Origins Of Ritualisms Merging Sikhi?

[rupinder singh]

The story of Hindu families raising their eldest son as a Sikh belongs to a particular area of West Punjab around Rawalpindi before 1947. Such a custom was unknown in the Punjab east of Lahore. In these areas if a Hindu family especially Jat or Chamar during the British period was interested in Sikhi then the whole family became Sikh. Amongst Jats the Keshdharis would not marry their daughters to Hindu or Sehajdhari Jats unless they became Keshdhari Sikhs. Hindu Jats also became Sikhs to join the Jat regiments of the British army.

The reason that the custom which of the eldest son of the Hindu family becoming a Sikh is well known is that it is referred to in the so-called Hindu-Sikh Ekta articles by writers who belong to the area where it was a practice such as Khushwant Singh, Kuldeep Nayyar, Kartar Singh Duggal etc. They attempt to impose their own experiences from a small area of Punjab into an all Punjab custom which it never was. The Doordarshan myths of Sikh-Hindu Ekta which were the staple of Indian TV in the 80s such as Sanjha Chula etc belong to these writers' experiences. The common experience between the Sikh and Hindu in East Punjab pre-1947 was one of animosity between the Jat (Sikh) and the Bania (Hindu)

The reason for the custom is due to a number of reasons-;

1. The Bedi clan under Baba Kartar Singh Bedi was strong around Rawalpindi. Hindu women who did not have a child or a son would visit the Dera to get the Baba's blessings for a child. If a son was born then they would vow to bring him up as a Sikh. If other sons were born after him then they would be raised as Hindus. This is probably because the visit to the Dera was due to the longing for a first son.

2. The relations between Sikh and Hindus who were both small minorities around Rawalpindi were especially close. There was a lot of intermarriage between them. There were also occasions where a keshdhari's daughter would be married into a Hindu or Sehajdhari family and would raise her first son as a Keshdhari Sikh.

Another interesting post. Thinking about it the Indian media, film, literature and entertainment industry have always had strong ties to the West Punjabi (now Pakistan) community especially post partition where many migrated to Indian Cities. Hence the constant portrayal of the Hindu first born Sikh scenario, Sikh/Hindu inter-religious marriages as well as some other rituals which may have been only practiced in those small regions. Ironically the power of the portrayal of rituals in Bollywood movies has definitely lead to an increase in the trends of performing Kaurvachaud, sindoor and mangal sootaras etc.

[proactive]

Gurbani condemns ritualism sans naam simran.That is called empty ritualism.In other words those people who want to realize God only through ritualism are mistaken.

When a religion grows,to organize it rituals have to be observed.like Guru Amardas ji asked sikhis to come to Gonidwal sahib for amawas.the purpose was to preach sikh principles to gathering.

Hindu Jats also became Sikhs to join the Jat regiments of the British army.

this is news to me.Jat regiments are hindu regiments.Sikh regiments are separate from Jat regiments.

You are right, they weren't called Jat regiments but they were composed majority of Jats. The British recruited mostly Jats or Mazbi Sikhs. The Jats formed the Sikh regiment and the Mazbis formed the Pioneer battalions which later became Sikh Light Infantry.