Bread Trimming/Cutting : Location Patterns

[JasSinghKhalsa]

Hair cutting is considered as a Kurehat in Sikh Rehat Maryada, yet there is a growing population trimming/cutting beards (I am not focussing on cleaven shaven).

The topic I want to discuss is if there need to be drawn a pattern of regions where this is seen quite heavily is -

Can we say Punjab has more of beard trimming phenomenon?

Also,

What is the ideology of people doing beard trimming? Do they think it is OK as per SRM to wear a turban but trim beard?

Generally, I hear of some arguments that turban should be very big (and double), Punjabi should be "Thet", but then what about Kesh/"Beard"?

When did this Kuherat really started? When did a certain sect of people started thinking it is OK for a Sikh to wear a turban (especially a large one), but get rid of beard (either trim it, or make it partially shaved).

Media channels as well focus more in Turban and days such as Dastaar-day etc. but why there is no focus on complete Sikhi swaroop?

We definately raise an issue when Bollywood shows more of such Sikh swaroop in movies such as Singh is King, but don't we as a Kaum as a whole give them the opportunity?

[SikhSpectrum]

I have come across Dharicuts, they often pull these points:

* Cut beard - atleast I have a beard, it doesn't matter if it's long or small.

* Panjabi singers - they have cut 'dhariyan' and when they sing Dharmik songs,

the full dhariyan wale Singhs accept these songs, and don't raise a finger, so then think it's acceptable...

* Peer Pressure - from haircut/clean shaven people, "Oh, you look like a Baba", "Oh come on, be modern"...

Despite their English is extremly poor (of the "Modern" Panjabis)...

[GurSa Singh]

This was my Grandads theory who was orginally from East Africa. My Grandfather believed that the beard trimming started in Kenya in the late 1960s, where the then naujwaan started "islamifying" the Sikh identity by shaping their beards. The fad was brought to UK from Kenya in the late 60s/early 70s but kept in the Sikh East African community. At that time the Sikhs from India living in the UK either were monay or full keshdhari (full beard), but by the mid/late 80s many of these keshdharis in UK also started trimming their beards. I suppose as they regularly visited Punjab, they took the fad with them and the result is more of these confused half-breeds.

Just a theory!

[Guest dataSingh]

This was my Grandads theory who was orginally from East Africa. My Grandfather believed that the beard trimming started in Kenya in the late 1960s, where the then naujwaan started "islamifying" the Sikh identity by shaping their beards. The fad was brought to UK from Kenya in the late 60s/early 70s but kept in the Sikh East African community. At that time the Sikhs from India living in the UK either were monay or full keshdhari (full beard), but by the mid/late 80s many of these keshdharis in UK also started trimming their beards. I suppose as they regularly visited Punjab, they took the fad with them and the result is more of these confused half-breeds.

Just a theory!

I think it started during British times or sometime during green revolution after 1947 ! Remember , the sikh separatist movement was mostly arised out of fear of growing numbers of unorthodox sikhs who trimmed their beards or cut their hair .

Britishers wanted sikh soldiers to trim their beards . Those who did not do so would tie them neatly . this is where beard tying started !

[pedrorizzo]

i have also heard the theory about the tradition starting amongst the Kenyan Sikhs. Dont know if this is true. However, beard trimming was common in Punjab even in the forties and fifties. My grandfather who was a sardar but trimmed his beard. In the UK, beard trimming is common amongst all groups. Amongst khatri Sikhs (bhapeh) it is probably the least common

[Deletedkp]

Beard trimming has been around since the Mughal raaj in India. Sikhs who worked for the Mughals as administrators were instructed to keep their beard a certain length as part of the uniform. Maharaja Sher Singh was known to trim his beard, not as we see it the modern era but to keep it a certain length.

[JasSinghKhalsa]

Beard trimming has been around since the Mughal raaj in India. Sikhs who worked for the Mughals as administrators were instructed to keep their beard a certain length as part of the uniform. Maharaja Sher Singh was known to trim his beard, not as we see it the modern era but to keep it a certain length.

Do you have any evidence of this? Any URL/book? Is this a fact or just an opinion?

[West London Singh]

I think it started during British times or sometime during green revolution after 1947 ! Remember , the sikh separatist movement was mostly arised out of fear of growing numbers of unorthodox sikhs who trimmed their beards or cut their hair .

Britishers wanted sikh soldiers to trim their beards . Those who did not do so would tie them neatly . this is where beard tying started !

Thats not true dataSingh. For example, if a Sikh in the British Army ever dared trim his beard he was instantly dismissed from the army. The British warned the Sikhs in their recruits that if they cut or trim they would be nothing but Hindus and thus no good to anybody in the battlefield. Contrast this with the Sikhs in the Indian army today. They are not only encouraged to trim but its an actual obligatory requirement.

btw...what on earth is a "Britisher" ? Is that an actual word ?

[Guest dataSingh]

Thats not true dataSingh. For example, if a Sikh in the British Army ever dared trim his beard he was instantly dismissed from the army. The British warned the Sikhs in their recruits that if they cut or trim they would be nothing but Hindus and thus no good to anybody in the battlefield. Contrast this with the Sikhs in the Indian army today. They are not only encouraged to trim but its an actual obligatory requirement.

btw...what on earth is a "Britisher" ? Is that an actual word ?

Not all hindus are weak , nor are all sikhs brave or even sardar-like , for that matter !

Stereotypes are not good

There was a time when people started calling sikhs sardars ( chiefs or leaders ) coz we had those personalities . Not all turbaned men these days have those qualities . They are just turbaned , not necessarily makes them sardar , which is actually a word of great honor !

Stereotypes are not good .

[Guest dataSingh]

Not all hindus are weak , nor are all sikhs brave or even sardar-like , for that matter !

There was a time when people started calling sikhs sardars ( chiefs or leaders ) coz we had those personalities . Not all turbaned men these days have those qualities . They are just turbaned , not necessarily makes them sardar , which is actually a word of great honor !

Stereotypes are not good .