The Sikh Gurus always taught equality between the sexes. For instance, the Gurus decried the cultural climate that denied women access to religion and gave women equal rights as men in all spheres. Still, in Sikh congregations, men and women are asked to sit side by side—women on one side of the Guru Granth Sahib, and men on the other. There are both practical and cultural reasons for this practice. One can see this as a balance between the two sexes. In some smaller Gurdwaras, men and women may be seen sitting mixed in the congregation.