The Ideology of Patronage and the Question of Identity in the Early Dādūpanth

This article focuses on the Dādūpanth, a religious community centered teachings of Dādū Dayāl (1544–1603), Sant poet Rajasthan. The aim text is to analyze how various forms patronage affected formation ideology and identity this community. examines especially Dādūpanthī by focusing Janma Līlā (c. 1620), which contains an account supposed meeting between emperor Akbar, during rejects all offers patronage. His position needs elucidation as it stands in contrast with later tendency post-17th century Dādūpanth accept royal merchant After analyzing hagiography establishes Dādū’s authority having considered what types manuscripts was distributed itinerant preachers, suggested that work driven strong proselytic agenda employs ‘pedagogical strategy’—represented topos rejected support—to establish relationships patrons. concludes observation increase from 17th 19th led changes entailed shift toward Vaishnava identity.