Sangat (Sikhism)

In Sikhism, sangat refers to the community of followers, sometimes referred to as a "congregation."

History

Guru Nanak had organized his followers into sangats, with a meeting between two Sikhs coming to be termed sadh sangat. A gathering of five Sikhs came to be known as panj parmeshar.
There were Manji dioceses composed of sangats Sikhs in a particular area. Guru Ram Das, the fourth guru, established the masand system to oversee sangats. The sangats contributed their dasvandh tithe to their local religious overseer, who would submit them to the Sikh guru to form a common-fund. Over time, the masands became corrupt and therefore Guru Gobind Singh abolished them and established direct contact with the sangats himself, not relying on any intermediaries. After the abolishment of the masands, the sangats brought their donations to the guru themselves when they visited him during festivals.