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Female Sant(nis) in Gurmat


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Gurfateh

Das once wondered if we have female Sants in Panth like we have them in Hindus.

Das rembered one Maye Jhuggi Wali in Pakistan as told by his maternal Grand mother,who is no more alive.

Then Baba Nidder Singh showed a Bibi from Bihar.

Recently das saw a Sant Samagam in Delhi oraginsed by DSGPC.

Das will give brife list of those who attended.

Niramala Mahapursh from Kankhal,who even got time to preach.

Baba Harnam Singh Ji Dhuma from Chowk Mehta.

Akal Balbeer Singh Ji Chandigarh,Bhai Balbeer Singh Ji(Shahedi Bagh) and Baba Nihal Singh Ji of Hariyan Belan.

Mahant Tirath Singh Ji Sevapanthi from Guniyana Mandi(along with Galaxy of other Sants from his order).

Sant Teja Singh Ji from Rara Sahib

Baba Sarbjot Singh ji Perhaps

Sants from Ratwara Sahib

Sants from Nanaksar especialy from Karnal.

Any other Sants das forgot the name including Hindus/Udasis/Sahijdhari Sants.

It all started by Kirtan by Honourable Akhand Kirtani Jatha.

Das could reach only at culmination of that Samagam ,when Sohila Sahib was read as das was to undergo some medical check,which by mercy of Akal has come negitive.

But coming to main question.

Das saw one name of feamle Sant ie Sant Bibi Santokh Kaur,Meerut Road ,Hapur.

do we hgave more such examples and why do Feamel not become more Sants?Is there any restrictions on them?

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Gurfateh my brother,

This is something I've become very interested in. There has never (and I imagine will never) been female Sevapanthis. That seems to be their way, with regards how they run their tikanas and the communal living aspect I guess.

The Nirmalas however seem to be quite different. Recently I was reading a copy of Nirmal Darshan, a periodical for Nirmalas, in which the attendees of a smagam included two female mahants. Leafing through 'Nirmal Panth Bodh' there are quite a few historical female sants. In the same way Nirmalay defeated caste-based arguments for discrimination earlier, I'd imagine the same atamdrishti arguments would be used for women also.

There are equally female Udasin sadhus, including one european sadhni who has a ashram in Rishikesh.

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Gurfateh ji,

I'm not entirely sure. I think the fact that they were historically much smaller than the other samprdayas is important to note, thus little internal variation unlike what we see in the Nirmala or Udasis. The necessity was for being virakat from the outset and the potential Sevapanthi was recruited by the local Sant/Mahant while young. I can only assume the veneration for pirs and fakirs as described in the Masnsavi and Kimiaa-e-saadat would reinforce this. I wouldn't personally say they had a strong link to sunni Islam specifically, only to the examples of fakirs whether shia or sunni. Equally in their literature vedantic terminology is used a lot.

hope this helps

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Guest SAdmin

I forgot the name of female missionary in Kashmir. She was great follower of Sikh Guru and provided great service to spread the word of Sikhism in that region.

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I am sure there were enought female santani in Sikhism during the guru's time to all the way through out sikh history until now and will be in future.

It's a different matter if their names are not in sikh history books and such.

Gyani Thakur Singh Ji from Damdami Taksal shares this amazing sakhi:

Once in ludhiana, there was gurmukh/mahapursh bhramgyani saint named- baba ban batta. Baba ji always used to hold an ban(arrow) and wear khadar cloth to cover up and all day used to wander around like mastna in the village .

In close by village, there was another female saint bhramgyani - named Chando. Chando also used to wander around naked in the village. Everyone respected her, they all knew she was very high elevated saint. When baba ban batta came in her village, saint chando quickly get a cloth from someone to cover herself and bow down(matha taiked) to baba ban batta. Upon this incident, one shopkeeper was suprised to see this incident and asked her, why you cover yourself only when he comes not other times you don't feel shy infront of us.

She replied in carefree tone, are you people even bandaie/males? you people are still istraie roop (wives) roop. Only baba ban batta is purkh(real mard/man) because he is bhram gyani. He did bhagti of that akaal purkh that akaal purkh attributes came in him. He also became purkh..

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Gurfateh

Yes, obviously Bhai Randhir Singh also relates a story of a female santni. These examples are quite extreme tapasvis. I'm personally interested by more everyday examples of a female sant becoming mahant of an akhara and quietly getting on with it.

Also perhaps someone can explain the link between Baba Basant Singh (is it?), the Hemkunt Sahib langar bloke, and Bibi Jagir Kaur?

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Gurfateh

I looked through that journal again and from two recent Nirmala smagams plucked out the names;

Srimati Mahant Bibi Chhotey Kaur Ji

Srimati Mahant Manjit Jaur Ji

Srimati Atma Jyoti Ji

There are others I know of attached to other Nirmala deras. What is interesting to note is that the first two have been given mahanti of a traditional dera. A good sign for things to come. I'll shall hopefully have darsan with these Santni Mahants in September.

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There is also satni sahiban from rara sahib who is mahanti at Hapur dera dedicated to Sant Maharaj Ji Rara Sahib. Sant Maharaj ji used to do lot of divans in Hapur.

Mcolo user on this forum can provide more info of this great female saint, I have done darshan of her when she came to toronto here. But i seem to have forgotten her name. :(

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Neo Ji, are you talking about Baba Isher Singh Ji's niece, who is in her 40's and also remains celebate?

Bibi Ji has a following in the UK, London and Birmingham.

My pua/phupher used to have Baba Isher Singh Ji's darshan regularly, Baba Ji used to stay with them during some visites to the UK. I think they are now in this Bibi Ji's sangat, I think she may be from Haryana, don't quote me though.

I will find out Bibi Ji's name.

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No she is not wife of Sant Waryam Singh Ji. I ll get more details about her :)

The name is Bibi Santosh Kaur Ji, Hapur Wale. They have never married and have devoted their life since childhood to the sewa of Sri Hazur Sriman Sant Baba Isher Singh Ji maharaj. It is under their guidance and with that Bhora sahib hapur is to this day preserved in the lovinig memory of Sant Ji Maharaj. Bibiji has come many times to the uk, usa and canada inorder to spread the vaheguru's divine name. The picture attached is from Sri Guru Singh sabha, Hounslow

83510008.JPG

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Theres a short sakhi in Pracheen Panth Parkash about a female saint described as a Santni who was based in Jalandhar and the wives of a king came to her to ask her to bless their hosehold with a son. This is going back to about the times of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur so appears to be a long standing tradition of female saints in the panth.

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There are quite a few female Sadvis, Sants and Mahants among the Nirmalay presently. I was lucky enough to meet Svami Satpreet Hari while at the kumbh, and hear her pravachans while at a sammelan in Amritsar recently, also Mahant Gubaksh Kaur Ji too. Both are great vidvans of Gurmat and Vedant.

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