ABSTRACT
A Sikh sect, founded in 1857 by Ram Singh (1816-85) in the Punjab, the Namdhari are recognizable by their white homespun clothing, a turban (dastar) tied flat across the forehead, and a woollen cord (mala) with 108 knots around the neck, which functions as a rosary. The name Namdhari means a’Sikh who has adopted the name of God in his or her life’, and the alternative designation Kuka alludes to their ecstatic cries during worship, in which music is especially important. One distinctive practice is their havan jag (fire ceremony), and the circumambulation of fire features in their marriage rites. They adopt a pure vegetarian diet, and have a strong concern for cow protection. Equal importance is assigned to the Adi Granth and Dasam Granth, and the Chandi di Var, which is contained in the latter, features in their daily nitnem (personal devotion).
