Why women walk behind men
July 27, 2005
Years ago Shanti Kaur questioning the Siri Singh Sahib Harbhajan Singh about the practice of having the Palay (the shawl) wrapped over the Man’s shoulder, and the woman holding it from behind as the man leads the woman. She thought this was some old non Sikh practice and was wondering why we do this. Especially from the aspect of why the woman had to be in the back and following the man (being subservient). There was a first answer which I don’t remember…(Maybe Guruka singh can fill in) which she listened to but was not satisfied, so went back to him again. He said the second time….something like “You see the woman being dragged by the man and following him as a lesser than equal. Marriage is a carriage. I see the woman being the leader, holding the shawl like reigns of the horse, directing the Man from behind. It’s all how you look at it.”
Thanks to Gurmustuk for posting this!
Guru Ang Sang
Angad
Share and Learn 
April 27, 2010 at 5:07 am
A woman who is not a Sikh once asked me angrily why in The Sikh wedding, the woman had to follow behind the man instead of walking in front.I smiled and told her the Yogi Bhajan once told us during a lecture at woman’s camp that “man is a mule”. “So”, I told her “Just think that the woman is flicking the reins to guide her mule.” Then she smiled a big smile.
However, I would had here, if it’s all about ego and one upman (or woman) ship, marriage will have problems. If both partners know accept and respect the value of their place in the cog works of the matrimonial machine, and serve each other, marriage goes smoothly and is Wah-nder filled.