Qalandars
Topic: Bhakti and Sufi Traditions · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 2 "Bhakti-Sufi Traditions"
Meaning
Qalandars were radical sufis who looked down on the settled life of the khanqah. They wandered as beggars (mendicants), stayed unmarried and lived very harsh, ascetic lives. They openly broke the shari'a, the Islamic law. For this reason they were called be-shari'a, meaning "outside the law". Other groups like them were the Madaris, Malangs and Haidaris.
Example
Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (14th century, Sind) is the best-known saint linked with this tradition. His shrine at Sehwan still draws large crowds.
Don't confuse with
- Ba-shari'a sufis: sufis, such as the Chishtis, who followed the shari'a and lived in organised khanqahs.