The Bandai Khalsa
An overview of the Bandai Khalsa, a sect who regarded Banda Singh Bahadur to be the eleventh Guru, and their eventual decline.
The Bandai Khalsa were a sect that regarded Banda Singh Bahadur to be the eleventh Guru after Guru Gobind Singh. They appeared in opposition to the Tat Khalsa, who believe Guru Gobind Singh had bequeathed the guruship to the Guru Granth Sahib and the panth.
Early historiography regarding the Bandai Khalsa
Historical Sikh sources such as Rattan Singh Bhangu’s Sri Gur Panth Prakash and Giani Gian Singh’s Naveen Panth Prakash and Shamsher Khalsa are considered by contemporary Sikh scholars to be biased against Banda Singh Bahadur.
As noted by the historian Ganda Singh in his book, Life of Banda Singh Bahadur, historical judgements of Banda Singh Bahadur are steeped in sectarianism and lack of knowledge. Rattan Singh Bhangu, the writer of Sri Gur Panth Prakash, was the grandson of Bhai Mehtab Singh of Mirankot, who was personally involved in the conflict between the Tat Khalsa and Bandai Khalsa thus his attitude towards Banda Singh Bahadur had been heavily influenced as such. However, his Sri Gur Panth Prakash is otherwise regarded as a magnum opus and used whereas Giani Gian Singh’s works are often rebuked for their fanciful nature, incorporating popular stories and narratives.
Contemporary historians regard the Bandai Khalsa starting after the death of Banda Singh Bahadur but historical Sikh sources believe Banda Singh Bahadur went astray during the later phase of his life, growing egotistical and creating a cult around himself. Hence, for this reason, authors in the early 20th century such as Ganda Singh and Karam Singh Historian sought to analyse Banda Singh Bahadur through Persian sources as opposed to the traditional Punjabi sources. Balwant Singh Dhillon has carried this on, by analysing Banda Singh Bahadur through Rajasthani documents, allowing us access to his perception outside of the Sikhs.
Characteristics
Bandais were differentiated from the Tat Khalsa through their wearing of red robes as opposed to the traditional blue. They also greeted each other with the slogan of Fateh Darshan as opposed to Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh. Alongside this, they were strict vegetarians, owing to their Vaishnava influence.
Rattan Singh Bhangu’s Panth Prakash makes detail of the differences between the Bandai Khalsa and the Tat Khalsa:
Khalsa Singhs told (Bandai Singhs) that they had no basis for such a claim, Since there was no ideological similarity between the two factions. They declared "Fateh Darshan" against Khalsa's "Waheguru ji ki Fateh", They were Bishnois against Khalsa's casteless fraternity. They donned red robes against Khalsa's rejection of such robes, The Khalsa donned blue robes against their dislike of blue robes.
Conflict with the Tat Khalsa
According to Bhangu’s Sri Gur Panth Prakash, after the death of Banda Singh Bahadur, the Tat Khalsa, Kahan Singh Trehan sought an agreement with the Mughals, allowing him to keep a contingent of 500 cavalry and hold a camp at Amritsar and received large offerings from the sangat. The Bandai Sikhs grew envious and staked their claim on these offerings and promised a large amount of tax to the Mughals.
The elders between both the Bandai and Tat Khalsa intervened and the proposed solution was that both write their greetings of Fateh Darshan and Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh on paper and immerse them in the sarovar tank. Whichever greeting came back to the surface would thereby be accepted as the valid religion. From the tank, Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh appeared. However, there was still contention between both the Tat and Bandai Khalsa followers so this was settled through a wrestling match.
Baba Kahan Singh’s son, Miri Singh, would have a wrestling match with a Bandai chief, Lahora Singh’s son, Sangat Singh. As the representative of the Tat Khalsa, Miri Singh was victorious. Hence, all the Bandais were given a chance to lay down their arms and join the Tat Khalsa thus beginning the decline of the Bandai Khalsa.
Decline and later influence
Mahant Ganesha Singh’s Bharat Mat Darpan was compiled in 1926 and records information of various sects and religious orders across India. Mahant Ganesha Singh records the main characteristics of the Bandai Khalsa then:
ਚਰਨਾਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਪਾਨ ਕਰਨਾ ਜੰਞੂ ਰਖਣਾ ਚਿੱਟੇ ਬਸਤ੍ਰ ਓਢਣੇ ਕਾਲੇ ਤੇ ਹਰੇ ਰੰਗ ਦੇ ਬਸਤ੍ਰ ਕਦੇ ਬੀ ਅੰਗ ਸਪ੍ਰਸ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੋਣ ਦੇਣੇ ਗੋਡਿਆਂ ਤਕ ਨੀਮਾ ਕਛਹਿਰਾ ਰਖਣਾ। ਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਜੀਕਾ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਜੀਕੀ ਫਤੇ ਆਪਸ ਵਿਚ ਮਿਲਨ ਸਮਯ ਬੋਲਣੀ ਤੇ ਬੁਲਾਉਣੀ। ਸਿੰਘ,ਦਾਸ ਨਾਮ ਦੇ ਅੰਤ ਕੋਈ ਇਕ ਪਦ ਹੋਵੇ। ਇਸਦਾ ਡੇਹਰਾ ਚੰਦ੍ਰ ਭਗਾ ਨਦੀ ਦੇ ਕਿਨਾਰੇ ਭਿੰਬਰ ਪਿੰਡ ਦੇ ਪਾਸ ਬਹੁਤ ਸੁੰਦਰ ਬਣਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ ਹੈ ਬੰਦਈ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਪੂਜਦੇ ਅਰ ਮਾਨਤਾ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ ਠਾਟਵਾਟ ਦੇਖਣੇ ਯੋਗ ਹੈ।
They initiate through Charan Amrit, they wear janeu and white clothes, black and green clothes are never worn and they wear a kachhera up to their knees. Upon meeting with each other, they greet with Darshan ji ka Khalsa, Darshan ji ki Fateh. Singh or Das is affixed to the back of their names. Their dera is situated close to the village of Bhimber, upon the banks of river Chandra Bhaga (Chenab) and is built beautifully. The Bandai Khalsa conduct their worship and ceremonies devotedly in a spectacular manner, which is really worth beholding.
Immediately noticeable seems to be their transition from red clothes into white clothes, similar to the reform movements of the later 19th century like Nirankaris, Namdharis and Nanaksar. However, they still retained the same greeting. They are also now confined to a solitary dera in Jammu along the Chenab as opposed to their influence across Punjab, Potohar and the adjourning hill regions.
After the decline of the Bandai Khalsa, the Jammu dera served as their primary base of operations. During Fateh Singh’s mahantship, the influence of the this dera briefly expanded again as he would tour around the Multan, Jhang and Sindh regions. Due to being the great-grandson of Banda Singh Bahadur, he had a good relationship with Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He was given jagirs of 16 villages by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, under his dharmarth grant state policy, and also held good relations with Raja Gulab Singh of Jammu.
During his visit of the dera in 1935, Ganda Singh makes note that the Sri Guru Granth Sahib is installed in both of the gurudwaras there. Alongside this, when the ardas is carried out, the ten Gurus are mentioned as normal but Banda Singh Bahadur and his descendants: Ranjit Singh, Jujhar Singh and Fateh Singh, are all mentioned with the Sahibzaade and Sikh martyrs, ending with the chant: Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh, instead of their old Fateh Darshan chant.
Nowadays, Bandais are a very niche community and only exist in certain pockets, one being in Jammu. Most of the followers of the Bandai dera are comprised of local Hindus, particularly Rajputs, or Khatris, both Hindu and Sikh. For the most part, the Sikh followers are indistinguishable between normal Sikhs. However, the more orthodox followers of the dera still obey by Mahant Fateh Singh’s decree of only marrying daughters to those who are in the Bandai sect.
Interesting as well to look at the political role these two opposing sects played. Tat Khalsa was under Ajit Singh - the adopted son of Guru Gobind Singh Ji and Bandai Khalsa under Baba Banda Singh. There are many more layers to this as well and this is a great overview/deeper introduction on the Bandai Khalsa.