%2c_ca.1859%25E2%2580%259369.png) Portrait of two Udasi mendicants of Sikhism in Delhi, Shepherd & Robertson (possibly), ca.1859–69 | |
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Udasis (Gurmukhi: ਉਦਾਸੀ ਸੰਪਰਦਾ;udāsī saparadā) (Devanagari: उदासी संप्रदाय), also spelt asUdasins[1], also known asNanak Putras (meaning "sons of Nanak"),[2] are a religioussect of asceticsadhus centred in northernIndia who follow a tradition known asUdasipanth.[3] Becoming custodians of Sikh shrines in the 18th century,[4] they were notable interpreters and spreaders of theSikh philosophy during that time.[5] However, their religious practices border on a syncretism ofSikhism andHinduism, and they did not conform to theKhalsa standards as ordained byGuru Gobind Singh.[6] When the LahoreSingh Sabha reformers, dominated byTat Khalsa Sikhs, would hold them responsible for indulging in ritual practices antithetical to Sikhism, as well as personal vices and corruption, the Udasimahants were expelled from the Sikh shrines.[6][7][8]
Udasi and Udasin is derived from the Sanskrit wordUdāsīn, which means one who is indifferent to or disregardful of worldly attachments, a stoic, or a mendicant.[9][1] The wordUdasi is derived from the Sanskrit wordudasin,[10] meaning 'detached, journey', reflecting an approach to spiritual and temporal life,[5] or fromudas ('detachment'), signifying indifference to or renunciation of worldly concerns.[11]
According to myth, the sect was established in thePuranic age but historically speaking, the sect was founded by and based on the teachings ofGuru Nanak's elder sonSri Chand (1494–1629, other sources give a death year of 1643).[9] Sri Chand, contrary to his father's emphasis on participation in society, propagated ascetic renunciation and celibacy.[5] Another Sikh tradition links the Udasis toBaba Gurditta, the eldest son ofGuru Hargobind, and there is dispute on whether the Udasis originated with Sri Chand or Gurditta.[12] Another viewpoint is that Sri Chand was the founder of the sect and passed the leadership to Baba Gurditta as his successor.[13]
They maintain their own parallel line of gurus from Guru Nanak, followed by Sri Chand, followed by Gurditta.[5] They first came to prominence in the 17th century,[10] and gradually began to manage Sikh shrines and establishments in the 18th century,[4] from where they espoused a model of Sikhism that diverged considerably from that of theKhalsa.[10] The Udasis started receiving state-patronage from Sikh rulers in the late 18th century, with revenue-free land being bestowed to them.[14] This allowed the Udasis to establish theirakharas, many of which were founded around the same time, such as the Brahm Buta nearDarbar Sahib in Amritsar.[14]
They would set up establishments across North India through to Benares, where they would come to be joined with monastic asceticism.[10] The combination of Hindu gods and the Sikh religious text indicated that the sect evolved over time under many historical influences and conditions,[5] interpreting the message ofGuru Granth Sahib in monisticVedantic terms.[15][16] They were initially largely based in urban centers where they set up their establishments, orakharas, only beginning to spread into rural areas during Sikh rule;[5] before, they had around a dozen centres; by the end of MaharajaRanjit Singh's reign, the number had increased to around 250.[16] The Udasis widely propagated its form of Sikh philosophy, and during the 18th and early-19th centuries, their teachings attracted a large number of people to the Sikh fold.[5] According to earlyGurbilas literature and some modern scholars, Guru Gobind Singh had employed a large number of armed, militant Udasi asectics prior to the construction of the forts of Anandpur Sahib. It has been posited that Guru Gobind Singh initiated the Khalsa in order to amalgamate the nirgun bhakti beliefs of theRamanandis and the martial traditions of the growing number of armed mahants.[17]
Before the emergence of theSingh Sabha Movement in the late 19th century, they controlled important Sikh shrines, including theHarimandir Sahib, generally known also as the Golden Temple, for a short while.[10][11] However, during theAkali movement of the 20th century, theTat Khalsa Sikhs expelled them from the Sikh shrines, accusing them of vices and of indulging in ritual practices that were against the teachings of the Sikh gurus. TheSikh Gurdwara Reform Act, 1925 defined the term "Sikh" in a way that excluded the syncretic groups like Udasis,Nanakpanthis, and other groups who maintained transitional identities.[6] Subsequently, the Udasis increasingly identified themselves as Hindus rather than Sikhs.[4]
According to 18th-century descriptions, they either cut or matted their hair under a turban, rather than knot it under a turban like Khalsas, and instead of the Khalsa emphasis on thepanj kakkar garb and sporting arms, their dress code would include items such as a cap, a cotton bag, a flower rosary, a vessel made of dried pumpkin, a chain around the waist, ash to smear on their body, and a deerskin upon which to performhatha yoga, resulting in an extremely divergent appearance from Khalsa Sikhs in the eighteenth century.[10] In addition to not consider the Khalsa'sRehat Maryada to be binding on them,[11] their modes of thought and attitude towards salvation also differed significantly. The Khalsa believed that salvation could be attained while taking part in society and pursuing secular objectives like political power and accumulation of resources like agrarian land, though this had to be accomplished within a particular framework of beliefs and spiritual practices, chief among which was the societal order and structure of the Khalsa. The Udasis considered secular pursuits to be incompatible with personal salvation, which was to be achieved only through renouncing the world,[10] espousing asceticism and a monastic traveler lifestyle. Udasis are known for theirakharas along with theNirmala sect of Sikhism.
The Udasis also worship thepanchayatana, the five Hindu deities:Shiva,Vishnu,Durga,Ganesha, andSurya.[18]
There are various sub-sects within the Udasis, some of them being:[9]
After the fourdhūāṅs, another sub-sect of Udasis emerged known asBakhshishāṅ. There were six prominent groups of this type, them namely being:[9]
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Places of worship associated with Udasis are known asakharas ordarbars.[19][20] The latter term finds heavy usage in Sindh.[20] The title of a leader of an Udasi akhara or darbar ismahant, but some groups prefer to use the termGaddi Nashin.[21][20] The term for a follower or student at an Udasi site ischela.[20]
The wordakhara is traditionally associated with wrestling but it implies a different meaning as used by Sikh sects like the Udasis andNirmalas.[19] Another word used for Udasi centres of spirituality isdera.[19] Traditionally, the Udasis claim Sri Chand as being the establisher of many akharas but historically, they first appeared in the mid-18th century when Mahant Nirvan Pritam Das established the Panchayti akhara in 1779, as per Sikh historianKahn Singh Nabha in theMahan Kosh.[19] Mahant Nirvan Pritam Das also foundedakhara centres in Kashi Kankhal (Haridwar) and other places ofIndic pilgrimage sites.[19]
Traditionally, there were four Udasi centres (akharas ordhuans) with each controlling a certain preaching area;Nanakmatta,Kashmir,Malwa (Punjab) andDoaba. An Udasi akhara, named Dera Baba Bhuman Shah, dedicated to the Udasi saintBhuman Shah was formerly located inBehlolpur inPakistan but it has since been abandoned since the1947 partition of India.[2][22]
At one point, there were a total of 12 Udasiakharas in the city ofAmritsar. They are as follows:[19][23]
Adeori is the gateway to site.[2] Adhuna ordhuan refers to a hearth where Udasi followers practiceyogic activities and other religious practices, such asadhna andyagya.[19] Adhuni refers to a campfire where a sacred fire occurs.[1] Every Udasi place of worship contains a flag called agerua, which is the colour of red-ochre and topped with wings from a peacock.[19] Athara is a place where sacred verses are recited.[2] Adharamshala are guesthouses where pilgrims and visitors would stay.[2]Langar khana refers to the area where a free kitchen is carried out.[2]
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The termGawantaris refers to Udasi musicians.[25] A commonly played instrument of the Udasis is theNarasingha horn, used to inform the public about religious processions.[25]
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An Udasi saint and direct descendant of Guru Nanak named Sukhbasi Ram Bedi (1758–1848) was responsible for authoring literary work in verse titledGuru Nanak Bans Prakash documenting the life of Guru Nanak and his descendants.[26]
Today's Udasi are predominantly located innorthwestern India, especially aroundPunjab,Haryana,Gujarat, and cities likeHaridwar andNew Delhi; they are divided into three major groups:
Sindh has a large number of people who may be best described as Udasis.[27] The area of northern Sindh was especially influenced by Udasipanth.[28] The Udasi temples of Sindh are known asdarbars.[28][1] It is said that Sri Chand himself visitedThatta in Sindh, where a darbar commemorates his stay.[28] Sri Chand travelled to Sindh in the second half of the 16th century during the reign of theTarkhan dynasty.[1] He established a dhuni (campfire) atRohri and another at Faqir Jo Goth, the latter of which is around 5 kilometres fromThatta.[1]
After the passing of Gurditta, the second Udasi leader, the leadership passed to four preachers, with Bhai Almast being one of these four.[1] Almast travelled to Sindh, where he conducted missionary activities and successfully converted many Sindhis to the Udasipanth.[1] His place of residence was at Rohri, at the dhuni established by Sri Chand.[1] Those newly converted appendedRam orDas to the end of their names.[1] Themahants (who appended the prefix Bava or Bao, meaning "ascetic" at the beginning of their names and refer to their title of leadership asGadhisar) of the Baba Sri Chand Darbar (colloquially known as Raj Ghaat) in Faqir Jo Goth, such as the first mahant, Bava Balkram Das, conducted missionary activities in the area and faraway (even as distant as Nepal) as did his successors.[1] His two successors, Bava Pooran Das and Bava Lachman Das, were not only missionaries but also masters athatha yoga.[1] Sikhism became popularised in Sindh due to the missionary works of these Udasi saints.[29][3][27] Udasi temples in Sindh typically houses both the Guru Granth Sahib as well images of various Hindu deities.[30][27] There is said to be an Udasi temple dedicated to a saint in every town and city of Sindh.[1] During the reign of theTalpur Mirs ofKhairpur (1783–1955), many Udasi darbars were constructed and Udasi saints were accepted to settle in the state.[31]
A darbar at Godhu Shah in Khairpur (known as the Godhu Shah Darbar, Nanga Darbar, or Gurpota Darbar) is believed to have been founded by a grandson of one of the Sikh gurus (Gurpota) whom became an Udasi under the guidance of a mahant, it is associated with the Nanga sect of Udasis.[31] Another Udasi saint who spread the faith in Sindh was Rai Sahib Gokal Singh, who established a darbar in Gokalpur Kot in Garhi Yashin.[20] Baba Wasti Ram, an Udasi saint, established a darbar in Garhi Yasin town.[20] Baba Wasti Ram and his successors, Baba Khushi Ram Sahib (a talented mystic), Baba Agya Ram (established a darbar in Aurangabad village), and Baba Piyara Ram (established in a darbar in Maari village), spread the Udasi teachings in theShikarpur area.[20] One prominent Udasi saint,Bankhandi, originally from either Nepal or near Delhi, was the founder ofSadh Belo inSukkur, Sindh in 1823.[32][33][34][35]
In recent times, veneration of the folk deityJhulelal has crept into the practices of Udasi darbars in Sindh.[1] The liberal attitude of Sindhi Muslims may have helped the Udasis take root in Sindh rather than being pushed out on the basis of religious intolerance and persecution.[1]
The most well-known Udasi darbars of Sindh are:[1]
There are claims ofBaba Gurditta visiting Bengal, where he established amanji in Shujatpur (presently the campus ofUniversity of Dhaka) which Gurditta traced to be the location in which Nanak resided during his stay in Bengal.[36] During the reign ofMughal emperorJahangir,Guru Hargobind dispatched Bhai Natha (Bhai Almast's successor) to Bengal, who dug another well and also laid the foundation stone for theShujatpur Sikh Sangat, a religious congregation.[37][36] Dalbir Singh Dhillon claims that the sixth guru had dispatched Bhai Almast to conduct missionary work in Bengal, whose original work was carried-on by Bhai Natha by the time of the ninth Sikh guru, Tegh Bahadur.[37] Sangat Shutrashasi was a temple that belonged to the Suthrashahi sub-sect of the Udasi sect which was once located in Urdu Bazaar, but the Suthrashahisadhus later destroyed it themselves.[38]
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion with: Please add more of the leaders of the Udasi sect. You can help byadding to it.(February 2023) |
| No. | Name (Birth–Death) | Portrait | Term | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Sri Chand (1494 – 1629) | %2c_Punjab%2c_circa_late_19th_century_(cropped).jpg) | 1494 – 1629 | [39] |
| 2. | Baba Gurditta (1613 – 1638) |  | 1629 – 1638 | [13] |
| 3. | Almast, Phūl, Goind (or Gondā) andBālū Husnā (four chief preachers appointed by Baba Gurditta for four new monastic seats) |  | ? | [40] |
Some members of the Watu family, large landholders in the area, told of how their elders would visit the haveli of Bhuman Shah, which was a large Udaasi Akhara (though now in a state of ruin) again perhaps 40 kilometres from Daud Bandegi.
Unlike Sufi shrines, the Sindhi mandir has escaped academic attention in the tracing of pre-partition syncretic traditions partially because of the geographical boundaries of Sikh and Panjab studies. The history of Sikhism in Sindh and the appeal of particular forms of Sikhism among Sindhi mandir can provide a glimpse into the co-existence of Sikh and Hindu practices in the Sindhi mandir. It was Richard F. Burton who, in his book Sindh & the Races that Inhabit the Valley of the Indus (1851), "describes the curious mix of Hindu and Sikh practices among Sindhi Hindus". He observes that "they show a general tendency towards the faith of Nanak Shah, and that many castes have so intermingled the religion of the Sikhs with their original Hinduism, that we can scarcely discern the line of demarcation (1851)." The historical reason for the prevalence of these syncretic practices in Sindh was due to the Sindhis being introduced to Sikhism by the Udasi panth popularized by Guru Nanak's son Sri Chand whose followers are known as Nanakpanthi Sikhs in Sindh. Nanakpanth refers to Sikhs who follow the teachings of Guru Nanak without observing the five Ks prescribed for Khalsa Sikhs and do not find Hinduism as conflictual with Sikhism. Unlike Nanakpanthis who follow the rituals of Hinduism, performed idol worship and are Hindus except that they kept Guru Granth Sahib in their places of worship, new categories of sikhs in Sindh who describe themselves as Gursikhs claim to bow their heads only in front of the Guru Granth Sahib.
UDASI, an ascetical sect of the Sikhs founded by Sri Chand (1494-1629), the elder son of Guru Nanak.
After the death of Baba Sri Chand, the guruship of the Udasipanth was transferred to Baba Gurditta and later to his four disciples Almast, Balu Hasne, Phul and Goinde – who preached the thought and ideology of their mentor in the Punjab and Sindh.
