Human Hair and its Significance in Sikhism Presented by: Gurnam Singh, Warwick

1. Sikh Missionary Society UK25th Annual Gurmat Camp 28th July – 4th August 2002Guru Gobind Khalsa CollegeChigwell, Essex. Human Hair and its Significance in Sikhism Presented by: Gurnam Singh, Warwick SMS 25th Gurmat Camp

2. Structure of Presentation • Biological Perspectives - What is hair and what practical purpose does it serve? • Sociological/Psychological Perspectives - What cultural significance does hair have and how does this impact on self identity? • Theological Perspectives - What place does human hair have in different religious traditions • Sikh (Gurmat) Perspectives – In what ways does not cutting hair concur with the essence of Sikhi? SMS 25th Gurmat Camp

3. What is Hair? • Generic term describing strong thread-like outgrowths of the epidermis of mammals. • Only mammals (most evolved) have true hair, and all mammals have hair (including elephants, whales, sheep (wool), bears (fur) and hedgehogs (spines). • composed chiefly of the horny, usually pigmented scleroprotein keratin • contain neither blood vessels nor nerves. • The hair grows from the bottom of the follicle where it is nourished by the blood vessels. • A minute muscle, is attached to each hair follicle; under the control of the autonomic nervous system the muscle contracts to make the hair “stand on end”. • Most mammals possess tactile hairs, the roots of which have a richly supply of sensory nerves. • Humans have the longest hair and the largest head. • Changes in hair reflect biological ageing process SMS 25th Gurmat Camp

4. What is the Function of Hair? • Guard Hairs (whiskers, spines) protection (cage or sensory) • Insulate - retain body heat and fluid • Camouflage e.g. Zebra • Signal - e.g white tailed deer -warning others of predators • Navigation in darkness • Defence and offence - locate prey and predator • Absorb harmful radiations from the sun. • Keep out coarse dust particles, as in eyelashes, hair in the nasal chambers and ear canals. • Eyebrows prevent water or perspiration from falling into eyes, due to their particular direction. • Axillary and pubic hair lessen friction between limbs and body, and between limbs during locomotion. • Beautify the body (otherwise why people do not shave off their hair from the head completely; bald men are desperate and would pay any price to get back on their heads). • Beard and moustaches are for differentiation of sex. Mostly males are decorated in nature, e.g. lion, peacock and other birds, deer, etc. • Defend the body in danger, by standing on their ends, thereby making the body look bigger. SMS 25th Gurmat Camp

5. Sociological/Psychological Perspectives • ‘Hair care’ - consumption i.e. big business • Group Identity/Affiliation e.g ‘Skin Heads’, Hippies, ‘David Beckham’, Dreadlocks, Hair sculpting. • Symbolising masculinity/femininity. • Cultural norms – peer group pressure • Symbolises ageing - cosmetic surgery! SMS 25th Gurmat Camp

6. Theological Perspectives Jewish/Christian/Greek Tradition • Long uncut hair symbol of vitality, strength, morality and wisdom (eg Samson) • Cutting/tearing of hair symbolic of mourning and death – hair sacrificed to the dead • Symbol of great beauty – For this reason married Jewish women were required to cover their heads • Jesus and all his disciples kept their hair in tact. • In ancient Greece long hair symbolised godliness, youthfulness and wisdom • Later custom of shaving introduced by Alexander the Great. Why? Control over his armies perhaps! SMS 25th Gurmat Camp

7. Indian Tradition • Prior to the Mogul invasions, Brahmins were required to keep matted hair and rishi knots • Early Buddhist period – shaving sign of ugliness and contempt • Later shaving became a requirement for renunciation • Evidence that adulteress were punished by having their head shaven • Yogic/Sadhu tradition - Shaving symbolised renunciation i.e escape from social, political and cultural spheres • Thus to be an ascetic one needed to defy the principle of procreation and multiplication – • To the present day at ceremonies long haired Sadhus and Jains ritually tear out their hair as an act of renunciation. SMS 25th Gurmat Camp

8. Sikh Tradition DnwsrI mhlw 1 Gru 3 Dhanaasaree, First Mehl, Third House: <> siqgur pRswid ] One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru: kwlu nwhI jogu nwhI nwhI sq kw Fbu ] No, no, this is not the time, when people know the way to Yoga and Truth.Qwnst jg Birst hoey fUbqw iev jgu ]1] The holy places of worship in the world are polluted, and so the world is drowning. ||1||kl mih rwm nwmu swru ]In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Lord's Name is the most sublime.AKI q mItih nwk pkVih Tgx kau sMswru ]1] rhwau ] Some people try to deceive the world by closing their eyes and holding their nostrils closed. ||1||Pause||AWt syqI nwku pkVih sUJqy iqin loA ]They close off their nostrils with their fingers, and claim to see the three worlds.mgr pwCY kCu n sUJY eyhu pdmu AloA ]2]But they cannot even see what is behind them. What a strange lotus pose this is! ||2||KqRIAw q Drmu CoifAw mlyC BwiKAw ghI ]The K'shatriyas have abandoned their religion, and have adopted a foreign language.isRsit sB iek vrn hoeI Drm kI giq rhI ]3]The whole world has been reduced to the same social status; the state of righteousness and Dharma has been lost. ||3||Ast swj swij purwx soDih krih byd AiBAwsu ]They analyze eight chapters of (Panini's) grammar and the Puraanas. They study the Vedas,ibnu nwm hir ky mukiq nwhI khY nwnku dwsu ]4]1]6]8]but without the Lord's Name, no one is liberated; so says Nanak, the Lord's slave. ||4||1||6||8|| SMS 25th Gurmat Camp

9. Sikh (Gurmat Principles) Sikh scriptures tell us that the gurus rejected the following practices (Karm Kaand – Ritual practices) Such rituals designed to wash off sins and achieve salvation (jeeevan mikhti) • Self-mortification tormenting the body; • Enduring hunger, poverty, pain of hot and cold water / denying sleep; • Bathing at places of pilgrimage, river banks, etc.; • Celibacy and renouncing the world • Dwelling in wilderness, • Giving any spiritual significance to dress or nudity • Body painting, marking or rubbing the body with ash • Circumcision/splitting ears/shaving head/artificially growing long hair or nails. SMS 25th Gurmat Camp

10. sUhI mhlw 1 Gru Soohee, First Mehl, Seventh House: <> siqgur pRswid ] One Creator. By The Grace Of The True Guru:  jogu n iKMQw jogu n fMfY jogu n Bsm cVweIAY ] Yoga is not the patched coat, Yoga is not the walking stick. Yoga is not smearing the body with ashes.  jogu n muMdI mUMif mufwieAY jogu n isM|I vweIAY ] Yoga is not the ear-rings, and not the shaven head. Yoga is not the blowing of the horn. AMjn mwih inrMjin rhIAY jog jugiq iev pweIAY ]1] Remaining unblemished in the midst of the filth of the world – this is the way to attain Yoga. ||1||  SMS 25th Gurmat Camp

11. glI jogu n hoeI ] By mere words, Yoga is not attained.  eyk idRsit kir smsir jwxY jogI khIAY soeI ]1] rhwau ] One who looks upon all with a single eye, and knows them to be one and the same – he alone is known as a Yogi. ||1||Pause||  jogu n bwhir mVI mswxI jogu n qwVI lweIAY ] Yoga is not wandering to the tombs of the dead; Yoga is not sitting in trances.  jogu n dyis idsMqir BivAY jogu n qIriQ nweIAY ] Yoga is not wandering through foreign lands; Yoga is not bathing at sacred shrines of pilgrimage. AMjn mwih inrMjin rhIAY jog jugiq iev pweIAY ]2] Remaining unblemished in the midst of the filth of the world – this is the way to attain Yoga. ||2|| SMS 25th Gurmat Camp

12. siqguru BytY qw shsw qUtY Dwvqu vrij rhweIAY ] Meeting with the True Guru, doubt is dispelled, and the wandering mind is restrained. inJru JrY shj Duin lwgY Gr hI prcw pweIAY ] Nectar rains down, celestial music resounds, and deep within, wisdom is obtained. AMjn mwih inrMjin rhIAY jog jugiq iev pweIAY ]3] Remaining unblemished in the midst of the filth of the world - this is the way to attain Yoga. ||3|| nwnk jIviqAw mir rhIAY AYsw jogu kmweIAY ] O Nanak, remain dead while yet alive - practice such a Yoga. vwjy bwJhu isM|I vwjY qau inrBau pdu pweIAY ] When the horn is blown without being blown, then you shall attain the state of fearless dignity. AMjn mwih inrMjin rhIAY jog jugiq qau pweIAY ]4]1]8] Remaining unblemished in the midst of the filth of the world – this is the way to attain Yoga. ||4||1||8|| SMS 25th Gurmat Camp

13. Guru Gobind Singh’s views on ritualism- Akal Ustat, pp. 71-72 “Could the Lord be realised: by eating filth,then the swine would; by smearing the body with dust,then the ass and the elephant would; by haunting the cremation grounds, then the vulture would; by living in a domed monastery, then the owl would; by wandering listlessly, then the deer would; by standing still and silently, then the tree would; by abstinence from sex, then the eunuch would; by walking barefoot, then the monkey would." SMS 25th Gurmat Camp

14. Conclusions • Hair has serves a very important biological function • Historically most religious traditions were build upon a respect of the human form • In the Indian Tradition there have been two ideal paths : • Sadhu Maarg - one of becoming a recluse and renouncing all material possessions including the body! • Grist Maarg - living ones life in and through the material world of social, community and family life SMS 25th Gurmat Camp

15. …conclusions • Sikhi states that the human form, in body, mind and spirit is the most advanced and perfect machinery for attaining salvation • Salvation is to be obtained by letting the body naturally mature and eventually die • By doing nothing, to keep and look after ones hair (i.e. to preserve that natural form) is to demonstrate ones inner spiritual strength and to gain acceptance from god. • Thus to cut ones hair, one is performing a ritual or cosmetic surgery aimed at gaining acceptance from others, to fit in, and to pander to ones ego. SMS 25th Gurmat Camp