Guru Gobind Singh gave his Khalsa a unique greeting and slogan”Vahiguru jee ka Khalsa Vahiguru jee kee fateh!”
Sri Guru Gobind Singh wrote the Fateh in Dasam Bani as ੴ ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਫਤਹ ॥
This greeting has been enshrined in Khalsa tradition and rehitnamas as well, for example:
ਆਗੇ ਆਵਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਜੁ ਪਵੈ ॥
ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਕੀ ਫਤੇ ਬੁਲਾਵੈ ॥
and
ਸਚ ਫਤੇ ਬੁਲਾਈ ਗੁਰੂ ਕੀ ਜੀਤਿਓ ਰਣ ਭਾਰਾ ।
Historical texts and many other sources all confirm that the Khalsa addressed each other with the Guru’s Fateh.
Sadly however, the Namdhari Samparda have abandoned Fateh and simply say “Sat Sri Akal”. This is despite the fact that Baba Ram Singh in his own rehitnamas and letters says, “ਸੰਬੂਹ ਖਾਲਸੇ ਜੀ ਕੋ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕਾ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਫਤੇ ਬੁਲਾਈ ਪ੍ਰਮਾਨ ਕਰਨੀ ਜੀ”
The only time a Namdhari can be heard saying the Fateh is either when reciting Ardas or when reading Baba Ram Singh’s letters and rehitnamas.
A justification provided for this decision to drop the Fateh is that it is to keep the “chau-akhari” or “bhajan” gupt. While this is a legitimate objective, it is clear that the Guru himself authorized and promoted the Fateh and so who are we to change it. Abandoning of the Fateh is a step away from the traditional Khalsa rehit.