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Asahajdhari orsehajdhari (Punjabi:ਸਹਜਧਾਰੀ(Gurmukhi); meaning "spiritual state of equilibrium adopter") is anuninitiated Sikh. A Sahajdhari adheres to the principles of Sikhism and the teachings of theSikh Gurus but may not wear all of theFive Symbols of Sikhism. For example, Sahajdhari Sikhs often wear akara, but many of them cut their hair (kesh).
Despite it being instructed byGuru Gobind Singh for Sikhs to becomeAmritdhari during the formation of theKhalsa, in modern times, particularly in thewestern world some Sikhs have chosen to cut their hair or beard.[1][2]
According to theDelhi Sikh Gurdwaras Act of 1971 and theShiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, a Sahajdhari Sikh can be regarded as a Sikh. However, they cannot claim to be anAmritdhari Sikh and must raise their children within the Sikh faith.
Sahajdhari is a compound word consisting of the two wordssahaj anddhari. InSanskrit and otherIndo-Aryan languages, the wordsSahaj means "spiritual state of equilibrium" anddhari means "adopter".[3][4]
A Sahajdhari believes in all thetenets of Sikhism and the teaching of the Sikh Gurus, but has not undergoneAmrit Sanchar, and may not strictly adhere to all Sikh practices all the time, as Amritdhari Sikhs are expected to do.
According to theShiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, the Sahajdhari Sikhs are those who believe in the Gurus of Sikhism.[5]
According toW. H. McLeod, a Sahajdhari Sikh refers to someone who reveres the Sikh Gurus but does not seekinitiation into theKhalsa.[6] Another term,keshdhari, is related and often used synonymously, albeit confusingly, and strictly-speaking refers to a Sikh who maintains uncut hair (kesh) but has not receivedamrit, which would make themamritdharis if so.[6] McLeod estimates that keshdhari Sikhs make up a substantial portion of the Sikh population.[6] Whilst all amritdharis are keshdharis, not all keshdharis are amritdharis.[7]
According to W. H. McLeod, there are four main types of Sikhs, two of which keep uncut hair and wear turbans and two of which generally do not.[8] The different groups can be distinguished based upon their clothing and their personal degree of adherence to therahit.[8] The four main groups of the Sikhs are:[8]
All amritdharis are keshdharis but not all keshdharis are amritdharis.[8] However, keshdharis who are not amritdharis still consider themselves Khalsa Sikhs, despite not undergoing its baptismal ritual.[8]
According to sources,Bhai Nand Lal askedGuru Gobind Singh ji how many types of Sikhs there are, andGuru Gobind Singh ji replied, saying,ਤਿਨ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਰ ਮਮ ਸਿੱਖ ਹੈ।। ਸਹਜੇ ਚਰਨੀ ਖੰਡ।।. In the early eighteenth century whenSikhs defied the persecutors and courted martyrdom as did the teenageHaqiqat Singh Rai, who was beheaded in public for his refusal to disown his Sikh belief and accept Islam. Haqiqat rai was Sahajdhari Sikh. A leading Sahajdhari Sikh of that time wasKaura Mal, a minister to the Mughal governor of Lahore, Mu'in ul-Mulk (1748–53), who helped the Sikhs in different ways in those days of severe trial. He had so endeared himself to them that they called him Mittha (sweet, inPunjabi) Mall instead of Kaura (which, inPunjabi, means "bitter") Mall. Sikh tradition also recalls another Sahajdhari Sikh of this period, Des Raj, who was entrusted by theKhalsa with the task of reconstructing the Harimandar, which was demolished by the Afghan invaderAhmad Shah Durrani in 1762. Sikh tradition also recalls another Sahajdhari sikh, Dina Nath, who was theSikh Empire minister. Sikh tradition also recalls another Sahajdhari Sikh, Bhai Vasti Ram, a learned man well-versed inSikh scriptures, who enjoyed considerable influence at the court.[citation needed]
Sahajdhari Sikhs have continued participating inSikh life right up to modern times, and have associated themselves with Sikh institutions and organizations such as theShiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Chief Khalsa Diwan, Shiromani Akali Dal, and the All-India Sikh Students Federation. The Singh Sabhas used to have seats on their executive committees reserved for the Sahajdharis. Among their own societies, confined mainly to north-western India prior to the migrations of 1947, were the Sahajdhari Committee ofMultan, Guru Nanak Sahajdhari Diwan ofPanja Sahib and Sri Guru Nanak Sahajdhari Jatha ofCampbellpore. The Sahajdhari Diwan of Panja Sahib attained the status of their central forum. They had as well their annual conference, which met for its first session on 13 April 1929 under the chairmanship of Sir Jogendra Singh, who passed on the office to the famous Sikh scholar and savant, Bhai Kahn Singh. A Sahajdharis' conference formed part of the annual proceedings of the Sikh Educational Conference. TheAd-Dharmis of colonial Punjab can also be described as a type of sehajdhari Sikhs.[9]
The Sahajdharis share all of the religious, and social customs and ceremonies with the main body of the Sikhs, and join their congregations in thegurdwaras. The population in thePunjab of Sahajdhari Sikhs (another name used is Sikh Nanakpanthis) according to the 1891 Census was 397,000 (20% of the total Sikh population); according to the 1901 Census, 297,000 (13% of the total Sikhs); according to the 1911 Census, 451,000 (14.9% of the total Sikhs); according to the 1921 Census, 229,000 (7% of the total Sikhs); according to the 1931 Census, 282,000 (6.5% of the total Sikhs). Outside of Punjab, the North-West Frontier Province and Sindh had considerable Sahajdhari populations. Consequent to the partition ofIndia in 1947, Sahajdharis became widely dispersed in the country. Their India-wide forum was the Sarab Hind (All-India) Sahajdharis Conference, which rotated from town to town for its annual sessions. Three of its presidents, Gur Darshan Singh, Sant Ram Singh and Ram Lal Singh Rahi, the founding Executive Vice President of Sarab Hind (All-India) Sahajdharis Conference, were recognized with the "Nishan-e-Khalsa" award by the Anandpur Foundation at the Tercentennial Celebration of Khalsa in 1999.
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The Five Ks, orpanj kakaar/kakke, are the five items of faith that allinitiated Sikhs(Amritdhari) are required to wear at all times(but does not apply to Sahajdhari Sikhs), at the command of the tenth Sikh Guru,Guru Gobind Singh, who so ordered at theBaisakhiAmrit Sanskar in 1699. They are:
They are for the identification and representation of the ideals of Sikhism, such as honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God, and never bowing to tyranny.[11]
The following Sikh sects are dominated by sehajdhari gradualist Sikhs:[12]
