Suthre Shah
Suthre Shah was born in sampat 1672, in the village of Berhampur in the house of Bihari Lal Nanda (Khatri). He was born with a full set of teeth, his father after consulting the pundits and astrologers, placed the child outside the house, leaving him to an uncertain fate (most likely death), but it just so happened that Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib ji, on his way back from Kashmir, saw the abandoned infant and took pity on him and he ordered his sikhs to carry the child with them. They initially tried to dissuade the Guru saying the child was kuthra (dirty) it was Guru Hargobind sahib ji who named the child 'Suthra' (clean).
Suthre Shahis: An order of Sikh devotees whose origin is thus described:- When Teg Shah - a faqir was alive, a boy was born of dark complexion, (or with a black mark on his forehead) and moustache, and with his teeth already cut--and his parents exposed him, - a child so born is unlucky. The sixth Guru Hargobind, happened to find the child and told his disciples to take him up but they refused, saying that he was kuthra (dirty or ugly). The Guru replied that he was Suthra (clean, pure or spotless); they then obeyed him and the Guru took him under his care.
Among the Sikhs he came to be known as Suthra Shah, the suffix `Shah` in PUNJABI being the equivalent of the English word `squire or lord.` Suthra Shah was well known for his his humorous manner and his devotion to Guru Hargobind. He was appointed by Guru Har Rai, Guru Hargobind`s successor, to preach the Sikh faith.
As time passed, Suthra Shah`s followers, drawn from among both Hindus and Muslims, turned into a separate sect. They sang mystic songs in honour of Guru Nanak, but they had taken to mendicancy and forsworn all established social norms. They received novices into their order after a rigorous testing. They then were made to take a pledge to
The Suthre Shah is still have several establishments all over india. I have visited the one in Delhi (photos given below) which is the head office, presided over by Vivek Shahji Maharaj. One Mrs. Tripta Sharma has written a book in Hindi on Suthre Shah whose pictures are also shown.
Suthre Shahis: An order of Sikh devotees whose origin is thus described:- When Teg Shah - a faqir was alive, a boy was born of dark complexion, (or with a black mark on his forehead) and moustache, and with his teeth already cut--and his parents exposed him, - a child so born is unlucky. The sixth Guru Hargobind, happened to find the child and told his disciples to take him up but they refused, saying that he was kuthra (dirty or ugly). The Guru replied that he was Suthra (clean, pure or spotless); they then obeyed him and the Guru took him under his care.
Among the Sikhs he came to be known as Suthra Shah, the suffix `Shah` in PUNJABI being the equivalent of the English word `squire or lord.` Suthra Shah was well known for his his humorous manner and his devotion to Guru Hargobind. He was appointed by Guru Har Rai, Guru Hargobind`s successor, to preach the Sikh faith.
As time passed, Suthra Shah`s followers, drawn from among both Hindus and Muslims, turned into a separate sect. They sang mystic songs in honour of Guru Nanak, but they had taken to mendicancy and forsworn all established social norms. They received novices into their order after a rigorous testing. They then were made to take a pledge to
The Suthre Shah is still have several establishments all over india. I have visited the one in Delhi (photos given below) which is the head office, presided over by Vivek Shahji Maharaj. One Mrs. Tripta Sharma has written a book in Hindi on Suthre Shah whose pictures are also shown.