Among many "obscure" religious movements of the subcontinent, the Nizarpanth is rather is very interesting. These Hinduized Isma'ilis of Rajasthan and Gujarat who yearn for the advent of the saviour of the age, the tenth avatar of Bhagwan VishnuโKalki, whom they call Nikalank.
A Gujarati revenue commissioner, ex-Isma'ili converted to Twelver Shi'ism, Nanjiani came across them in late 19th century. He hypothesized that after the weakening of Isma'ili centre due to Mongol conquests, these converts gradually returned to Hinduism, engendering the panth.
The Nizarpanthis regard the deified Tanwar Rajput warrior-saint Ramdevji, worshipped as a folk deity all over north India and Pakistan, as one of their guru.
Unlike Islam, where movements with overt eschatological and messianic themes have appeared from time to time; Kalki never inspired any such movements nor played any significant role in Hindu religious life, bar a few exceptions, like:
Now the literature of the Khoja Isma'ilis consists of a number of hymns known as Ginans ascribed to Pir Sadruddin, revolving around war-like eschatological themes. Hindu terminologies are borrowed to describe the events that will take place on the day of the Resurrection.
These Ginans had a political angle as well. In a hymn ascribed to Sadruddin, the 'Qazis and Mullahs,' the Sunni religious authority, will be among those who will be punished by the divine army.
Similarily, the agamvanis associated with the Nizarpanthis deal with Nikalank avatar.
Both, the agamvanis and ginans draw significantly from Kalki Purana. They both describe the Avatar's wedding with Vishwa Kumari (the virgin earth, implying the spread of the faith all over the globe after the final battle) and long list of prominent Hindu and Muslim figures who..
..aid the Avatar in his fight against Kalinga (the demon Kali)โPandavas, Harishchandra, Prahlada, Fatima, Aladdin, Isuf (Yusuf/Joseph). But unlike Kalki Purana, Nikalank is not born in Aryavarta, but arrives from the west.
Apart from the Nizarpanthis and Nizari Isma'ilis, there have been two recorded events of similar messianic zeal amongst the Sikhs. First concerning a certain Sadhu and another a leader of Lal Kurtis (possibly referring to the residential area in Rawalpindi).
Loading suggestions...