

On the other hand, women who chose to keep their body hair or choose to wear the turban are seen as masculine and not fit for marriage. Both visions are tied to sexuality and gender appearance. Because if it was about Sikhism, people would not be dissuading their daughters from taking Amrit and wearing a turban. The ideal Sikh woman for most Sikhs, is one who keeps the hair on her head but still removes facial and body hair. That being said, I still wax my legs and underarms and occasionally thread my upper lip.

Where does Sikhism fall in that? It has not been easy for me, with lots of weird hostility and strange questions from non-Sikhs.