Educating the Monkhood

The chapter examines the stages of self-reform of the Dādūpanthi sant sampradaya between the 1890s and the present day. Originally a sect dominated by sadhus, the reform process meant a shift from monastic to lay ideals and to governance by householders, many of whom, however, were ex-sadhus. The process created deep rifts between sadhus and householders. The backbone of the story is the stepwise dismantling and, in 1938, final disbandment of the military Nāgā wing of the Dādūpanthis. Aside from the search for new occupational activities, the main focus in this process lay on education. Targeting primarily their own as well as other monastic orders and Brahmin candidates, and connecting partly with Gandhian patriotism, the prime idea became to develop models of a Hindu way of life impermeable to Westernization, and produce educated spiritual and social leaders for independent India and engage in social and political activities.