Mark Juregensmeyer wrote in ‘Religious Rebels in the Punjab’ that from the standpoint of wealth and privilege, the Radha Soami dera is not an egalitarian place at all. Balley notes that Radha Soami colony is a rest house for the rich, with Scheduled castes to do the work. These canteens are still maintained by the dera and Dalits still form the majority of its followership. Later, canteens were established so that those who don’t want to “get polluted” by eating with lower castes can buy from canteens and eat separately. In the earlier years of Radha Soami dera (one of the biggest dera in Punjab with most of its followers from the lower castes) a separate dining hall was maintained for the lower castes. Radha Soami Dera was founded by Radha Soami of Agra (1818-1878) and on similar lines, it was started in Punjab at Beas, the dera at present has the branch in almost all the districts of India.
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