Sarbat Khalsa

Sarbat means whole or entire. In one sense the term names the Sikh community as a body, which the Encyclopaedia of Sikhism describes as carrying its shared conscience. Sikhs pray in its name in Ardas. In the other sense, it means a historic assembly that met to direct the community's affairs.[EoS]

The practice grew during persecution, when bands of Sikhs scattered in hills and forests gathered at Amritsar, especially at Vaisakhi and Diwali. The earliest known meeting was at Diwali 1723, where Bhai Mani Singh helped resolve a clash between the Tatt Khalsa and followers of Banda Singh Bahadur.

Later meetings planned resistance following the martyrdom of Bhai Tara Singh of Van in 1726, and in 1733 accepted the Mughal offer that made Kapur Singh a Nawab. At Diwali in 1745 the fighting force was organised into 25 bands. At Vaisakhi on 29 March 1748, these were reorganised into 11 divisions within the Dal Khalsa. Decisions of these meetings were called gurmatas.[EoS][EoS][EoS]

European writers such as John Malcolm, writing in the early nineteenth century, left descriptions used by later historians. The participants bathed, bowed at Harmandir Sahib, and sat before Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji at the Akal Takht. After prayers and kara prashad, chiefs set aside their quarrels with the scripture between them. Akali Nihangs had an active part in convening the sessions.[EoS][EoS][EoS]

As misl chiefs settled in their own territories, the assemblies lost importance and were reduced to the chiefs or their agents. Under Maharaja Ranjit Singh the institution fell out of use. The last known meeting, in 1805, concerned Jaswant Rao Holkar, and it was only advisory.

The Encyclopaedia records attempts in recent years to revive it, without agreement on its constitution or authority. Under the convention it describes, only the Jathedar of the Akal Takht can summon one.[EoS][EoS]