The Damdamī Ṭaksāl, Jatha Bhindra(n), or Sampardai Bhindra(n) is an orthodox Khalsa Sikh cultural and educational organization, based in India. They are known for their teachings of vidya as well as gurbani santhiya. Its headquarters are located in the town of Mehta Chowk, approximately 40 km north of the city of Amritsar. It has been described as a seminary or “moving university” of the Sikh countryside.
The Damdami Taksal borrows many foundational aspects from the Giani Samparda (headed by the Giani family), the Girivari Samparda, the Damdami Samparda, the Namdhari Samparda and the Dera Naurangabad.
History
In 1706, after the Battle of Muktsar, the Khalsa Army of Guru Gobind Singh camped at Sabo Ki Talwandi. This acted as a damdamā, or halting place (lit. "breathing place"), and is now the site of Takht Sri Damdamā Sahib. That year, Guru Gobind Singh is said to have founded a distinguished school of exegesis, later headed up by Baba Deep Singh. Damdamā Sahib was considered to be the highest seat of learning for the Sikhs during the 18th century, and Damdami Taksal claims direct historical ties to Guru Gobind Singh, The word ṭaksāl (lit. 'mint') refers to an education institute; which is a community of students who associate themselves with a particular sant (lit. spiritual leader or saint).
The main center of the present-day Damdami Taksal (Jatha Bhindran-Mehta) is located at Gurdwārā Gurdarshan Parkāsh in Mehta, Amritsar. He devoted his entire life to teaching the enunciation and intonation in reciting the Sikh scriptures. He trained a large number of gianīs, traditional Sikh scholars, through his mobile seminary. When he died in 1969 he was succeeded by two contenders, Giani Mohan Singh (1919–2020), leading the original Bhindrāṅ Kalāṅ branch in Ludhiana and Kartar Singh Khalsa (1932–1977), leading the Mehtā branch in Amritsar district. and remains an influential figure. The influence of Bhindran Taksal is attested by the fact that its alumni include the mukkh granthī (chief narrator) at the Golden Temple, jathedārs of various Sikh takhts, and granthīs (narrators) of major gurdwaras. The dispute