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Summary of Question:	Caste Based Society- What Can Be Done?
Category:	Sikh Practices
Date Posted:	Monday, 8/23/2004 9:30 AM MDT

sat sri akal ji

All my sikh friends go to a different gurdwara to me, and I asked my dad why we did not go to the same gurdwara. He sed to me that this was because we are of different caste to my friends. I wondered what wud be wrong with going to the same gurdwara as them. Wud it be wrong If I did? Would people look down on me because of it?
I cannot help feeling distressed and angry, and I just can't believe that in the Sikh religion we have such ideas on caste. I cannot help feeling like I am the only one. Does everyone else believe in caste except me? I am ashamed when non-sikhs ask me about the sikh religion and ask if there is a caste system in it. I want to say no, but the truth is there obviously is.
What can be done about it? Can the younger generation banish the Sikh religion of this horrible feature? or is it too late?
For me, I love my religion. I love going to Gurdwara, and knowing that sense of belief is all around me. That belief in Waheguru. I wud change Nothing about my religion, nothing at all. Just this caste system which seems to be slowly seeping through, as I grow older.
If I could get involved in any sort of groups, who work with Gurdwara's and sikh people in general, that would be great. The best thing for me would be to see all Sikh people free of this caste system.
I am not naive, and I know that this will not happen tommorrow, and that even if I did start today, the caste system could still be there in 100 years in the Sikh religion.
But is there hope? Is there hope, that if I start now, then the next generation of Sikh's, our future as a community, will feel free to practise our religion without this horrid shadow of doubt.
It just makes me angry, is there anything that I can do?
Rub Rukh
WJKK
WJKF
(REPLY) Sat Nam. I hope and pray that there is something that you, and all Sikhs who believe in the teachings of equality that Guru Nanak brought (and Guru Gobind Singh definitely taught - by giving ALL Sikh men the last name of Singh, and all women Kaur, so that even the last name no longer "labeled" Sikhs in one caste or another) can do! I'm posting this so that someone with concrete suggestions may see it and offer help to you in your most worthwhile determination to get rid of this unfortunate, separative, outdated caste consciousness. May God bless you , and Guru prevail through you! SP