Masand System: Difference between revisions

Guru Ram Das introduced the institution of Masands (representative of the Gurus at various places). Guru Arjan Dev Ji added to it the principle of Tenth of individual income payable for the Guru’s Langar (Common Kitchen) and for other acts of benevolence of the poor.

Many people were drawn into the Sikh fold in consequence of Guru Arjan’s travels. The Guru’s fame spread far and wide bringing to him devotees from all over the Punjab, from the eastern parts then called Hindustan and from far-off lands such as Kabul and Central Asia. This growing following was kept united by an efficient cadre of local leaders, called masands who looked after the sangats, Sikh centres, in far-flung parts of the country. They collected from the disciples dasvandh or one-tenth of their income which they were enjoined to give away for communal sharing, and led the Sikhs to the Guru’s presence periodically.

The Guru’s assemblies had something of the appearance of a theocratic court. The Sikhs had coined a special title for him - Sachcha Padsha, i.e. the True King, as distinguished from the secular monarch. Offerings continued to pour in which in the tradition of the Guru’s household would be spent on feeding the poor and on works of public beneficence.

During the time of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the seat of the Master and the disciples, shifted to Kiratpur and Amritsar was already in he hands of masands; impostors, priests who saw the money to be got by priest-craft at Hari Mandar. Since the time of Guru Arjun Dev, there had sprung up a kind of civic administration, which collected the offerings of people at large for the upkeep of the Sikh cities, temples and tanks.

For some time the civic administration worked well; but later the surrounding enemies of the House of the Master came in and enlisted as Masands or collectors of offerings, and made the whole administration inimical to the disciples. They afflicted the true disciples in many way, and the disciples endured without a sigh or murmur all that came from Masands in the name of their Beloved. A full revelation of their ill-doing was made to Guru Gobind Singh in a drama played before him at Anandpur, and it was he who abolished the Masand administration and abolished the tyrants.

MASANDS were, in early SIKHISM, local community leaders who looked after the ^an^a^in their diocese and linked them to their spiritual mentor, the GURU. They led SIKHS, preached the word of the Guru and transmitted to him their offerings, escorting occasionally batches of them to his presence. The first such masands were appointed by Guru ARJAN. The word masand is from Persian masnad, meaning a throne or a cushion to recline. As appropriated into the SIKH tradition, it further advanced theconceptofwan;?(cot)onwhichthepreachers sat, reclining against a cushion, as they expounded to the people GuruNanak`sgospel. This manjl system had been introduced by the Third Guru, GuruAmarDas( 14791579). The new nomenclature arose from the Sikh custom of designating the Guru as sachchdpdtshdh, the True King, in contradistinction to the temporal king. The functionaries, who acted on behalf of the Guru in spreading the Sikh teaching as also in collecting for him tithes and offerings from the followers, came to be known as masandsm imitation of masnadi `all, an imperial title for ranked nobles. The masand structure helped in the expansion of Sikh faith and in knitting together centres established in farHung places. The beginnings of such centres went back to the time of Guru NANAK who had travelled extensively preaching his message, his disciples setting up in different places dharamsalas wherein to meet together in SANGAT or holyfellowship to recite his hymnsTo activate the sangatsm different parts, Guru AmarDas had established twentytwo manfisw`ith several local groups affiliated to each. Guru Arjan further consolidated the system by appointing masands who were invested with greater authority and with more varied religiousand social functions. Masands were chosen for their piety and devotion. Besides preaching the Sikh tenets in their areas, they visited the Guru at least once every year. They were accompanied on such occasions by groups of Sikhs, from amongst those under their guidance. They carried with them offerings from thedisciplesforthe langar, or community kitchen, the digging of tanks and for other philanthropic works. To help them with their preaching work, masands had their own deputies known as metis. The masandswho enjoyed the status of the Guru`s own representatives served to spread the Sikh faith and consolidate the ecclesiastical structure. But as time passed, they became neglectful of theil` religious office and took to personal aggrandizement. Guru Gobind SINGH (16661708), the last of the Gurus, had to charge them with corruption and oppression. Those found guilty were punished. Guru Gobind Singh abolished the institution of masands. He, as sang the poet Bhai Gurdas II, converted the sangat into Klialsa, i.e. directly his own, eliminating the intermediary masands.

References

1. Macaulif`fe, Max Arthur, The Sikh Religion. Oxford, 1909

2. Ganda Singh, "Nanak Panlhis" (translation from Dabistdn-i-Mazdhibby ZulfikarArdistani) in The Punjab Past and Present. Patrala, April 1967

3. Fauja Singh, "Development of Sikhism under the Gurus" in Sikhism. PATIALA, 1969

4. Banerjee, I.B., Evolution of the Khnlsn, vol. I. Calcutta, 1936 5- Gian Singh, Giani, Pnnth Prakdsh. Delhi, 1880

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