Sects of Sikhism
Sikh sects, denominations, traditions, movements, sub-traditions, also known as sampardai in the Punjabi language, are sub-traditions within Sikhism with different approaches to practicing the religion. Sampradas believe in one God, typically rejecting both idol worship and castes. Different interpretations have emerged over time, some of which have a living teacher as the leader. The major traditions in Sikhism, says Harjot Oberoi, have included Udasi, Nirmala, Nanakpanthi, Khalsa, Sahajdhari, Namdhari, Nirankari, and Sarvaria.
During the persecution of Sikhs by Mughals, several splinter groups emerged, such as the Minas and Ramraiyas, during the period between the death of Guru Har Krishan and the establishment of Guru Tegh Bahadur as the ninth Sikh Guru. These sects have had considerable differences. Some of these sects were financially and administratively supported by the Mughal Empire in the hopes of gaining a more favorable and compliant citizenry.
In the 19th century, Namdharis and Nirankaris sects were formed in Sikhism, seeking to reform and return the Sikh faith to its "original beliefs". They also accepted the concept of living gurus. The Nirankari sect, though unorthodox, was influential in shaping the views of Khalsa and the contemporary-era Sikh beliefs and practices. Another significant Sikh break-off sect of the 19th century was the Radha Soami movement in Agra led by Shiv Dayal Singh, who relocated it to Punjab. Other contemporary-era Sikhs sects include 3HO Sikhism, also referred to as Sikh Dharma Brotherhood, formed in 1971 as the Sikh faith in the western hemisphere; Yogi Bhajan led this. See also Dera for more examples of Sikh sects.
Some sects of Sikhism are dominanted by gradualist Sikhs rather than baptized Sikhs, these sects are namely the Udasis, Sewapanthis, Bandais, Nirmalas, Nanakpanthis, Jagiasi-Abhiasi, and Nirankaris. These sehajdhari Sikh sects may come into conflict with more Khalsa-orientated sects, such as regarding the management of Sikh shrines, due to mutual differences, with differences often being resolved through dialogue.
Early Sikh sects
These distinguished ways or paths are termed sampradaya or samprada. In the past, this term has been wrongly misinterpreted or conveyed to the public as 'sects' or 'cults'—terms that incorrectly imply deviation arising from dissent with practiced beliefs. The term samprada does not mean 'sect' but rather order, as in an order of monks. In this sense, a sampradaya represents one of several mutually complementary orders—each of the major traditional sampardas claims to have begun with the Gurus.Two Sikh sects in the guruship period who were antipathic to the orthodox lineage of Sikh gurus were the Minas and Hindalis. Both these groups of sectarian Sikhs produced literature promoting their interpretations and views, albeit with the Hindalis producing less literature compared to the Minas. At some point, the Minas took control of the Darbar Sahib complex in Amritsar during the 17th century, with them being a major opponent of the mainstream Sikhs.
Nanakpanthi
A Nanakpanthi is a follower of the teachings of Guru Nanak, the first guru of Sikhism. The community transcends the boundaries of Sikhism and Hinduism and was also a reference to the early Sikh community. Most Sindhi Hindu people are Nanakpanthi, and during the 1881 and 1891 censuses, the community could not decide whether to self-identify as Hindu or Sikh. In 1911, Shahpur District reported 12,539 Hindus identifying themselves as Nanakpanthi, in addition to 9,016 Sikhs. The institutional focus of Nanakpanthi social life was around a dharamsala, playing the same role before the 20th century as the Gurdwara has played thereafter under Khalsa dominated period. The beliefs and practices of the Nanakpanthis overlapped with those of Sahajdhari and Udasi Sikhs in pre-20th century period, as evidenced by documents dated to that period. In 1891 Census of British India, which was the first to categorise Sikhs into sects, 579,000 people identified themselves as "Hindu Nanakpanthi" and another 297,000 as "Sikh Nanakpanthi". The other major Sikh categories were Sikh Kesdhari and Gobind Singhi Sikhs in this census. Many Muslims also consider themselves as Nanakpanthis.Udasi
Udasi, derived from the Sanskrit word "Udasin", meaning "detached, journey", reflecting an approach to spiritual and temporal life, is an early sect based on the teachings of Guru Nanak's elder son Sri Chand, who, contrary to his father's emphasis on participation in society, propagated ascetic renunciation and celibacy. Another Sikh tradition links the Udasis to Baba Gurditta, the eldest son of Guru Hargobind, and there is dispute on whether the Udasis originated with Sri Chand or Gurditta. Udasis were some of the first proselytisers of Sikhism.They maintain their own parallel line of gurus from Guru Nanak, starting from Sri Chand followed by Gurditta. They first came to prominence in the 17th-century, and gradually began to manage Sikh shrines and establishments in the 18th century, from where they espoused a model of Sikhism that diverged considerably from that of the Khalsa. They would set up establishments across North India through to Benares, where they would come to be ideologically joined with monastic asceticism. The combination of Hindu devas and the Sikh religious text indicated that the sect evolved over time under many historical influences and conditions, interpreting the message of Guru Granth Sahib in monistic Vedantic terms. They were initially based mainly in urban centers where they set up their establishments, or akharas, only beginning to spread into rural areas during Sikh rule.
According to 18th-century descriptions, they either cut or matted hair under a turban, rather than a knot under a turban like Khalsas, and instead of the Khalsa emphasis on the panj 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 perform hatha yoga, resulting in a highly divergent appearance from Khalsa Sikhs in the eighteenth century. The Udasis considered secular pursuits to be incompatible with personal salvation, which was to be achieved only through renouncing the world, espousing asceticism and a monastic traveler lifestyle. Udasis are known for their Akharas along with the Nirmala sect of Sikhism. It is important to note that many Udasis actually took Amrit and have become members of the Khalsa.
During the era between the martyrdom of Banda Singh Bahadur in 1716 and the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Empire, they were among the few sects able to build and manage Gurdwaras and train apprentices; they were scholars in both Sanskrit and Persian. They were respected and patronised through land grants during Sikh rule. With a broad reach due to their syncretic nature between Sikhism and Hinduism, they were able to derive significant acceptance during the era of armed struggle in Punjab, bringing a large number of people into the Sikh fold during the 18th and the early 19th centuries. They greet each other with "Om Namo Brahmane," and attribute their origin to the mythic Sanandan Kumar, the son of Brahma. When the Singh Sabha Movement, dominated by Reformist Khalsa Sikhs, codified the Sikh identity in the early 20th century, the increasingly corrupt and hereditary Udasi mahants were expelled from the Sikh shrines. After the standardisation of Sikh identity after the Singh Sabha movement, the Udasis increasingly regarded themselves as Hindus rather than Sikhs.
Jagiasi
Jagiasi, also known as Jagiasu or Jijnasu , was a sister-sect to the Udasis, with the differences being that whilst the Udasi trace their origin to Sri Chand, Guru Nanak's eldest son, the Jagiasu claim to have been founded by Lakhmi Das, the younger son of Guru Nanak. Another difference is while the Udasis follow a lifestyle of celibacy and asceticism, following in the footsteps of their founder, who was a recluse, the Jagiasu on the other hand promote and live the life of a householder, known as grist marg. The sect was prevalent during the period of Baba Gurupat, who was a 12th generation descendant of Guru Nanak. Baba Gurupat conducted missionary works in Sindh and founded many Jagiasu tikanas'' in the region, specifically in Khairpur, Hyderabad, Halani, and Kandyaro. Whilst they venerate the Guru Granth Sahib, they tend to forgo the Amrit Sanskar baptism ceremony to become initiated Khalsa but a few of them are Khalsas. Furthermore, their beliefs and practices show tinges of religious syncretism with Hinduism. They maintain a close relationship with and similarities to their sibling sect, the Udasis. Some notable figures of this sect were Bhagat Jawahar, Baba Sangatan, Baba Sadhu Ram, and Baba Bhagwan Das of Kaimalpur.Sanwal Shahis
The Sanwal Shahis were a Sikh sect founded by one of the disciples of Guru Nanak. They were found mainly in southwestern Punjab.Gangushahis
The Gangushahis are a sect that can be traced back to Gangu Shah, also known as Gangu Das, who was a manji preacher assigned by Guru Amar Das to the Shivalik Hills region, being given a seat in the Sirmur region. Over-time, his preaching attracted many followers, with the group growing into their own order. The great-grandson of Gangu, Javahar Singh, consolidated a new sect of Sikhs based on the following of Gangu. The Gangushahis constructed their own shrines at Daun, which had been built under Gangu Shah, and Khatkar Kalan, which had been constructed under Javahar Singh.The Gangushahis were excommunicated by the Khalsa when their incumbent gaddi, Kharak Singh, in circa 1708, said the rest of the Sikhs congregations were "widowed" since no Sodhi was on the gaddi, implicitly implying that he is left to lead the Sikhs as a guru. Furthermore, there are claims he performed miracles. The Gangushahis under Kharak Singh were against the Khande di Pahul ceremony, instead advocating for the original Charan Amrit initiation ceremony.
Gangushahis still exist today, albeit in small numbers, inhabiting the Shivalik Hills region, particularly in the areas of Jauharsar, Pinjaur, Dagshai, and Nahan. They maintain their own deras, and they do not strictly adhere to mainstream Sikh customs nor rehat.