2. Stop killing the Future of Kaurs

3. Five hundred years ago at the time of our Gurus Women were considered very low in society. Both Hindus and Muslims regarded women as inferior and a man's property. Widows were not allowed to remarry but encouraged to burn themselves on their husband’s funeral pyre (sati). Child marriage and female infanticide were prevalent and purdah (veils) were popular for women. Women were also not given education or allowed to inherit any property.

4. During that time Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism Shocked the entire society by preaching that women were worthy of praise and equal to men. Five hundred years later, the rest of mankind is only now waking up to this fundamental truth. The Gurus actively encouraged the participation of women as equals in worship, in society, and on the battlefield. They encouraged freedom of speech and women were allowed to participate in any and all religious activities including reading of the Guru Granth Sahib ji.

5. Our Gurus Preaching Guru Nanak Dev ji  Guru Nanak ji broke the shackles of women by admitting them into the sangat (congregation) without any restrictions or reservations. Guru Nanak Dev ji felt that his message was meant as much for women as for men. Guru Angad Dev ji  Guru Angad Dev ji encouraged the education of all Sikhs, men and women. Guru Amar Das ji  Guru Amar Das ji condemned the cruel custom of sati, female infanticide and advocated widow remarriage. Guru Amar Das ji trained missionaries to spread Sikhism throughout the country. Of the 146 missionaries Guru Amar Das ji trained and sent out, 52 were women.

6. Our Gurus Preaching Guru Hargobind ji  Guru Hargobind ji respected women and declared, "women is the conscience of man". Guru Gobind Singh ji  Guru Gobind Singh ji made the Khalsa initiation ceremony open to men and women alike, a woman being just as worthy.  At the time of Amrit a man is given the name Singh meaning Lion, the woman is given the name Kaur, meaning Princess.  A Sikh women is an individual in her own right, she does not have to take her husband's last name. She can use Kaur till her death.  Guru Gobind Singh ji did not see any distinction between the Khalsa, men or women could keep the 5 K's.  Guru Gobind Singh ji issued orders forbidding the Khalsa from having any association with those that practiced female infanticide.

7. Quotes from Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji In praise of women "We are born of woman, we are conceived in the womb of woman, we are engaged and married to woman. We make friendship with woman and the lineage continued because of woman. When one woman dies, we take another one, we are bound with the world through woman. Why should we talk ill of her, who gives birth to kings? The woman is born from woman; there is none without her. Only the One True Lord is without woman" (Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Var Asa, Ang 473) “One who dies in the Shabad and conquers their mind - blessed is the mother who gave birth to them.” (Guru Amar Das Ji, Pauri, Ang 1286). “She who meets the True Guru, lives in the Fear of God; she is a woman of noble birth.” (Guru Amar Das Ji, Ang 516)

8. Quotes from Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji Marriage is an equal partnership of love and sharing between husband and wife. "They are not said to be husband and wife, who merely sit together. Rather they alone are called husband and wife, who have one soul in two bodies." (Guru Amar Das Ji, Pauri, Ang 788) Women have an equal right to participate in the congregation. "Come my sisters and dear comrades! Clasp me in thine embrace. Meeting together, let us tell the tales of our Omnipotent Spouse (God). In the True Lord are all merits, in us all demerits." (Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Sri Rag, Ang 17)

9. Quotes from Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji The practice of women burning themselves on their husband's funeral pyre is condemned (sati). "They cannot be called satis, who burn themselves with their dead husbands. They can only be called satis, if they bear the shock of separation. They may also be known as satis, who live with character and contentment and always show veneration to their husbands by remembering them." (Guru Amar Das Ji, Var Suhi, Ang 787) The ritual of dowry so prevalent in Indian society is condemned. "Any other dowry, which the perverse place for show, that is false pride and worthless gilding. O' my Father! give me the Name of Lord God as a gift and dowry." (Guru Ram Das Ji, Sri Rag, Ang 79)

10. Sikhism is the World’s first religion to start the movement of Gender equality 500 years ago. There are many famous Sikh women in the past, present and hopefully in the future.

11. Famous Sikh Women in History Mata Khivi - Her most important contribution is the concept of langar. Mata Gujri - She was the first Sikh Martyr lady in the Sikh history. Mai Bhago - She led and fought in many battles for Guru Gobind Singh ji, and also served as his bodyguard. Fought side by side with Guru Gobind Singh and was the lone survivor of the battle in which the 40 liberated souls defeated the Mughals. Mata Sundri - Mata Sundri provided leadership for the Sikhs following the death of Guru Gobind Singh. She helped maintain the sanctity of the Guru Granth Sahib as the only successor of Guru Gobind Singh. And many more …

12. Famous Sikh Women in History Sada Kaur is described as a first woman commander-in-chief and a leader of unprecedented qualities. Rani Jind Kaur was married to Maharaja Ranjit Singh, first female freedom fighter in the struggle to drive out the British from India. Bibi Khem Kaur was a general of the Sikh forces that supported a revolt against British in 1849. Bibi Sahib Kaur Phulkian was a Princess of Patiala. She led armies into many battles and was the only woman in the Indian subcontinent to win a battle over a British General. Bibi Rajinder Kaur was also a Princess of Patiala who displayed her chivalry in numerous battles.

13. Famous Sikh Women in the Past Rajkumari Amrit Kaur (1954): First Indian Woman Union Health Minister. Kamaljit Sandhu (1970): First Indian Woman to win an Asian gold. Kiran Bedi (1974): First Indian Woman IPS Officer. Harita Kaur Deol (1994): First Indian Woman to perform a solo flight. Bibi Jagir Kaur : First woman President of the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee (similar to the Vatican church). Dr Kalpana Chawla (1997): First Indian woman to go in Space.

14. Famous Sikh Women Snatam Kaur Khalsa was a New Age Grammy Award Nominee for her Spiritual music and is a world renowned peace activist promoting harmony through music. Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa is director of GoldenBridge in Los Angeles. Siri Sikdar Sahiba Guru Amrit Kaur is the joint head of 3HO Healthy, Happy and Holy organisation which teaches shares Sikh spiritual technologies with people from all walks of life.

15. Achievements of Sikh Women First Turbaned Pilot In America Arpinder Kaur And the list goes on … World famous Artist Singh Twin sisters World famous Writer Amrita Pritam (1919 – 2005) IPS Officer Kiran Bedi Astronaut Kalpana Chawla

16. But now 500 years later… Girls in India are often considered a liability and a bad investment in future. Girls are considered consumers rather than producers. A study by British medical journal, said last year that ten million girls have been killed by their parents in India in the past 20 years, either before they were born or immediately after, a government minister said, describing it as a "national crisis". A United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) report released recently said 7000 fewer girls are born in India every day than the global average would suggest, largely because female foetuses are aborted after sex determination tests, but also through murder of new borns.

17. But now 500 years later… Under Indian law, tests to find out the gender of an unborn baby are illegal if not done for medical reasons, but the practice continues in what activists say is a flourishing multi-million dollar business. Punjab state has 798 girls for every 1,000 boys under the age of six while the national average is 927 -- still well below the worldwide average of 1,050 female babies. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, India in 2004 posted 19 dowry-related deaths every day but women's organizations say the actual figure is 10 times higher.

18. Punjabi NRIs too killing girls… NRIs approach ultrasound clinics in Punjab to find boy or girl. Is Ultrasound ads in Canadian Punjabi newspapers promoting female abortion? According to CBC News, the ads for ultrasound clinics are running in two Punjabi-language newspapers, the Ajit Weekly, based in Mississauga, Ont., and with a B.C. edition, and the Hamdard Weekly, published weekly from Toronto, New York, Vancouver and California are promoting the abortion of female fetuses. One advertisement outside of an ultrasound clinic summed up, "Pay 500 rupees now and save 50,000 later."

19. We need to stop this brutal practice of killing the Future of Kaurs It should be ensured that every young woman is educated and skilled and capable of guiding a new generation. We must stop seeing girls as an economic liability and end the crime and practice of killing unborn female foetuses. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called on parents in India to end the practice of killing unborn female foetuses on Independence Day, four days after the grisly discovery of 25 female foetuses from a private clinic in northern Punjab state, which has the country's lowest sex ratio due to rampant female foeticide.

20. Let’s walk on the path shown by our Gurus Let’s eliminate gender disparity and give our daughters and Women in our society equal rights as initiated by our Gurus. Let’s give Women the respect that our Gurus stressed upon and which they deserve. Let’s recognize the role of Women in our society and encourage them to achieve their dreams too.

21. Kaurs are Brave Daughters of Guru Gobind Singh Ji and Mata Sahib Kaur Ji. Please forward this email to spread this awareness and make a difference by educating everyone to help stop this brutal practice. Kaurs are PRIDE of Khalsa and not a liability