SATNAMI
1. Context
Members of the Satnami religious sect set fire to the office of the Superintendent of Police and pelted the office of the District Collector with stones in Baloda Bazar in central Chhattisgarh on 10/06/2024 after alleged inaction over the desecration of a religious site at Amar Cave in the district
2. Who are Satnamis?
The Satnamis are a religious group that originated in northern India, particularly in the regions of Punjab, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh. They follow a monotheistic faith and believe in the worship of one God, referred to as "Satnam," which means "True Name."
Members of the predominantly Scheduled Caste Satnami community, also known as the Satnam Panth, primarily reside in Chhattisgarh and adjacent regions of Madhya Pradesh. The desecrated shrine, called Jaitkham, is situated approximately 5 kilometers from Giraud village in the Baloda Bazar district. This site marks the birthplace of Guru Ghasidas, an 18th-century saint who is regarded as the spiritual ancestor of the Chhattisgarh Satnamis
3. Early Satnamis
- Guru Ghasidas was born in 1756, but the origins of the Satnami sect date back even further. The term "sat naam" (meaning "true name") was popularized by the 15th-century Bhakti poet Kabir, though it likely originated earlier.
- Kabir, who opposed idolatry and the rigid practices of organized religion, was a prominent figure in the nirguna bhakti tradition, which worships a formless, all-pervading Absolute. He frequently referred to this Absolute as "sat naam" or "satya naam" in his poetry.
- In 1657, inspired by Kabir's teachings, a mendicant named Birbhan established a Satnami community in Narnaul, located in present-day Haryana.
- According to Mughal court historian Khafi Khan (1664-1732), the Satnamis comprised "some four or five thousand householders in the pargana of Narnaul and Mewat," primarily engaged in agriculture and small-scale trade, similar to Banyas (tradesmen) with limited capital (Irfan Habib: The Agrarian System of Mughal India, 1556-1707)
- Ritual and superstition were condemned, and allegiance was explicitly rendered to Kabir… Caste distinctions within the community of believers were forbidden… An attitude of sympathy with the poor and hostility towards authority and wealth is apparent [in Satnami preachings]
- Initially, most Satnamis belonged to an “untouchable” caste engaged in leatherwork. The community has, however, moved away from the profession over time
4.Revolt against Aurangzeb
- If anyone attempts to impose tyranny and oppression upon the Satnamis, they will not tolerate it; most of them are armed," wrote Khafi Khan.
- In 1672, the Satnamis in what is now Punjab and Haryana revolted against Aurangzeb’s increasing tax demands. Irfan Habib described the revolt as originating from a rural conflict.
- A Satnami working in his fields had a heated exchange with a Mughal foot soldier guarding a corn heap.
- The soldier struck the Satnami on the head with his stick, injuring him. In response, a group of Satnamis attacked the soldier, nearly killing him.
- When the local Mughal police chief sent troops to arrest those responsible, an open rebellion ensued.
- The rebels temporarily took control of Narnaul and Bairat, but the Mughals eventually suppressed the uprising, killing thousands of Satnamis.
- Despite their lack of weapons and equipment, the Satnamis fought valiantly, reminiscent of the epic battles in the Mahabharata, as recorded by Mughal chronicler Saqi Mustad Khan in the Maasir-i-Alamgiri
5. Revival under Ghasidas
- Aurangzeb nearly eradicated the community, which would later experience a revival starting in the mid-eighteenth century — led by Jagjivandas in present-day Uttar Pradesh and Ghasidas in present-day Chhattisgarh.
- Various theories exist regarding the influences on Ghasidas’ spiritual development, ranging from Sant Ravidas (15th or 16th century) to Kabir. However, according to religious studies scholar Ramdas Lamb in "Rapt in the Name: The Ramnamis, Ramnam, and Untouchable Religion in India" (2002), "most present-day Satnamis either deny or are unaware of any connection between Ghasidas and earlier Satnami movements" in northern India.
- Nevertheless, Guru Ghasidas’ religious philosophy echoed that of the earlier Satnamis. As Lamb wrote, "his primary directive was the worship of a single true God through the chanting of His name, 'Satnam', and the rejection of idol worship." This rejection of deity worship allowed the Satnamis, who were considered 'untouchable', to circumvent temple-entry restrictions.
- Ghasidas also instructed his followers to abstain from consuming meat (including eggplant, which resembles flesh), as well as alcohol, tobacco, and smoking. He advocated the use of brass utensils instead of clay, discouraged working with leather and animal carcasses and promoted wearing tulsi bead necklaces similar to those worn by Vaishnavas and Kabirpanthis. Additionally, he urged his followers to discard their caste names and adopt the name ‘Satnami’
6. Present Scenario of Satnami
- At the time of Ghasidas’ death, his followers numbered around a quarter million, predominantly from a specific Scheduled Caste. He established a succession of gurus to lead the sect after him, beginning with his son Balakdas.
- According to Lamb, by the late 1800s, a hierarchical organizational structure had developed, with the guru at the apex and several village-level priests below. This framework largely remains in place today. "These priests conducted marriages, resolved disputes, administered penance, and served as intermediaries within the organization."
- Over time, many Satnamis adopted practices, beliefs, and rituals from caste-Hindu traditions, integrating themselves into the Hindu religious mainstream. Some began worshipping Hindu idols and claimed lineage from Rajputs or even Brahmins.
- Today, Satnamis wield increasing political influence. Satnami leaders not only influence their sect but also hold sway over Chhattisgarh's entire Scheduled Caste population, which comprises 13%.
- Historically aligned with the Congress party, since 2013, some Satnami gurus have switched their political allegiances multiple times. Consequently, the Satnami vote is now divided among various political parties in Chhattisgarh
Source: Indianexpress
