Ad-Dharmi

Not to be confused with the Adi Dharm development of Brahmoism.

The Ad-Dharmi is a sect in the state of Punjab, in India and is an alternative term for the Ravidasia religion, meaning Primal Spiritual Path.^[1][2][3] The term Ad-Dharm came into popular usage in the early part of the 20th century, when many followers of Guru Ravidas converted to Sikhism and were severely discriminated against due to their low caste status (even though the Sikh religion is strictly against the caste system). Many of these converts stopped attending Sikh Gurdwaras controlled by Jat Sikhs and built their own shrines upon arrival in the UK, Canada, and Fiji Island.^[4][5] Ad-Dharmis comprise 11.48% of the total of Scheduled Caste communities in Punjab.^[6][7][8]

Origin

The Ad-Dharm movement was started in the 1920s with the aim of establishing a distinct religious identity. The founders of the Ad-Dharm Movement were Mangu Ram Mugowalia (a founding member of the Ghadar Party), Master Gurbanta Singh (a senior Congress leader), B. L. Gherra, and Pandit Hari Ram (Pandori Bibi), who served as the organization's secretary.^[9]

The movement projected Guru Ravidas, the 14th century Bhakti Movement saint, as their spiritual guru and adopted a sacred book called Ad Parkash for their separate ritual traditions. The Ad-Dharmi Dalits unified as a faith in 1925 during British rule in India.

In the 1931 census, over 450,000 individuals registered themselves as members of the new indigenous faith called Ad Dharam (or Original Religion).^[10] However, this faith and movement gradually declined after India gained independence due to the leaders' increasing involvement in state politics and the government's reservation policy, which focused only on providing reservations for low-caste individuals from Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist communities.^[11]

Religion

The Ad-Dharmi follow Guru Ravidas (now associated with the Ravidassia religion),^[12] and incorporate elements of Sikhism^[13] such as regarding the Shri Guru Granth Sahib as their religious text.^[14] A turning point occurred after the killing of Ramananda Dass in Vienna, which deeply affected the community and led to the development of separate scriptures (Amritbani) and distinct religious customs.^[15]

Each of their settlements typically contains gurdwaras and Ravidas Bhawans, which serve as centres of worship and as focal points for the local community.

Ad-Dharmi Diaspora

Gurdwara Guru Ravidass, Nasinu, Fiji Established in 1939

The Ad-Dharmi Diaspora has flourished on Fiji Island, Canada, and in the United Kingdom since 1905. From 1905, when the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand began a regular service from Calcutta to Fiji, there was a regular flow of Ravidassia people from Punjab to Fiji.^[16] The first Shri Guru Ravidass Gurudwara outside India was established in 1939 in Nasinu on Fiji Island, and this Gurdwara was registered under the banner of the Addharm-Punjab Association.^[17]

Demographics

Ad dharmis along with Ramdasia Ravidasia (Chamar Caste) in Punjab by Districts (2011)^[18]

Districts	2011 India census
	Ad dharmi/Ramdasia/Ravidasia Caste Population	%
Amritsar	31,774	1.28%
Barnala	90,526	15.18%
Bathinda	108,790	7.83%
Faridkot	26,903	4.35%
Fatehgarh Sahib	115,167	19.2%
Firozpur	31,581	1.56%
Gurdaspur	133,126	5.79%
Hoshiarpur	416,904	26.34%
Jalandhar	467,466	21.43%
Kapurthala	90,287	11.04%
Ludhiana	521,361	14.95%
Mansa	87,078	11.33%
Moga	31,206	3.14%
Sri Muktsar Sahib	50,017	5.54%
Patiala	192,545	10.18%
Rupnagar	115,155	16.85%
Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar	114,837	11.65%
Sangrur	261,317	21.72%
Nawanshahr	214,293	34.88%
Tarn Taran	3,618	0.32%

Notable people

• Seth Kishan Dass—A leather trader, propagator of the Ad-Dharm movement, and a politician.
• Mangu Ram Mugowalia—Founding member of Ghadar Movement and Ad Dharm movement in Punjab^[19]
• Chaudhary Sadhu Ram—Elected Member of Parliament for five time.^[20]
• Master Gurbanta Singh—Tallest Dalit leader of Punjab, educator and key person of Ad Dharm movement.