ABSTRACT
In response to the political, demographic and cultural changes, the Udasis, Seva Panthis and Nirmalas founded more number of their respective establishments in the twentieth century. In the process, their beliefs and practices, codes of conduct and lifestyle changed. This chapter examines these developments and changes. The origin of these changes can be traced to the impact of the Gurdwara Reform Movement in the early twentieth century. As hinted in the preceding chapter, some of the Nirmala sants and their followers participated in this reform movement. Appreciating the Nirmala services rendered to the Guru Panth, the SGPC passed a resolution on 20 August 1925 which stated that the Guru Panth was proud of their roles in the Akali Morchas (1920–5). 1 However, the most important favour shown by the Interim Committee of the SGPC to the Nirmala sants, sadhus and sevadars was that the committee withdrew the court cases filed under the 7th clause of the Gurdwara Act 1925 for getting the control and management of the gurdwaras. For the time being it maintained the status quo on the Nirmalas. 2 Besides, the Akal Takht issued an edict that all the Takhts and gurdwaras under the control of SGPC would perform supplication whenever the Nirmala sants paid their homage. In deference to this edict, the Takht Damdama Sahib also reiterated the Akal Takht’s edict. However, the Takht Patna Sahib and Sach Khand Hazur Sahib took several 128years to follow the Akal Takht’s edict. They were extremely reluctant about performing supplication and laid several conditons. 3
