Merhbanieh

The name of this ancient Sikh sect can be translated as ‘mad holy men’. This is due to the fact that this Sikh ‘Panth’ (way) originated with blessing of Akali Guru Arjan Dev’s nephew, Baba Manordas Merhban (1581-1640). The Divaneh Sadh are also known as ‘Merhbanieh’.

Merhban was the son of Akali Guru Arjan Dev’s elder brother Prithia. Akali Guru Ram Das had passed over Prithia and conferred the Guruship to his youngest son, Akali Guru Arjan Dev Ji. For this reason, Prithia was hostile to Guru Arjan Dev and Sikh history (see 'Gurbilas Shemi'), records that on several occasions Prithia tried to unsuccessfully murder Akali Guru Hargobind Sahib when he was an infant.