ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>MAHANT</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="MAHANT"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279MAHANT, originally the superior of a <i>ma&#7789h</i> or any other similar religious establishment. In the Punjab of early Sikhism, its characteristic usage referred to the leaders of N&#257th, <i>&#7693er&#257s</i>. The term acquired a distinctive Sikh application during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, period during which many Sikh <i>gurdw&#257r&#257s</i> passed into the hands of hereditary controllers. These men, who became virtual owners of their <i>gurdw&#257r&#257s</i>, were known as <i>mahants</i>. Many of them were not initiated Sikhs and as a class they incurred considerable odium as self-seekers who exploited popular devotion for personal gain. They became the prime target of the Gurdw&#257r&#257 Reform movement during the early decades of the twentieth century and were eventually expropriated by the Sikh Gurdw&#257r&#257s Act of 1925. As a result of the misdemeanours of the <i>mahants</i>, the term was sullied beyond redemption in Sikh eyes. The word is still used to designate the superiors of Ud&#257s&#299 <i>akh&#257&#7771&#257s</i>, but its expulsion from orthodox Sikh usage seems plainly to be permanent.</p> </ol><p class="CONT">W. H. McLeod<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>