("devoid of
filth") One of the two Hindu ascetic sects that may trace its roots back
to the Sikh community is the Udasis.
According to one tradition, Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh
guru, founded the Nirmala sect.
Overall, the Sikh tradition has advocated an active
existence in the world rather than austerity.
The Nirmalas maintain a major ascetic center in Haridwar,
India's holy city, where they also manage a primary school.
The Nirmalas are recognized as a society for learning and
study rather than asceticism or yoga.
The Nirmalas are the last to bathe during the Kumbha Melas,
following the Sanyasis, Bairagis, and Udasis.
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