Sangat (Sikhism)

Guru Nanak had organized his followers into sangats, with a meeting between two Sikhs coming to be termed sadh sangat. A gathering of five Sikhs came to be known as panj parmeshar.^[4]

There were Manji dioceses composed of sangats Sikhs in a particular area.^[5] Guru Ram Das, the fourth guru, established the masand system to oversee sangats.^[6] The sangats contributed their dasvandh tithe to their local religious overseer, who would submit them to the Sikh guru to form a common-fund.^[5] Over time, the masands became corrupt and therefore Guru Gobind Singh abolished them and established direct contact with the sangats himself, not relying on any intermediaries.^[5] After the abolishment of the masands, the sangats brought their donations to the guru themselves when they visited him during festivals.^[5]