They are related to the Gurus, but they are treacherous detractors. They are like thorns that sprout along with the green leaves, flowers, and fruits in a tree. (Caupā Siṅgh Rahitnāmā; trans. McLeod, 1987, 58)

Choṭā Mel (“Lesser Clan”), also known as the Mīṇās (“Scoundrels”), was a schismatic faction of the Sikhs. It survived from the early 17th century to the early 19th century, and then slowly merged with the Sikh mainstream. The vast literature produced by its gurūs and votarie…