The Word ‘Sikhni’

(Amrit Pal Singh ‘Amrit’)

Someone asked me, “Can the word ‘Sikhni’ be used for a Sikh woman? Or, Is the use of the word ‘Sikhni’ a disgrace to Sikh women?

In the ‘Sikh Reht Maryada’, the word ‘Sikhni’ has been used (see the second point of the portion describing ‘Sadharan Path’ and the first point of the portion ‘Anand sanskar’) for Sikh woman.

In ‘Rehtnaama Bhaayee Chaupa Singh’, the word ‘Sikhani’ has been used for many times: –

‘Guru kee Sikhani saadh-sangat vich maththa kajj bhaithhe’.

‘Guru kee Sikhani suchet rahai’.

In ‘Param Sumaarag’ (mostly known as ‘Prem Sumaarag’) the word ‘Sikhani’ has been used: –

“Ik Sikh Gurmukh bhala us Sikhani noo paahul dey”.

In ‘Sau Saakhee’, the word ‘Sikhani’ has been used for many-many times: –

“Ik raat tang hoye kai Sikhani de kaheyaan Laahora Singh de ghar gya”. (Saakhee 7).

“khushee karai ghar Sikhani bhala dekhaavai chaav”. (Saakhee 8).

“Ek momani ne Sikhani vas kar chhodee hai”. OR “Main Sikhani naa rahndee”. OR “Taan Sikhani aaye maththa tekiya”. OR “Bachan keeta Sikhaniye, tera beta hovega ate satvein janam Guru ka Sikh Sangat Singh kee mahal bas kai udharaingee”. (Saakhee 9).

“Ek ber Guru jee oochee thaurh baithhe the, sangat jurhee, barhee bheerh hoyee. Ik Sikhani aavai. Munh dhhaanpiya hooya ate murh jaavai”. (Saakhee 34).

“Guru puchheya, ‘Toon kis dee Sikhanee hain?” AND “Guru jee bole, ‘Sikha! Sikhani teri hai?”AND “Eh Sikhani see loyee”. AND “Taan Sikh Sikhani jaan kai ghar gaye”. (Saakhee 35).

“Dalle da kabeela hovaingee, taan Sikhaan dee, Sikhaniyaan dee sewa karengee”. (Saakhee 40).

“Sabh Sikhaniyaa chup kar raheeyaan”. (Saakhee 43).

“Ek baar ek Sikhani aayee hazoor ate rovan lagee”. (Saakhee 65).

“Bachan hooya, ‘Modnee, Sikhani teree hoyegee”. (Saakhee 83).

In ‘Bijai Mukt Granth’, the word ‘Sikhani’ has been used for many times: –

“Sikh te Sikhani donon asaada mantra parhanage”. (Saakhee 5).

“Jo Sikhaniyaan Anand parh ke dharma ka vivaah karange, onah daa bhaag Guru ji pooran karange”. (Saakhee 95).

The word ‘Sikhani’ has also been used in ‘Panth Prakaash’ written by Giyaani Giyaan Singh: –

“Ik Sikhani ne gaanveyo sundra sadd sur naal”. (Chapter 36).

The word ‘Sikhani’ has also been used in ‘Gur Prataap Sooraj Granth’ written by Bhaayee Santokh Singh: –

“Sikh Sikhani sees nivaavainh”. (Stanza 17, Ain 2, Ansoo 26, page 6349).

The word ‘Sikhani’ has also been used to refer to Sikh’s wife. See the Saakhee 35 of ‘Sau Saakhee’: –   “Guru puchheya, ‘Toon kis dee Sikhanee hain?” (Guru asked, ‘whose wife are you?’) OR “Guru jee bole, ‘Sikha! Sikhani teri hai?” (Guru ji said, ‘O Sikh! Is this your wife?’).

The word ‘Singhni’ has also been used for Sikh woman. So, both the words, Sikhni and Singhni, have the same meaning.

The word ‘singhani’ has not been used in ‘Rehtnaama Bhaayee Nand Laal’, ‘Tankhaahnaama Bhaayee Nand Laal’, ‘Saakhee Reht kee (Bhaayee Nand Laal)’, ‘Rehtnaama Bhaayee Prahlaad Singh’, ‘Rehtnaama Bhaayee Dya Singh’, ‘Rehtnaama Bhaayee Chaupa Singh’ etc.

The word ‘Singhni’ has been used in ‘Sikh Reht Maryada’. (See the ‘Ardaas’ in ‘Sikh Reht Maryada’).

If the word ‘Sikhni’ has widely been used in our religious texts/scriptures, there is no reason to avoid this word in our present daily life.