Sikh History

Question 22: Do the Sikhs believe in the caste-system or untouchability?

Sikhs do not believe in either caste or untouchability. The Sikh Gurus adamantly fought against these social maladies all their lives and even suffered ostracism and scathing criticism. In order to counteract these undesirable traditions of society they invented the institution of Langar (Common Kitchen) where Hindus and Muslims, Brahmans and Shudras, princess and paupers all sit down in rows and take food. In the Sikh kitchen a high-brow Brahman may have to eat the food cooked by the so-called untouchable Shudra. Even Emperor Akbar of Dehli had to sit and dine with sweepers and beggers in the Guru's kitchen before he was allowed to see the Guru in person. Sikhism is a great leveller of people and emphatically declares the equality of all. "Your actions betray your caste my friend" said Guru Nanak. Perhaps this is one reason why Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion, was branded as an iconoclast and even stoned for the courage of his convictions. In order to demonstrate practically that the Gurus meant what they said, Guru Arjan also included in the Holy Granth Sahib we find the so-called low-caste Kabir challenging the high-caste Brahmans thus:- "How is it that you claim to be a Brahman And brand us as untouchables? Do you dare call yourself milk-white And label us as polluted blood? If you claim to be a Brahman because you were born to a Brahman woman; So you also dare to claim that you were born differently?" Side by side with Kabir is Guru Nanak explaining what a Brahman really means:- "Let no one take pride in his caste; Understand ye that a Brahman is only he who seeks Brahman (God)."