Half Hindu-Half Sikh Families?

[SeekerKaur]

There are such families in which one son and his wife, kids, grandkids are Sikhs and another son and his family are Hindus.

As much as I have observed it is such families who are likely to call Sikhs Hindus or call themselves also Hindus and perform Hindu rituals as well. Due to such families Sikhs are called Hindus by many Hindus also.

Where did such families come from? Such families are most confusing. Some of them have say, an Amritdhari sister and jija but cousin will be a Hindu with cut bair, Hindu name and all. Or mother in law, father in law will be Hindu but only husband will be Sikh.

Men, women and kids of such families usually do Hindu rituals.

How did such families come about? What is their history and origin?

If one son became a Sikh then shouldn't he and his wife, kids, grandkids have always followed Sikhi properly instead of looking like Sikhs, sporting Sikh names yet still doing idol worship, pujas, vrats, kanjakan etc alongside? What's the point of "becoming" Sikh like this?

It is exactly such families that are used to defend interfaith marriages or claim Sikhs are sect of Hinduism or Hindus and Sikhs are same thing.

Kids of such families also look like confused lot and rather closer to Hindus. They might be wearing turban but know mantras more than Gurbani! And worship like Hindus (worship of Guru Granth Sahib is no different from idol worship for them, they just keep lighting diyas, incense around SGGS, put flowers or other chadhawa in front of it but rarely understand Gurbani nor do Nitnem regularly!)

These have been bane of Sikh community IMO and never bothered about Gurbani or Maryada (though rare exceptions might have been there).

[JagsawSingh]

There are such families in which one son and his wife, kids, grandkids are Sikhs and another son and his family are Hindus.

As much as I have observed it is such families who are likely to call Sikhs Hindus or call themselves also Hindus and perform Hindu rituals as well. Due to such families Sikhs are called Hindus by many Hindus also.

Where did such families come from? Such families are most confusing. Some of them have say, an Amritdhari sister and jija but cousin will be a Hindu with cut bair, Hindu name and all. Or mother in law, father in law will be Hindu but only husband will be Sikh.

Men, women and kids of such families usually do Hindu rituals.

How did such families come about? What is their history and origin?

If one son became a Sikh then shouldn't he and his wife, kids, grandkids have always followed Sikhi properly instead of looking like Sikhs, sporting Sikh names yet still doing idol worship, pujas, vrats, kanjakan etc alongside? What's the point of "becoming" Sikh like this?

It is exactly such families that are used to defend interfaith marriages or claim Sikhs are sect of Hinduism or Hindus and Sikhs are same thing.

Kids of such families also look like confused lot and rather closer to Hindus. They might be wearing turban but know mantras more than Gurbani! And worship like Hindus (worship of Guru Granth Sahib is no different from idol worship for them, they just keep lighting diyas, incense around SGGS, put flowers or other chadhawa in front of it but rarely understand Gurbani nor do Nitnem regularly!)

These have been bane of Sikh community IMO and never bothered about Gurbani or Maryada (though rare exceptions might have been there).

How did such families come about? What is their history and origin?

Well, they are the khatri and arora sikhs, i,e the urban Sikhs that run big business. To understand how it all came about one needs to first of all go right back and consult Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji because Guru ji mentions how the way they go wichever way the money is was a problem even back then. Guru ji says :

"the kshatriyas (khatris) have abandoned their religion and embraced a foreign language". What Guru ji is saying there is that they were gladly embracing Islam just to keep hold of their money and wealth. Fast forward to the time of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Empire and you find that the Hindu khatris were doing exactly the same thing again in order to gain wealth. Because Sikhs were the power, controlling a vast empire, Hindu khatris started deliberately making one of their sons a Sikh so that he could gain high positions in government and thus earn the family vast money. People like the former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the famous Indian author Kushwant Singh of banta santa fame are prime examples of these families. So, you see, the beard and turban for them was adopted not so much for love of the religion but more as a way of adding to their wealth. Underneath though, they have always simply been Hindus with turbans.

Fast forward to 1947 and partition and we find the same thing being repeated again. Rather than remaining true to their religion the richer ones were more keen to hang on to their wealth and money and so decided to remain in Lahore by discarding Sikhism or Hinduism and embracing Islam. They still exist in Pakistan and are known as the big mega-rich industralist familes. What they did though is change their 'caste' name to 'sheikh' or khoj.

Anyway, you asked who they are and their origins so now you know.

[jkvlondon]

There are such families in which one son and his wife, kids, grandkids are Sikhs and another son and his family are Hindus.

As much as I have observed it is such families who are likely to call Sikhs Hindus or call themselves also Hindus and perform Hindu rituals as well. Due to such families Sikhs are called Hindus by many Hindus also.

Where did such families come from? Such families are most confusing. Some of them have say, an Amritdhari sister and jija but cousin will be a Hindu with cut bair, Hindu name and all. Or mother in law, father in law will be Hindu but only husband will be Sikh.

Men, women and kids of such families usually do Hindu rituals.

How did such families come about? What is their history and origin?

If one son became a Sikh then shouldn't he and his wife, kids, grandkids have always followed Sikhi properly instead of looking like Sikhs, sporting Sikh names yet still doing idol worship, pujas, vrats, kanjakan etc alongside? What's the point of "becoming" Sikh like this?

It is exactly such families that are used to defend interfaith marriages or claim Sikhs are sect of Hinduism or Hindus and Sikhs are same thing.

Kids of such families also look like confused lot and rather closer to Hindus. They might be wearing turban but know mantras more than Gurbani! And worship like Hindus (worship of Guru Granth Sahib is no different from idol worship for them, they just keep lighting diyas, incense around SGGS, put flowers or other chadhawa in front of it but rarely understand Gurbani nor do Nitnem regularly!)

These have been bane of Sikh community IMO and never bothered about Gurbani or Maryada (though rare exceptions might have been there).

these are those people who during british raj got their knickers in a bunch because Sikhs got better respect and pay then aam hindu/muslim soldiers so they hatched a plan to make one son a Sikh to cash in on that whilst in their heart they are all really hindus. Gurbani has described such Hindus ... They would probably have two thousand fits if their kids became pukke gursikhs through and through...and you can be sure they will be the type of sikhs in the RSS enrollment scheme.

[simran345]

There are many other faiths that respect Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji, not just Sikhs. Sindhis are one of them. Maharaj ji are Jagat da Guru, not just exclusive to Amritdhari Sikhs. The reason that only one is a Sikh in the family is because one family is trying to embrace Sikhi whilst the others half are Hindus. So they won't let go of the rituals and Hindu faith side as they think they will disrespect the whole family.

They won't let go and stick to one faith as they don't want to and they see the other faith as part of them too.

It is confusing for the soul, because dho berian vich pairh nai rakhe jande.

[Guest Jacfsing2]

It could be because that's the literal way people were Sehajdharis. Non-Sikhs trying to go closer to GurSikhi, these weren't Hindus who were giving their son to Sikhi, rather Sehajdharis of Hindu origin. Why is because if every Khatri gave only their eldest son which is the story most people believe, then Sikhi would be a bigger religion just with them; however, most Sikhs aren't Khatri they are mostly Vanjaria, (Jatts officially; however, any statistic which includes Vanjarias would prove that wrong). Sikhi appealed to the "lower" castes so many Vanjarias became Sikh in large numbers also not everyone became a GurSikh at once and rather slowly through the generations.

[SeekerKaur]

Thanks for responses.

I came across that lawyer KTS Tulsi's clan which got me confused because some of them are Sikhs and some of them have Hindu names and are Hindus.

Their extended family connections were also weird. Some were staunch Amritdharis but had cousins who were Hindus.

[SeekerKaur]

these are those people who during british raj got their knickers in a bunch because Sikhs got better respect and pay then aam hindu/muslim soldiers so they hatched a plan to make one son a Sikh to cash in on that whilst in their heart they are all really hindus. Gurbani has described such Hindus ... They would probably have two thousand fits if their kids became pukke gursikhs through and through...and you can be sure they will be the type of sikhs in the RSS enrollment scheme.

I usually find them making fun of Amritdharis and calling them kattar.

These people have even stopped giving their younger generation Sikh names now.

They seem to have little knowledge of Sikhi or Sikh history except going to Gurudwara, usually do not even pronounce Gurbani properly.

Keshdhari Hindus at most!

They also interpret events of Punjab differently and one can find them blaming Sant ji, praising Indira or blaming Sikhs for inviting attacks on themselves in 1984 and beyond.

Though they might have encountered mobs or discrimination and mockery against them due to their "Sikh identity" still they seem to feel closer to Hindus and brush it off thinking it was one off phenomenon or something that happens to everyone.

They like to consider themselves "liberal" and "modern".

[simran345]

Anyone can convert to Sikhi just so you know.. What religion do you think most Indian Punjabis were before they became Sikh?? Even if you see a historical Hindu temple in Punjab, you will see a lot of sardars flocking over there to receive the blessing from whatever devta resides there. Nothing really surprising about that.

But a Sikh only turns to Waheguru for blessings, so even though it's not surprising seeing them do it, doesn't mean it's the right thing to do either. Waheguru are the only ones that will truly bless, even the devtas are asking for their blessings, as everything is under the creation of God.

In Japji Sahib ji, we are told:

ਏਕਾ ਮਾਈ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਵਿਆਈ ਤਿਨਿ ਚੇਲੇ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥

एका माई जुगति विआई तिनि चेले परवाणु ॥

Ėkā mā▫ī jugaṯ vi▫ā▫ī ṯin cẖele parvāṇ.

The unique Mother (Master) formulating a plan of propagation installed three approved disciples.

ਇਕੁ ਸੰਸਾਰੀ ਇਕੁ ਭੰਡਾਰੀ ਇਕੁ ਲਾਏ ਦੀਬਾਣੁ ॥

इकु संसारी इकु भंडारी इकु लाए दीबाणु ॥

Ik sansārī ik bẖandārī ik lā▫e ḏībāṇ.

One the world's creator (Brahma), one steward who gives sustenance (Vishnu) and one who has the disposition of destroying (Shiva).

Then Guruji says:

ਜਿਵ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਤਿਵੈ ਚਲਾਵੈ ਜਿਵ ਹੋਵੈ ਫੁਰਮਾਣੁ ॥

जिव तिसु भावै तिवै चलावै जिव होवै फुरमाणु ॥

Jiv ṯis bẖāvai ṯivai cẖalāvai jiv hovai furmāṇ.

As it pleases Him and as is His order, He makes them walk.

ਓਹੁ ਵੇਖੈ ਓਨਾ ਨਦਰਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਬਹੁਤਾ ਏਹੁ ਵਿਡਾਣੁ ॥

ओहु वेखै ओना नदरि न आवै बहुता एहु विडाणु ॥

Oh vekẖai onā naḏar na āvai bahuṯā ehu vidāṇ.

He beholds them but they see Him not. This is the greatest wonder.

SGGS Ang 7

?? Dhan Guru Nanak Dev ji

Guruji says even they are begging for Name of the Lord.

ਜਿਸੁ ਨਾਮੈ ਕਉ ਤਰਸਹਿ ਬਹੁ ਦੇਵਾ ॥

जिसु नामै कउ तरसहि बहु देवा ॥

Jis nāmai ka▫o ṯarsėh baho ḏevā.

The Lord's Name, for which crave many gods,

ਸਗਲ ਭਗਤ ਜਾ ਕੀ ਕਰਦੇ ਸੇਵਾ ॥

सगल भगत जा की करदे सेवा ॥

Sagal bẖagaṯ jā kī karḏe sevā.

whose service all the devotes perform,

ਅਨਾਥਾ ਨਾਥੁ ਦੀਨ ਦੁਖ ਭੰਜਨੁ ਸੋ ਗੁਰ ਪੂਰੇ ਤੇ ਪਾਇਣਾ ॥੩॥

अनाथा नाथु दीन दुख भंजनु सो गुर पूरे ते पाइणा ॥३॥

Anāthā nāth ḏīn ḏukẖ bẖanjan so gur pūre ṯe pā▫iṇā. ||3||

and who is the Patron of the patronless and is the Destroyer of the pain of the poor; that Name is obtained through the Perfect Guru.

SGGS Ang 1078

[Pakandi baba]

It's historical I hear. I've luckily got none in my extended family but had a work colleague whom married a Hindu girl.

We get it all mixed up, we're to respect all Religions but remain truthful to our own.

Satkaar sare dharam da, phar vere apne pitta de rehna. - Respect all religions but remain In the garden of our father.

[SeekerKaur]

Anyone can convert to Sikhi just so you know.. What religion do you think most Indian Punjabis were before they became Sikh?? Even if you see a historical Hindu temple in Punjab, you will see a lot of sardars flocking over there to receive the blessing from whatever devta resides there. Nothing really surprising about that.

I know very well, thank you.

I am just asking about such half half families and so called Sikhs in these doing all sorts of things forbidden in Sikhi.

Sardars who go to temples are not true Sikhs IMO. Sikhs do not believe in any devi devta, nor do idol worship. Once you become a Sikh you believe in only one Akal Purakh.

If one takes up a religion one should be faithful to it than be such a mixed bag pretender as most of these so called "Sikhs" are. These people have little or no sense of Sikh history, Gurmat and Gurbani.