For the first time a serious attempt has been made to understandthe social
background of the Namdhari Sikhs of Punjab; theirdemographic and occupational
changes and beliefs and practices. Thestudy shows that the Namdhari Sikhs
primarily came from theagricultural and artisan classes ever since the inception
of theKuka Movement in the late nineteenth century. Since then the peopleof
other occupational castes have also responded to the Namdharimission. The study
has identified eighteen occupational castes ofthe Namdhari Sikhs. Among these,
the Jat and Ramgharia Sikhs are inmajority. The study analyses the variations in
the proportionaterepresentation of each occupational caste and its status in
theadministrative hierarchy of this community during a