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INTRODUCTION<br />
In every society, in every civilization, women have a place of<br />
distinction. Actually 'the mother' is the first guru, the first teacher<br />
and the fir~t guide of a child. Whereas the child, the newly born,<br />
has the greatest love and affection for his or her mother, she also<br />
showers all her blessings, love etc upon the child. In her this type of<br />
relationship with the child, she is instrumental in shaping the<br />
brain, growth, development and future course of events of the<br />
child.<br />
While studying the lives of our revered Gurus, we find some<br />
ladies - mothers, wives, sisters and daughters - had a great influence<br />
over the growth of their off springs. Some played a prominent pro <br />
active role, while others played their part in abstract surrender, while<br />
remaining passive and submissive. They as such too played an indirect<br />
but positive role in the spread of <strong>Sikhism</strong> and propagation and<br />
assimilation ofSikh values.<br />
It may also be mentioned that while we go through the pages of<br />
history, we find that adequate coverage has not been given to our 'Guru<br />
Women folk' , and other prominent women connected in any other way<br />
to the spread, and the growth of the Sikh Religion. Important<br />
information about their dates ofbirth, background, parent-hood, native<br />
places, their siblings and above all the part they played, the sacrifices<br />
they made, towards the growth ofthe Sikhi is missing in several cases.<br />
In this era of 20 th and 21 st century, when there is a lot of investigative<br />
approach to all the disciplines of study, our youth - young boys and<br />
girls, our scholars all are vying with one another to find out some thing<br />
more and more on the subject. In our endeavor to find out by searching<br />
some scattered sources, we may be able to connect several missing<br />
threads in our history.<br />
We may, however, mention rather admit, that this being a small<br />
book containing an over all information about <strong>Sikhism</strong>, is not a fit<br />
place to cover this extensive topic. Here only a mention offew names<br />
is being made, with a brief description. The author plans to take this<br />
topic separately and to bring out a separate book in due course.<br />
***<br />
Introduction /99
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