Mahant
Mahant (/məˈhʌnt/) is a religious superior, in particular the chief of a temple or the head of a monastery in Indian religions.[1]
James Mallinson, one of the few westerners to be named as a mahant,[2] describes the position of a mahant as a combination of an abbot and a brigadier.[3]
Etymology
The Hindi word mahant comes from Prakrit mahanta-, Sanskrit mahat (accusative case: mahantam) meaning "great".[4]
Hinduism
Other titles for the word Mahant, serving in the context of a well known religious place, include priest or pundit—generally always being a gyani or pastor.[citation needed]
In other branches of Hinduism, the mahant is an ascetic who is the head and leader of the temple and has religious responsibilities as a preacher.[5] Mahant is a title of Bairagis and Goswamis.
Sikhism
In Sikh history, the mahants (Gurmukhi: ਮਹੰਤ; mahata) were the hereditary managers who controlled and held the door keys of Sikh gurdwaras. After the creation of the SGPC and the Nankana massacre involving Mahant Narayan Das, a law was passed handing over gurdwaras to reformer Sikhs.[6]
References
- ^ New Oxford American Dictionary (2nd ed., 2005), p. 1020.
- ^ "The making of a mahant: a journey through the Kumbh Mela festival". Financial Times. 8 March 2013.
- ^ Roughton, Nicole. ""Attending the Kumbh Mela at Nasik: some reflections from a SOAS mahant" by James Mallinson – South Asia Notes". Retrieved 2021-09-16.
- ^ Webster's Third New International Dictionary, p. 1361.
- ^ Raymond Brady Williams (2001). An Introduction to Swaminarayan Hinduism. Cambridge University Press. pp. 239. ISBN 052165422X.
- ^ Mahant Archived 2009-02-23 at the Wayback Machine
External links
- SGPC Glossary, "Mahant."