The Dhir Malias
The Dhir Malias were the followers of Dhir Mal (1627-1677), who was the eldest son of Gurditta, who in turn was the eldest son of Guru Hargobind. Dhir Mal, missing the Guruship ingratiated himself with the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. In 1643 he received a revenue-free grant and became a menace to Guru Hargobind by setting himself up as the next Guru, with an original copy of the Adi Granth in Kartarpur. He played a part in making Guru Tegh Bahadur withdraw to the Shivalik Hills.
Adherents
Dhir Malias have descendants to this day (the Sodhis of Kartarpur), and there are Ram Raiyas in Dehra Dun. In the 1891 census 52,317 Hindus and 30,396 Sikhs returned themselves as 'Ram Raia' . (Census of India, 1891, Vol.XX and Vol.XXI, The Punjab and its Feudatories, by E.D. Maclagan, Part II and III, Calcutta, 1892, pp.826-9 and pp.572-3.) However there are no contemporary official numbers, (see also the note at the end of the Explanatory Introduction).
Headquarters/Main Centre
The descendants of Dhir Mal claim to have a copy of the original Adi Granth held in Kartarpur, and there is a shrine there called Baba Dhir Mal. Ram Raiyas have their centre in Dehra Dun.
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