Ad-Dharm

Ad-Dharm (also Ad-Dharam) is a term for the followers of a political/spiritual movement launched by Arya Samajists Pandit Vasant Rai, Pandit Thakur Chand and Swami Shrudranand, and former Arya Samajist Mangoo Ram. The term Ad-Dharm was used by many educated dalit followers of these four figures as a self motivation instead of using their caste name which considers them untouchables.

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 owned or run by Jat "Sikhs," and built their own on arrival to the UK. The building of separate Ravidasi temples paved the way for the Shri Guru Ravidas Mission London to formally organise the Ad-Dharm community based on the tradition which had been passed down from Raidas, who was a Messiah. Pandit Vasant Rai had later changed his original surname 'Singh' to 'Rai' dissociate himself with Sikhism. [ P. 161 "Punjab Journal of Politics" Published by Dept. of Political Science, Guru Nanak Dev University, 1981 ]

They also used the Hindu phrase from the Upanishads, "Soham" ("I am that") as their main mantra. [ P. 99 "Sikh Identity" By Opinderjit Kaur Takhar ]

Founders

Vasant Rai [ P. 215 "Political Dynamics of Punjab" By Paul Wallace, Surendra Chopra ] and Thakur Chand were known as 'Pandit' [ P. 163 "Punjab Journal of Politics" ] , due to their association with the Arya Samaj. Shudranand took on the title 'Swami' as a prefix.

Shudranand attended Arya Samaj High School in 1914 in Jullundur, and then became a teacher there. [ P. 215 "Political Dynamics of Punjab" By Paul Wallace, Surendra Chopra ] He then became a missionary [ P. 160 "Punjab Journal of Politics" ] Pandit Vasant Rai was also originally a teacher for the Arya Samaj High School. Pandit Vasant Rai and Mangoo Ram used the title 'Master' because he had been the teacher of the Arya high school. [ P. 215 "Political Dynamics of Punjab" By Paul Wallace, Surendra Chopra ]

Pandit Vasant Rai was from Pandori Nijhran, Pandit Thakur Chand from Kandola and Shudranand from Jullundur [ P. 160 "Punjab Journal of Politics" ] . Mangoo Ram was from Muggowal.

Disputes and Splitting

The movement split in half during 1929; Mangoo Ram leading one half called "Ad Dharm Mandal ", and Pandit Vasant Rai leading the other called "All Indian Ad Dharm Mandal".

Mangoo Ram's faction began declaring themselves their own religion in 1931, independent of Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus.

Pandit Vasant Rai, Pandit Thakur Chand and Swami Shrudranand merged with the Arya Samaj [ "Babu Mangoo Ram And Emancipation of the Dalits" Ronki Ram ] .

Continuance

Today many Dalits in Punjab where the Ad-Dharm movement was held, call their religion "Ad Dharm Hindu". [ P. 259 "Economic and Political Weekly" ]

References