Sikhism: Nirankari Movement
During the period of the Sikh monarchy many Hindu customs had crept into the Sikh community. It was feared that this influence would eventually force absorption of Sikhism into Hinduism as a minor sect. The Nirankar Movement was one of the earliest modern reform movements in Sikhism. It was called Nirankar because its teaching emphasized worship of God as Nirankar or the Formless One that condemned idol worship. The founder of this movement was Baba Dayal who was a contemporary of the Maharajah Ranjit Singh. He vigorously sought to reform the Sikh ceremonial life. The Nirankari Sikhs have a succession of their own living Gurus even today. They were more active in Rawalpindi District and Kashmir in the pre-partition India, but now their main centers are in Chandigarh and Delhi. Recently Baba Autar Singh founded a new sect called the Sant Nirankaris, but it was considered as a heretical offshoot of Sikhism, hence that Sikh community demanded its ban.
Baba Balak Singh founded the Namdhari Movement in Sikhism during 19th century. His followers were known as the Namdharis, i.e. those who have adopted the Name; due to the custom of being initiated by whispering the Name ‘waheguru’ in their ears. Their present centre of activity is Bhaini near Ludhaina in Punjab. They believe in the tradition of living Guru, their zeal for religious purity is well known. They are strict vegetarians and wear white dress. This community has advocated a militant Sikh revival. Due to the sectarian overtones of the Nirankaris and Namdharis, the impact of these movements was short-lived and failed to carry on the trend of reform and was more propagation. To cope with the need of the time, the Singh Sabha Movement and Gurudwara Reforms arose and sought to restore Sikhism to its pristine purity with religious and social reform with the help of modern education. They blossomed into a Sikh renaissance of far-reaching consequences. It ushered the Sikh community into the modern age.
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