A Sikh Sant Mat Connection Truly Commences With Baba Jaimal Singh, by James Bean
“Soamiji Maharaj, the first guru of Radhasoami Faith, was born on 25th, August 1818, in a Khatri family, residing in Panni Gali, Agra and His worldly name was Shri Shiv Dayal Singh Ji.” Pipal Mandi Hazuri Bhawan website (and based on the Biography of Soamiji Maharaj): https://www.radhasoamisatsang.org/pppdsoamiji
“His father, Lala Dilwali Singh (a Sahejdhari Khatri Sikh, belonging to the order of Nanak Panthis), was devotedly attached to Jap Ji, Raho Ras and Sukhmani (Sikh scriptures), which he read from day to day with great religious fervor and deep reverence.” (A Great Saint Baba Jaimal Singh His Life and Teachings, By Kirpal Singh, page 8)
Swami Ji however, though on record for being fond of the teachings of Guru Nanak and the Adi Granth, is not depicted as wearing a turban or having a “Sikh” appearance. Khati Sikhs are not a mainstream Sikh sect. Non-initiated Sehajdhari Khatri Sikhs adhered to Sikh spiritual teachings without adopting the outward physical emblems of the Khalsa.
On the Sahej Dhari Khatri Sikhs: “Sahaj-Dharis are a sect of Sikhs who differ from other Sikhs in their observance of religious practices. Unlike Kes-Dhari Sikhs, Sahaj-Dharis do not wear uncut hair and may reject other injunctions of the Rahit, the Sikh code of conduct. They also do not adopt typical Sikh personal names.
“Historically, Tat Khalsa scholars believed “sahaj-dhari” meant “slow-adopter,” suggesting a path to full Khalsa membership. However, it is more likely derived from Guru Nanak’s use of “sahaj,” signifying the soul’s liberation. This group often includes members of higher castes who may not observe the Rahit to maintain their social status. The exact number of Sahaj-Dharis is difficult to determine, as some families may only initiate their eldest son as Sikh, leaving others to identify as Hindu or Sikh. They emphasize a special regard for Guru Nanak and his teachings.” Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sahaj-Dhari#:~:text=Unlike%20Kes%2DDhari%20Sikhs%2C%20Sahaj%2DDharis%20do%20not%20wear,use%20of%20%22sahaj%2C%22%20signifying%20the%20soul's%20liberation.
Those folks were rather distant from the Sikh world and its traditions and fundamentalisms, reminding me of the relationship between the Unitarians and Christianity.
Furthermore, Soamiji and his family became followers of Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, became initiates of Sant Mat.
Tulsi Sahib was not Sikh. There’s absolutely nothing “Sikh” about Tulsi Sahib. He had no associations with Sikhism or Sikh gurus (assuming there were some) and did not often quote the Adi Granth in his writings. Granth quotes are sparse in the teachings of Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras. As I’ve traced the Sant Mat guru lineage, before Tulsi Sahib was Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar from a Dharamdasi region of Bihar District and earlier Sant Dharam Das gurus don’t seem to have any association or background with Sikhism or Sikh gurus. Not near the Punjab. Few “Singh’s" but scores and scores and scores of “Das’s”.
So other than Soamiji, family members and associates being fond of the verses of Guru Nanak and those other four earlier Sikh gurus who were the major contributors to the Adi Granth, WHERE DO turban wearing gurus with Sikh ethnic backgrounds dressed in white attire appear in Sant Mat? With Baba Jaimal Singh, one of the three prominent disciples and successors of Soami Ji Maharaj.
“It was in 1838 that Baba Jaimal Singh was born in the village of Ghuman in the Gurdaspur District of the Punjab, to a family of pious Sikh cultivators.” (A Great Saint Baba Jaimal Singh, His Life and Teachings, page 21). As the biography documents it was Baba Jaimal Singh who became mainly interested in the spirituality and mysticism described in the Sikh scriptures, and this quest eventually lead him to the door of Soamiji Maharaj in order to be initiated into the mysteries of Naam by a living teacher. See, the biography of Baba Jaimal Singh: https://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/pdf/Baba%20Jaimal%20Singh%20-%20Kirpal%20Singh.pdf
“One of the great spiritual biographies in the history of Sant Mat and Radhasoami literature written by the late Kirpal Singh. It tells of the fascinating story of a young Sikh boy, Jaimal Singh, who goes on a quest to find an enlightened master who can reveal the secret of the Five Melodies as mentioned in the Guru Granth Sahib. Baba Jaimal Singh meets many yogis and sages in his quest to unravel the mystery of the Inner Sound Current.” For more, there’s the audio book, Baba Jaimal Singh and His Quest for the Secret of the Sound Current. A Biography: https://youtu.be/Hz60EVTkcuw?si=rTbzi3VwOJY2jPVG
It’s with the successors and offshoots of Baba Jaimal Singh that we get a lot of gurus and followers with Sikh backgrounds, wearing turbans, etc… In addition of Hazur Baba Sawan Singh and successors I’m also including here the Tarn Taran gurus and the many Radhasoami satsangs that, though not as well-known in the west, are legion and have also branched out all over India and around the world.
Baba Bagga Singh: https://rstt.org.in/satgurus/baba-bagga-singh-ji.php#:~:text=As%20he%20grew%20older%2C%20Baba%20Bagga%20Singh,his%20colleagues%20by%20Baba%20Jaimal%20Singh%20Ji.
More on Baba Bagga Singh of the Tarn Taran Radhasoami Satsang: https://rstt.org.in/history.php#:~:text=He%20left%20for%20his%20heavenly%20abode%20on,Soami%20Dera%20Baba%20Bagga%20Singh%2C%20Tarn%20Taran.
