Were Women Not Allowed to Take Amrit on Vaisakhi 1699?
What do historical records say?
There has been a lot of misinformation being spread lately by certain groups, claiming that women were excluded from receiving the Khande-ki-Pahul Amrit on the Vaisakhi of 1699 and onwards.
But what do historical sources say about this?
Case 1
A Mughal newswriter (“khabar nawis”) had delivered information to Aurangzeb about the Vaisakhi 1699 event at Anandpur Sahib. This was written down by the Persian historian Ghulam Mohyiuddin (possibly the same person) and later even referenced by Macauliffe.
Detailing Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s actions that day, he wrote:
“He has abolished caste and custom, old rituals, beliefs and superstitions of the Hindus… no one will be superior or inferior to another… Though orthodox men have opposed him, about twenty thousand men and women have taken baptism of iron at his hand on the first day.”
Case 2
In Gurbani Paath Darpan by Sant Gurbachan Singh, it is mentioned that eight brass copper plates had been dug up at Sri Anandpur Sahib during the 1930s which dated to the 1700s.
The relics contained the names of the women (i.e. Mata Gujari Kaur, Mata Sahib Kaur, etc.) who had taken Amrit on Vaisakhi 1699. This story was corroborated by Baba Maan Singh of Guru Nanak Dal. The plates were lost in the 1970s.
Case 3
The Bijai Mukt Dharam Shastar by Baba Gurbakhs Singh Ram Koer (Baba Buddha Ji’s son and contemporary to Guru Sahib) explicitly details both men and women being administered Amrit on the day of Vaisakhi 1699, stating: “All of the Sikh congregation including female Sikhs were given Amrit by Sri Kalgidhar Ji… The Guru gave an order to the whole Sant-Khalsa, man and woman to take Amrit. Guru Sahib, the True King, Kalgidhar, Protector of the Panth, and Jagat Guru, stood at Kesgarh and initiated the entire congregation with Amrit, thus delivering them.”1
The text further details several separate incidents of Guru Ji giving the commandment to women to take Khande-ki-Pahul:
ਸਿਖ ਤੇ ਸਿਖਨੀ ਦੋਨੋ ਅਸਾਡਾ ਮੰਤਰ ਪੜਣਗੇ ਖੰਡਿਆ ਨਾਲ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਛਕਣਗੇ ਓਹ ਮਾਤ ਲੋਕ ਸ਼੍ਰਰਗ ਲੋਕ ਫੇਰ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਵਿਖੇ ਸੁਖ ਭੋਗਣਗੇ ਆਪਣਿਆ ਪਿਤਰਾਂ ਕਾ ਉਧਾਰ ਕਰਨਗੇ ਜਿਹੜੀ ਸਿਖਣੀ ਖੰਡੇ ਸਾਥ ਨਾ ਛਕੇ ਗੀ ਓਹ ਸਿਖ ਨਾਲੋ ਅਕਾਲ ਪੁਰਖ ਦੀ ਦਰਗਾਹੇਵਿਛੁੜ ਜਾਏਗੀ
“Sikh and Sikhni shall both chant our mantar (Gurmantar) and partake in the Amrit of the Khanda… the Sikhni who does not take Khande Pahul will be separated from both the Sikh and from Akal Purakh in Dargah.”
According to that same record, these were Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s words to a group of women whose husbands had been killed by Mughals:
ਖੰਡੇ ਦੀ ਪਾਹੁਲ ਛਕੋ। ਸ਼ਸਤਰ ਬਿਦਯਾ ਅਭਿਆਸ ਕਰੋ।
“Partake in the Khande-di-Pahul. Practice Shastar Vidya.”
Case 4
According to Guru Kian Sakhian (written in 1790s), Guru Gobind Singh Ji organized a delegation of 5 Sikhs to administer Khande-ki-Pahul Amrit to surrounding communities.
At this time, Bhai Alam Singh questioned whether it should also be administered to male and female newborns, which Guru Sahib Ji affirmed, even providing explicit instructions on how to prepare Khande Pahul Amrit for both male and female babies alongside their mothers:
“Previously, a few days after Vaisakhi… Satguru told Diwan Sahib Singh that the groups of five Sikhs each should be formed. Taking the cauldrons and the double-edged swords with them, (they should) go all around Anandpur and enable the Sikhs to partake Amrit. Bhai Alam Singh said to Satguru, ‘Maharaj, one day you had pronounced that the Khalsa would make their male and female offspring to partake Amrit. Please eliminate my misgiving, how and when should it be carried.’ Satguru said, ‘….The Sikhni (the mother), along with the baby, after duly bathing and washing hair, (should) take her seat in a crossed-legged-pasture… The Khalsa… should take the iron Bata, pour fresh water in it and, then, put sugar-bubbles… When the Sikhni and the congregation are still in standing pasture, the Amrit should be prepared Afterwards, the Guru’s Sikh put five drops of Amrit in the mouth of each baby boy or baby girl.”
Case 5
Baba Kartar Singh Bhindrawale, in Khalsa Jeevan and Gurmat Rehit Maryada quotes a Bhai Chaupa Singh Rehitnama:
ਜੋ ਸਿੱਖ ਸਿੱਖਣੀ ਨੂੰ ਖੰਡੇ ਦੀ ਪਾਹੁਲ ਨ ਦੇਵੇ ਸੋ ਤਨਖਹੀਆ |
“The Sikh who does not give Khande-ki-Pahul to a Sikhni (Sikh woman) is a Tankhayia (a religious offender owing penalty).”
Renowned Sikh historian, Professor Piara Singh Padam, quotes this Rehitnama in this exact same manner.
It should be noted that since no original manuscript exists, anti-women factions consistently misquote this Rehitnama.
While no historical text is perfect, the fact that these proofs are scattered throughout varying texts should be enough of a red flag that the claims of the groups who say that women were not allowed to take Amrit on Vaisakhi 1699 simply do not line up.
So if you are a Bibi who has the desire to give your head to Guru Sahib: DO IT. Don’t let doubt and untruths get in the way of living out your destiny.
Taken from:
