Udasi Sadhus practice the ways of sanathan dharma or the saintly way, follow five Hindu gods known as pancha-devata, namely these are Ganesha, Devi, Shiva, Surya and Vishnuand perform rituals known as panch prakarti puja or natural rituals encompassing the five elements of water, fire, earth, air and sky.
Udasi comes from the root word udas which means detachment or
renunciation. Udasi Sadhus are well known for having long matted
dreadlocks in emulation of Lord Shiva and in keeping with the philosophy
of not cutting one's hair. However during certain cleansing rituals or
initiations they are known to shave all hair from their face and head,
known as a munda. Udasis are limited to robes of red, white, black or a
tobacco like orange color, while others go naga style covered in the
ashes of their dhuni, near naked wearing only a red loincloth as their
founder Sri Chand was famed for.
Udasi writers, like Anand Ghan, have written unfounded commentaries on portions of theSikh scripture, along with Janamsakhis andgur-bilas works.
During the 17th century, Udasis escaped persecution by the Mughal Empire, as they look different from Khalsa Sikh and Akalis, in whose absence the Udasis continued the daily rituals and readings of the Guru Granth Sahib in the Sikh places of worship, while the Sikhs were away fighting. However, one Udasi tall tale tells that when the Mughals came to Sri Chand's camp in Kashmir for his submission, Sri Chand took a burning log from his fire and slammed it into the ground while incanting a mantra, the log immediately sprouted into a growing tree at which the Mughals left Sri Chand and the Udasis be.
At one point in history (approximately 1849), there were more than 250 Udasi akharas in India.
During the Gurdwara Reform Movement of the early 1920s, Udasis forced out of the Sikh historical shrines for their heretical teachings and practices. There are presently far fewer Udasis than there were prior to the Gurudwara Reform Movement.
Traditionally, there were four Udasi centres (akharas or dhuans) with each controlling a certain preaching area; eastern India (main centre, Nanakmatta), western Panjab andKashmir, Malwa (Punjab) and Doaba. There is an Udasi gurudwara (temple) in Amritsar, near the Harimandir Sahib (Golden Temple).
Today's Udasi are predominantly located in northwestern India especially around Punjab,Haryana Gujarat and cities like Haridwar and New Delhi ,they are divided into three major group:
Niya (New) Udasi Panchayati Akarda
Bara (Big) Udasi Panchayati Akarda
Nirmal Udasi Panachayati Akarda
Where the panch or five in Panchayatioriginates, the Panchadevas
Udasi writers, like Anand Ghan, have written unfounded commentaries on portions of theSikh scripture, along with Janamsakhis andgur-bilas works.
During the 17th century, Udasis escaped persecution by the Mughal Empire, as they look different from Khalsa Sikh and Akalis, in whose absence the Udasis continued the daily rituals and readings of the Guru Granth Sahib in the Sikh places of worship, while the Sikhs were away fighting. However, one Udasi tall tale tells that when the Mughals came to Sri Chand's camp in Kashmir for his submission, Sri Chand took a burning log from his fire and slammed it into the ground while incanting a mantra, the log immediately sprouted into a growing tree at which the Mughals left Sri Chand and the Udasis be.
At one point in history (approximately 1849), there were more than 250 Udasi akharas in India.
During the Gurdwara Reform Movement of the early 1920s, Udasis forced out of the Sikh historical shrines for their heretical teachings and practices. There are presently far fewer Udasis than there were prior to the Gurudwara Reform Movement.
Traditionally, there were four Udasi centres (akharas or dhuans) with each controlling a certain preaching area; eastern India (main centre, Nanakmatta), western Panjab andKashmir, Malwa (Punjab) and Doaba. There is an Udasi gurudwara (temple) in Amritsar, near the Harimandir Sahib (Golden Temple).
Today's Udasi are predominantly located in northwestern India especially around Punjab,Haryana Gujarat and cities like Haridwar and New Delhi ,they are divided into three major group:
Niya (New) Udasi Panchayati Akarda
Bara (Big) Udasi Panchayati Akarda
Nirmal Udasi Panachayati Akarda
Where the panch or five in Panchayatioriginates, the Panchadevas
