Bibi Dalair Kaur

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Bibi Dalair Kaur (fl. 1700s CE) was a Sikh woman who fought against the Mughals. [1] She rallied 100 Sikh women against the Mughals at the Battle of Chamkaur, on December 6, 1704. [2] She was killed and is considered to be a martyr among Sikhs.

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Sikhism was founded in Punjab in 1469 by Guru Nanak on the foundations that everyone is equal, regardless of caste, age, or gender. Both men and women are supposed to follow the Five Ks: Kesh, Kangha (comb), Kara, Kachera and Kirpan, and there was never a distinction between what a woman should be allowed to do versus a man at theological level. Men and women are treated equally in the temple (gurdwara), and everyone eats and prays side-by-side. Both men and women are meant to carry the Kirpan with them as they are responsible for their own physical protection, and should not depend on others. Sikhs are strictly against the caste system and many chose to use Kaur or Singh as a last name to push against the problematic caste system in India. There is only one god (Waheguru) in Sikhism and they are without form or gender, and everyone is equal in the eyes of God. Many Sikh women believe that this absence of assignment of code of conduct for a woman versus a man proves that their religion is historically committed to gender equality. Presently, the culture does not always follow these traditions and equality is often more true in ideals rather than daily practice. According to Kiman Kaur: "It is essential to take into account the diverse Kaur narratives in order to critically understand the violence Sikh women experience due to religious, ethnic, and gender minoritization through enabling more intersectional conversations."

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Sardarni Bibi Susheel Kaur also referred to as Mata Susheel Kaur was the wife of Sikh General Banda Singh Bahadur, who established the first Sikh state and the mother of his son, Ajai Singh. She was the only daughter of Maharaja Udai Singh of Chamba.

References

  1. Bates, Crispin (30 April 2024). Beyond Indenture: Agency and Resistance in the Colonial South Asian Diaspora. Cambridge University Press. ISBN   978-1-009-33979-7.
  2. Snodgrass, Mary Ellen (20 December 2023). Women Warriors in History: 1,622 Biographies Worldwide from the Bronze Age to the Present. McFarland. ISBN   978-1-4766-5032-6.

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