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Dasvandh (, also translated as 'tithe', alternatively spelt as daswandh) is the one tenth part (or 10%) of one's income that one should donate, both financially (as a
tithe A tithe (; from Old English: ''teogoþa'' "tenth") is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Modern tithes are normally voluntary and paid in money, cash, cheques or v ...
) and directly in the form of '' seva'', according to
Sikh Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...
principles.


Overview

It falls into Guru Nanak Dev's concepts of '' Vand Chhako'' and ''Kirat karo''. The practice was followed during the period of Guru Arjan Dev and many
Sikh Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...
s still continue to carry out the practice in the present-day. The concept of dasvandh was implicit in
Guru Nanak Gurū Nānak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: , ), also known as ('Father Nanak'), was an Indian spiritual teacher, mystic and poet, who is regarded as the founder of Sikhism and is t ...
's own line: "''ghali khai kichhu hathhu dei, Nanak rahu pachhanahi sei''—He alone, O Nanak, knoweth the way who eats out of what he earneth by his honest labour and yet shareth part of it with others" (GG, 1245). The idea of sharing and giving was nourished by the institutions of sangat (holy congregation) and
langar Langar may refer to: Community eating *Langar (Sikhism) *Langar (Sufism) Places Afghanistan *Langar, Badakhshan, Afghanistan *Langar, Bamyan, Afghanistan *Langar, Faryab, Afghanistan *Langar, Herat, Afghanistan *Langar, Wardak, Afghanistan ...
(community kitchen) the
Guru Guru ( ; International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''guru'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian religions, Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: tr ...
had established. Sikhs believe that whatever one gives in charity, they shall receive back many fold to their benefit in-return in both a material and spiritual sense, as the two realms are inseparable as per Sikh theology.


History

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 Guru Amar Das (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਅਮਰ ਦਾਸ, pronunciation: ; 5 May 1479 – 1 September 1574), sometimes spelled as Guru Amardas, was the third of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and became Sikh Guru on 26 March 1552 at age 73. Befor ...
, 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 Sikh gurus (Punjabi language, Punjabi: ਸਿੱਖ ਗੁਰੂ; Hindi: सिख गुरु) are the spiritual masters of Sikhism, who established the religion over the course of about two and a half centuries, beginning in 1469. The year ...
. Guru Amar Das set up 22 '' manji''s (districts) in various parts of the
subcontinent A continent is any of several large geographical regions. Continents are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria. A continent could be a single large landmass, a part of a very large landmass, as in the case of A ...
. Each of these ''manji''s was placed under the charge of a devout Sikh (of either gender) who, besides conducting missionary work, looked after the sangats (local Sikh congregation) of their jurisdiction and imparted the followers' offerings to the
Guru Guru ( ; International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''guru'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian religions, Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: tr ...
. The construction work of the
Harmandir Sahib The Golden Temple is a gurdwara located in Amritsar, Punjab, India. It is the pre-eminent spiritual site of Sikhism. It is one of the Holy place, holiest sites in Sikhism, alongside the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Kartarpur, Pakistan, ...
shrine at Amritsar, whose work began under the watch of
Guru Ram Das Guru Ram Das (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਰਾਮ ਦਾਸ, pronunciation: ; 24 September 1534 – 1 September 1581), sometimes spelled as Guru Ramdas, was the fourth of the ten Sikh gurus. He was born to a family based in Lahore, who ...
, was an expensive undertaking, therefore the Sikhs were asked to donate at-least ten percent (''dasvandh'') of their earnings for funding the construction work as a united, communal effort. This, the idea of ''Guru Ki Golak'' (meaning "Guru's treasury") was devised. Others trace the roots of the dasvandh institution to the guruship period of Guru Arjan, who instituted financial reforms which would lead to the formation of the dasvandh tradition. 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. References to the practice of ''dasvandh'' can be found in various writings known as '' rehitnama''s (manuals of Sikh codes of conduct) that were scribed during the era of
Guru Gobind Singh Guru Gobind Singh (; born Gobind Das; 22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708) was the tenth and last human Sikh gurus, Sikh Guru. He was a warrior, poet, and philosopher. In 1675, at the age of nine he was formally installed as the leader of the ...
or shortly after his period. As an example,
Bhai Nand Lal Bhai Nand Lal (; ; 1633–1720), also known by his pen name Goya (; ), was a 17th-century Sikh poet in the Punjab region. Biography Bhai Nand Lal, a respected Persian scholar, was one of the 52 poets associated with Guru Gobind Singh. Born in G ...
’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 Panth (also panthan, meaning "path" in Sanskrit), also called the Sampradaya, is the term used for several religious traditions in India. A panth is founded by a guru or an acharya in guru-shishya parampara, and is often led by scholars or senior ...
'' ("Guru's path").


See also

*
Zakat Zakat (or Zakāh زكاة) is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Zakat is the Arabic word for "Giving to Charity" or "Giving to the Needy". Zakat is a form of almsgiving, often collected by the Muslim Ummah. It is considered in Islam a relig ...


References

{{Sikhism Sikh practices Tithes