Origin and structure It is unclear when the masand system started. It began with
Guru Amar Das in some accounts, A masand was appointed for each religious administrative unit called the
Sikh Manji, a system that was founded by
Guru Amar Das. This system was expanded by later Sikh Gurus.
Role The main responsibility of the masands was collecting dasvandh donations and submitting them to the guru on a regular-basis, procuring receipts of donations against them.
Sikh Gurus had established a Masand system of Sikh representatives who taught and spread the teachings of the Sikh Gurus and also collect monetary offering to maintain armed legion of
saint-soldiers. The masands were appointed to collect revenue and gifts from the distant
dharamsals and congregations for the central Sikh authority, where they were responsible for bringing it to. The masands from various parishes would congregate with the Sikh guru at his
durbar (court) on the occasion of
Vaisakhi and present the funds and offerings of the
dharamsals under their management to him. Positions of local masands was not dynastic nor inheritable and it was not a professional duty as they still had to live the life of a householder. According to the
Dabestan-e Mazaheb, the 'sahlang' term referred to person(s)
initiated into the Sikh religion by a masand, who acted as representatives on behalf of the Sikh gurus. If neither the guru or a local religious head is present, such as in a distant or tiny community of Sikhs, then the initiate would dip their toe in water and the local congregation would drink it. This initiation ceremony finds mention in the
Vaaran authored by
Bhai Gurdas. This practice continued until 1699, when it was replaced by Guru Gobind Singh's innovation.
Abolition Over time, a few masands became corrupt and started treating themselves as gurus to collect money for their personal motives. Hence,
Guru Gobind Singh ordered Sikhs not to recognize those masands as authority figures and prohibited having any type of relationship with them or their deputies. According to early Sikh literature including
rehatnamas, the Sikhs, under Guru Gobind's command, punished, beat and killed certain masands whose corruption, exploitation, and greed or inability to deliver sufficient money and resources had affronted the Guru. == List of masands ==