Nirmala (sect)
 Painting of a Nirmala Sikh by Kapur Singh, Amritsar, ca.1860–65 | |
| Founder | |
|---|---|
| Bir Singh, Ganda Singh, Karam Singh, Ram Singh, and Saina Singh | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Punjab•Gangetic Plains | |
| Religions | |
| Sikhism•Hinduism(specificallyVedanta) | |
| Scriptures | |
| Guru Granth Sahib•Vedantic texts | |
| Languages | |
| Punjabi•Sanskrit |
| Part ofa serieson |
| Sikhism |
|---|
 |
Nirmala(Punjabi:ਨਿਰਮਲੇ,lit."those without blemish" ) also known asNirmala Saṁpardā or Nirmal Paṅth,is aSikh sectofascetics.[1]According to the traditional beliefs, the Sanatan Nirmala Sikh tradition was founded byGuru Gobind Singhin late 17th century when he sent five Sikhs to Varanasi to learnSanskritandVedantatexts.
Origin[edit]
The origin of the Nirmalas is uncertain. According to Khushwant Singh and other historians, the sect is first mentioned in the Sikh literature during the Guru Gobind Singh era, in the last decade of the 17th century.[2]According toNirmal Panth Pardipka,the Nirmala tradition has roots in the early history of Sikhism.[3]In the 19th century, some Nirmala scholars traced their origin to the period of the first Sikh Guru,Nanak,but some others such as Khushwant Singh state that the Nirmala tradition was founded by the last Sikh Guru,Gobind Singh.[2]The belief that the sect originated in the 17th century, according toW. H. McLeod,is of doubtful historicity because they are "scarcely mentioned" in Sikh literature before the 19th century.[4]
According to the Nirmalas, in 1686, Guru Gobind Singh sent five Sikhs (Bir Singh, Ganda Singh, Karam Singh, Ram Singh and Saina Singh) toVaranasito learn Sanskrit and classical Hindu literature. This began the Nirmala tradition.[2][5]After they returned to Anandpur, they were honoured by the title Nirmala (Sanskrit for "pure" or "unsullied" ).[6]The Nirmalas took theAmritinitiation into the Khalsa panth.[7]
According to another account found in the late 19th-centuryNirmal Panth Pardipikaby the Nirmala scholar and Tat Khalsa supporter Giani Gian Singh, Guru Gobind Singh met a Sanskrit scholar named Pandit Raghunath in late 17th-century. He asked him to teach Sanskrit to Sikhs. However, Raghunath politely refused to do so, because he did not want to teach Sanskrit to Shudras.[8]So Guru Gobind Singh sent some Sikhs dressed in upper-caste attire to Varanasi, where they became accomplished scholars of Indian theology and philosophy.[8]The Pandit Raghunath-related story of Giani Gian Singh is likely ahistorical fiction.[3]
The historicity of this account has been questioned because there are very few mentions of Nirmalas before the 19th century.[3][9]Pashaura Singhand Louis E. Fenech hypothesize that the Nirmalas originated much later or may have descended from theUdasis,who are similar to them in ascetic lifestyle, celibacy andVedanticinterpretation of Sikh philosophy.[10]
History[edit]
Patronage from Sikh nobles, especially the rulers of thePhulkian states,helped the Nirmalas become a prominent religious order.[10]Sardar Dhyan Singh of Shahbad willed his estate to Karam Singh Nirmala. In 1766, Sadda Singh of Bahirwala offered seven villages to Bhagat Singh Nirmala, although the latter declined the offer. Sardar Jai Singh's daughter-in-law granted two villages to the Nirmalderaat Kankhal.[11]
Sardar Ganda Singh ofBhangi Misloffered 13 villages to Jai Singh Nirmala. In 1796, MaharajaRanjit Singhalso granted asanadfor land to Nihal Singh Nirmala. On both occasions, the Nirmalas passed on the properties to the Udasi akhara of Santokh Das.[11]
Philosophy and practices[edit]
Like the Udasis, the Nirmalas interpret the teachings of the Sikh Gurus in context ofVedanta.[10]They view the first Sikh Guru,Nanak,as anAdvaita Vedantist,a follower ofShankara,and a defender of theSanatana dharma.[12]
However, compared to the Udasis, the Nirmalas have shared a closer relationship the mainstreamKhalsaSikhs. Many prominent Nirmalasantspreached mainstream Sikhism in Punjab, and Nirmala akharas have played an important role in training Sikhs. But after theAkali movement,the Khalsa attempts to create a Sikh identity completely distinct from Hindus made the Khalsa-Nirmala relationship fragile.[10]
The Nirmala Sikhs wear ochre-colored/Bhagwarobes (or at least one item) and keepkesh(unshorn hair).[13]They observe the same birth and death rituals as the Hindu ascetics and have anakhara(martial organization) in Haridwar,[13]and a number ofderasin Punjab (India).[14]They have been one of the procession participants inKumbh Melas.[15][8]They were early missionaries who traveled and spread Sikhism among the masses,[4][8]thus making an important contribution to the growth of Sikhism.[10]They often served as one of themahantsin Sikh temples (gurdwaras) during the 18th century.[13]Nirmalas interpret theSikhliterature inVedanticterms.[16]During theSingh Sabha Movementof late 19th century and early 20th century, they were condemned by theTat Khalsafaction of Sikhs, and cordially supported by the Sanatan Sikhs faction.[4]
Locations[edit]
The Sri Nirmal Panchayati Akhada or Sri Panchayati Akhada Nirmal atKankhal,established with grants from the rulers of Phulkian states, has the highest status among all Nirmala chapters.[10]Other major Nirmala centres are located atHaridwar,Allahabad,Ujjain,Trimbak,KurukshetraandPatna.
Notable Nirmalas[edit]
- Pundit Tara Singh(1822–1891), Punjabi and Sanskrit scholar
- Kavi Santokh Singh,(1787–1843), writer of historicalSuraj Parkash
- Giani Gyan Singh,(1822–1921), scholar
- Balbir Singh Seechewal,prominent environmentalist
References[edit]
- ^Nirmala: Sikhism,Encyclopaedia Britannica
- ^abcSulakhan Singh (2001). "Heterodoxy in Sikhism: An Exposition of Some Sectarian Developments". In Parm Bakhshish Singh (ed.).Punjab History Conference, Thirty-second Session, March 17–19, 2000: Proceedings.Punjabi University. pp. 77–78.ISBN978-81-7380-722-0.
- ^abcSulakhan Singh (2005). "Nirmal Panth Pardipika". In Sukhadial Singh (ed.).Punjab History Conference, Thirty-seventh Session, March 18–20, 2005: Proceedings.Punjabi University. pp. 220–221.ISBN978-81-7380-990-3.
As the Nirmalas do not seem to have been adequately mentioned in the Sikh literature before the 19th century, it is difficult to uphold the contention of Giani Gian Singh as historically true, rather it seems highly improbable.
- ^abcW. H. McLeod (2005).Historical Dictionary of Sikhism.Scarecrow Press. pp. 148–149.ISBN978-0-8108-5088-0.
- ^Madanjit Kaur (2007).Guru Gobind Singh: Historical and Ideological Perspective.Unistar. p. 198.ISBN978-81-89899-55-4.
- ^Bhagat Lakshman Singh (1995).Short Sketch of the Life and Works of Guru Gobind Singh.Asian Educational Services. p. 67.ISBN9788120605763.
- ^Kaur, Madanjit (2007).Guru Gobind Singh: Historical and Ideological Perspective.Chandigarh: Unistar Books. p. 198.
- ^abcdNirmala,The Encyclopedia of Sikhism Volume III, Punjabi University, Patiala, pages 236–237
- ^W. H. McLeod (2009).The A to Z of Sikhism.Scarecrow Press. pp. 148–149.ISBN978-0-8108-6344-6.
- ^abcdefPashaura Singh; Louis E. Fenech (2014).The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies.OUP Oxford. pp. 377–378.ISBN978-0-19-100412-4.
- ^abSurjit Singh Gandhi (2007).History of Sikh Gurus Retold: 1606–1708 C.E.Atlantic. pp. 971–974.ISBN9788126908585.
- ^Lynn Teskey Denton (2004).Female Ascetics in Hinduism.SUNY Press. pp. 179–.ISBN978-0-7914-6179-2.
- ^abcW. Owen Cole; Piara Singh Sambhi (2005).A Popular Dictionary of Sikhism: Sikh Religion and Philosophy.Routledge. p. 62.ISBN978-1-135-79760-7.
- ^Pashaura Singh; Louis E. Fenech (2014).The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies.Oxford University Press. pp. 87–88.ISBN978-0-19-100411-7.
- ^Nityananda Misra (2019).Kumbha: The Traditionally Modern Mela.Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 79–80.ISBN978-93-88414-12-8.
- ^Purnima Dhavan (2011).When Sparrows Became Hawks: The Making of the Sikh Warrior Tradition, 1699–1799.Oxford University Press. pp. 221 note 3.ISBN978-0-19-975655-1.
