ABSTRACT
Guru Gulabdas (1809–1873) was an attractive and a controversial figure in his own time in Punjab. An advocate of advaita monism, he was known for his learning, attractive speech and prolific poetry. However, when a prostitute of Lahore, Piro (d. 1872), became a novice in his dera, and following her other prostitutes too became his adherents, a scandal came to be attached to his establishment and person. This paper will introduce select verses from one of his important works, the Gulab Chaman, to index his learning and prosodic achievement. It will also discuss a few verses where he apparently gives vent to those critiquing him. A close perusal of the Gulab Chaman has also revealed a single, ostensibly autobiographical verse, where he refers to giving in to desire. Many of his disciples, including Piro, defended the conduct of their guru, particularly his relations with a woman. The delineation of the erudition of Gulabdas on the one hand, and his association with a woman and a former prostitute on the other, will allow for a discussion of the idea of the guru and his charisma, and what role celibacy, or its lack, plays in its efflorescence. Though the notoriety of the Gulabdasis may have been due to other factors as well – allowing neophytes from all castes, indifference to bhek or costume that makes a sect distinct, and to the rules of commensality – it was the guru’s relationship with a former prostitute that brought in the maximum flak. Though multifarious gurus have flourished in India, and celibacy has not always been a requirement for the successful establishment of a new dera or a measure of the ineffable quality of charisma, it can nevertheless be a vector for popularity and respectability. The historical evidence on the Gulabdasis shows both their comfort with who they were, but also indicates their awareness of their notoriety.
