History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v3.c48.s2.10

v3.c48.s2.10

The title *Satnamis* has been adopted by at least three religious bodies of Northern India. The one best known nowadays was founded in 1775 in Oudh, but we are not here concerned with it. The sect that rose against Aurangzib was really the *Sadhs*, who employ the name Satnami among themselves. They are a unitarian community, founded in 1543 by Birbhan of Bijesar, near Narnol, and may be looked upon as an offshoot of the Rai Dasis. [Hastings's *Encyclopædia of Religion*, xi. 46, 210.] The people nicknamed them *Mundiyas* or Shavelings from their practice of shaving off all the hair, —even the eye-brows, from their heads. The sect is scattered all over Upper India, and has monasteries in many places, but its stronghold in the 17th century was the district of Narnol, 75 miles south-west of Delhi. The religious mysteries practised by these sectaries were abominable, and a contemporary Hindu historian, Ishwardas Nagar, thus describes the repulsion which they excited: "The Satnamis are extremely filthy and wicked. In their rules they make no distinction between Hindus and Musalmans, and eat pigs and other unclean animals. If a dog is served up before them, they do not show any disgust at it! In sin and immorality they see no blame." (61b.)