Since it was established in the 19th century, the Radhasoami religious tradition has spread from India around the world, creating a global religious movement. It has more than 1 million adherents worldwide, especially in North India, but it also has significant numbers of followers in the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, and elsewhere. It is based on a lineage of spiritual masters (gurus) that has branched off from the founding movement in Agra, North India. The main centers are at Dayalbagh, near Agra; Beas, in the Indian state of the Punjab; and Kirpal Ashram in New Delhi.

The movement was founded in 1861 by Swami Shiv Dayal Singh, who taught a new form of spiritual practice, Surat Sabd Yoga (“the discipline of the sound current”). ...