FAKIR (fah-ker), a generic term, synonymous with Dervish, for a religious mendicant. A Mohammedan word, it has come to be applied also to Hindus, replacing bhikshu and older words. Fakirs are common to all the creeds of India, and in theory mostly belong to a religious order. But as a Muslim order does not usually profess celibacy and the Hindu and other orders do not always enforce it, the orders tend to form castes on the ordinary pattern. Where strict monasticism has been maintained the influ ence of the orders has been on the whole good. But when disci pline has been relaxed, many evils have ensued. Mendicancy has often become a pretext for extortion and occult powers a cloak for impudent swindling, sometimes assisted by murder. While many fakirs practise austerities of the severest kinds, others peregrinate the country with performing animals, selling love philtres, profess to transmute silver coin or other metals into gold, and batten on the credulity of the people. The chief Hindu orders are the Saniasis, Gosains, Jogis (who in theory profess yoga), bairagis, the Sikh Udasis, Nirmalas, Akalis, the Mohammedan Chishtis, Qa diris, Suharwardis, Naqshbandis, who owe much to Sufism (q.v.) ; and a host of minor fraternities. Several orders have militant branches.