female infanticide, child marriage, sati, bad conditions of widows, practice of dowry and extravagant expenditure during marriage. Practices Condemned Sutak Sutak is a belief associated with impurity of the house on account of birth of a child. It is also believed that women are most prone to such impurity. Guru Nanak condemned such notions of pollution/impurity in no uncertain terms. Asceticism The concept of Sannyasa had influenced attitude towards women in India. The inherent attraction of female was considered a temptation something that a Sannyasi must avoid. The Gurus, however, did not regard women as hurdles for attaining salvation. They rejected the idea of renunciation and regarded family life, if led in a righteous manner, better than the life of an ascetic. Instead of celibacy and renunciation, Guru Nanak recommends grihastha—the life of a householder. Menstrual Taboo Menstruation does not lead to women being considered impure in Sikhism, and women's behavior is not restricted during the time when she is menstruating. In The Feminine Principle in the Sikh vision of the transcendent, Nikky Guninder Kaur-Singh writes: 'The denigration of the female body "expressed in many cultural and religious taboos surrounding menstruation and child-Birth" is absent in the Sikh worldview. Guru Nanak openly chides those who attribute pollution to women because of menstruation'. Polygamy In a culture where monogamy is generally the rule, Sikh polygamy is exceptionally rare. Female Infanticide Female infanticide is prohibited, and the Rahitnamas (codes of conduct) prohibit Sikhs from having any contact or relationship with those who indulge in this practice. Sati (widow burning) Widow burning, or sati, is expressly forbidden by scripture. As a practical step towards discouraging the practice of sati Sikhism permits remarriage of widows. Veil Sikhism was highly critical of all forms of strict veiling, Sikh Gurus condemned it and rejected seclusion and veiling of women, which saw decline of veiling among some classes during late medieval period. This was stressed by Bhagat Kabir. Dowry Guru Ram Das condemned the ritual of dowry. Equality According to Sikhism, men and women are two sides of the same human coin. There is a system of interrelationship and interdependence whereby man is born of women, and women are born of man's seed. By these doctrines a man cannot feel secure and complete in his life without a woman, and man's success is proportional to the love and support of the woman who shares her life with