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Sikhism Portal |
Udasi is a religious, ascetic sadhu sect of Sikhism focused on the teachings of its founder, Sri Chand (1494-1643), son of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder and the first Guru of Sikhism. [1][2][3]
Guru Hargobind sent his oldest son Baba Gurditta (father of Guru Har Rai) to be a disciple of Sri Chand. Baba Gurditta led Udasis on missions outside of the Punjab region to propagate Sikhism.
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Udasi, comes from the root word udas which means detachment or renunciation. Unlike the Khalsa sect, they do not prohibit shaving or cutting one's hair. Accordingly, not all Udasi males have beards and long hair, as other Sikhs, belonging to the Khalsa, do.[4] Udasi mahants have maintained accurate records of the chain of succession from Sri Chand.
Udasi scholars like Anand Ghan have written commentaries on portions of the Sikh scripture, along with Janamsakhis and gur-bilas works.
During the 18th century, Udasis escaped persecution by the Mughal Empire, as they look different from Khalsa Sikh and Akalis, in whose absence they took care of Sikh places of worship and kept the teachings of Sikhism alive.[4] This responsibility was with them for more than a century, and at one point in history (approximately 1849), there were more than 250 Udasi akharas in India.
During the Gurdwara Reform Movement of the early 1920s, Udasis lost control of all the historical shrines. There are presently far fewer Udasis than there were prior to the Gurudwara Reform Movement.[4]
Traditionally, there were four Udasi centres (akharas or dhuans) with each controlling a certain preaching area; eastern India (main centre, Nanakmatta), western Panjab and Kashmir, Malwa (Punjab) and Doaba. There is an Udasi gurudwara (temple) in Amritsar, near the Harimandir Sahib (Golden Temple).
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