Women, Gender, And Freedom: Premodern Stories for Modern Times

As poet Muriel Rukeyser famously said, “The universe is made of stories, not atoms." The B40 Janamsakhis (life stories) recount the life, travels, and philosophy of the first Sikh Guru, Nanak (1469-1539). They are written in the Gurmukhi script and are accompanied by fifty-seven exquisite paintings. Dated to 1733, this distinctive collection of Sikh iconotexts is housed at the British Library. Premodern though they may be, they raise critical matters of religion, gender, and sexuality that challenge our dangerously polarized society today. Three themes are particularly significant: 1) religious pluralism, 2) gender-parity, and 3) sexual fluidity. Scripted in the universal language of art, they hold multiple interpretive possibilities for audiences worldwide. What new horizons could these stories open up? How might they help us negotiate our complex selves in our complex times? Essentially, how do they tell the larger story connecting us humans across religions, races, and genders?