Sects

Power struggle

Certain ‘sects’ attempt to gain control & influence the direction of the sangat.

SGPC, urban Indian Sikhs & expats are heavily influenced by Tat Khalsa types. These days Taksalis are increasing their influence across these - though there is some admixture or compromise.

When H’s see a pic of JSB in a Gurudwara, they ignorantly conclude this is just ‘khalistani’. Actually it indicates a fight between Taksalis and SGPC. Foreign funded Khalis are trying to co-opt JSB and make him a poster boy for their agenda because of the wave.

If you see a Gurmat Vichar group active in any Gurudwara, immediately know that tat khalsa type philosophy does not thrive there. Most Gurdwaras today (like most temples) do not have this.

Anti-hindu

Tat Khalsa

Rise

  • A schism following the passing of Guru Gobind Singh in 1708, led by his widow Mata Sundari, opposed to the religious innovations of Banda Singh Bahadur and his followers.
  • Singh Sabha Movement was a Sikh movement that began in Punjab in the 1870s in reaction to the proselytising activities of Christians, Hindu reform movements (Brahmo Samajis, Arya Samaj) and Muslims (Aligarh movement and Ahmadiyah). The Lahor branch took over the Tat Khalsa name.
  • Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, or SGPC was formed, allied with the akAlI movement and took over gurudvAras.

Beliefs

  • Rejects polytheism, idol and avatar worship, temple offerings, pilgrimages, the widow remarriage prohibition, child marriage, sati, and the priestcraft of Brahmins.
  • Naam Japna or Naam Simran
rahit/ Rehat maryAda
  • Monotheism.
  • Follow only the Guru Granth Sahib and the ten human Gurus
  • Practice Amrit Sanchar
  • no rituals or superstitions; no gambling, tobacco, alcohol, intoxicating drugs, etc.

Influence

Their pampheteering ideology is so starkly at odds with the letter and spirit of the Granths +Janam Sakhis (life stories of Gurus) that they depend on

(1) Uneducated poor sheeplike followers
(2) Middle class and other types who have zero spiritual interest, like to be cool, may even shave up like the latest Punjabi rapper, but will become an angry ‘defender of the faith’ or preach down from a ‘moral high horse’ at the drop of a hat. Such types like the reductionisms doled out.
(3) People only interested in power.

Nirankari/ nirAkArI

  • Nirankaris accept the authority of a living guru (spiritual guide) and recognized Dayal Das and his successors as gurus.
  • Its members differ from other Sikhs in their disapproval of the militant brotherhood of the Khalsa.
  • The chief contribution of the Nirankari movement is its standardization of rituals connected with birth, marriage, and death based on the Sikh scriptures.
  • Its following is drawn primarily from among the urban trading communities. HQ in chaNDIgaDh.

Akhand Kirtani Jatha

  • The group is strict in its beliefs, attaching great importance to kirtan, or the singing of hymns, and frequently devoting the whole night to the exercise.
  • Leadership of the sect is now largely in the hands of the trading castes, though it originally comprised followers of Randhir Singh, who was a Jat.
  • Strict vegetarians.

Taksalis

  • Taksal = scripture school. Damdami Taksal generated Jarnail Singh Bhinderawale.
  • Taksali Sikhi (militant, vegetarian, Pauranik).

3HO movement (Healthy Happy Holy Organization)

  • Founded in the United States in 1971 by Harbhajan Singh, who was always known as Yogi Bhajan.
  • Most of its followers are white Americans who lay considerable emphasis on the discipline of meditation and who practice what they call kundalini Yoga.

Hindu-like

  • nAnakpanthis.

Nirmalas

  • wear ochre-colored robes (or at least one item) and keep kesh (unshorn hair)
  • They observe the same birth and death rituals as the Hindu ascetics and have an akhara in Haridwar. Participate in kumbha melA.
  • They often served as one of the mahants in Sikh temples (gurdwaras) during the 18th-century.
  • Nirmalas interpret the Sikh literature in Vedantic terms
  • Some of their texts like आश्रमधरम्रहस्य (archive) are socially quite conservative.

Influence

  • Opposed by Tat Khalsa.

Nirmalas have gradually become more acceptable lately because many educated Sikh seekers want to go deep - but are put off by the Deras and gurus/babas.

So instead of some New Age fad, they are turning to Nirmalas, who hitherto used to be attacked by the usual suspects for ‘Hinduising Sikhi’ and ‘acting like Brahmins, with claims to have unique understanding and experience of some recondite truths and yogic practices’.

nAmadhArIs aka Kuka Sikhs

  • they’re not considered mainstream Sikhi but a schism.
  • Believe in living gurus.
  • They keep ekAdashI type vratas.
  • Almost all Nam-Dharis are from the carpenter caste, and most adult male Nam-Dharis are easily recognized by their white homespun turbans, which they tie horizontally across the forehead.

rAdhAsvAmI

  • Have living gurus. The guru sits in the sanctum with the satsang
  • strict vegetarians
  • Many schisms

Nihangs

Pro-hindu

  • tat-khAlsa who set rehits also reject Dasam Granth. In one documentary on Nihangs, an adhikari was asked about why Nihangs don’t follow the SGPC high priest diktats on rehits and ideology and his holiness said - “Do those sons of bitches not see that Dasam Granth passages dorm part of daily Nitnem (nitya-niyama)?” 😂
  • The famous niDar singh nihAng of sanAtan shastar vidyA [SV16] is very pro-hindu. UK Khalis managed to use his self-advertising in the West as “the last Nihang” to earn him a harsh reprimand from Nihang akhadas in Punjab (as here).

Practices

  • Nihang groups consume cannabis or shaheedi degh (ਭੰਗ).
  • Some Nihangs don’t even lie down - they snooze in sitting posture.
  • Highly war-like.
  • Nihangs foregather in their hundreds at Anandpur, on the occasion of the festival of Hola Mohalla and display their martial skills.

Organization

  • As Baba Santa Singh passed away in 2007, two claimants to Buddha Dal leadership emerged in India. This resulted in bloodshed.

Influence

Nihangs are slowly becoming a ‘fashion’, esp among expats. I suspect partly this is because Nihangs do Jhatka and also imbibe Bhang - so those Sikh youth who don’t think meat or bhang are a problem, gravitate there.

In rural areas, roving elderly Nihangs are a de facto Vanaprastha ashram, who come to supervise Akhadas, initiate youngsters and preach.

Udasi

  • They interpret the message of Guru Granth Sahib in Vedantic terms. They do not abide by the Khalsa’s Rehat Maryada and dress codes.
  • They accept asceticism and monastic traveler lifestyle. Have akhAra-s.
  • The Udasi ascetic akharas managed Gurdwaras, rebuilt them and preserved the Sikh scriptures. Ousted by Lahore Singh Sabha movement.
  • They greet each other with “Om namo Brahmane”

Sanatan Sikhs

  • The Amritsar Singh Sabha was led by Khem Singh Bedi, Avtar Singh Vahiria and others. Sanatan Sikhs accept beliefs and practices such as the belief in the teachings of the Vedas and Puranas, Hindu epics and Sufi Pirs.
  • Opposed by Tat Khalsa.

Extinct groups

  • Ramraiyas, Minas, Masands, Sir-gums

Bandai Khalsa

  • A small number of Bandai Sikhs still exist, they revere the Guru Granth Sahib as their Scripture and most of them undergo the Khalsa initiatory rites, but they still hold to their belief that Banda Singh Bahadur was the eleventh Guru.
  • Opposed by Tat khAlsa.

Geographic divisions

  • Roughly, NW punjab is Majha (corresponds to old Madra desha), NE punjab us doaba (sainis, etc), SE is malwa (not to be confused with mAlva plateau farther southeast).

Another faultline and stereotype is that Majha Sikhs tend to be more interested in the true Khalsa panth & martyrdom, whereas Doaba & Malwa Sikhs tend to be more about money & power. Even with the Brits, the Majhis continued fighting until they were almost obliterated, but Doabis/Malwiyas were quick to reach a compromise and keep their fiefs.