The practice of charitable giving was preached and spread by Guru Amar Das, followed by Guru Ram Das, and by Guru Arjan. During the guruship of
Guru Amar Das, an authorized institution for managing and spreading the Sikh religion was developed in order to show directions to the Sikhs by preaching them the teachings of
Sikh gurus. The
Masands (ministers and the tithe-collectors) had the responsibility of collecting "
kar bhet" (
seva offerings) and
dasvandh donations from the Sikhs in the region they were stationed in, and to then ensure these were in-turn given to the Guru. '' of the
Khalsa addressed to Bhai Mehar Singh and Bhai Mahboob of
Patna requesting dasvandh donations to go towards rebuilding the recently
desecrated and destroyed Golden Temple, dated 12 April 1759 References to the practice of
dasvandh can be found in various writings known as
rehitnamas (manuals of Sikh codes of conduct) that were scribed during the era of
Guru Gobind Singh or shortly after his period. As an example,
Bhai Nand Lal’s
Tankhahnama quotes
Gobind Singh as saying the following regarding the practice: "Hear ye Nand Lal, one who does not give
dasvandh and, telling lies, misappropriates it, is not at all to be trusted". The practice has survived due to the efforts of fervent Sikhs in maintaining it. The practice itself serves both individualistic and communalistic aims, being an outlet for personal religious devotion and as a united communal effort exemplifying the concept of the
Guru Panth ("Guru's path"). == See also ==