It was required of each and every member of the sect to take a secret oath of allegiance, called a Misaq, to the head of the community.
This oath did not just cover religious matters but also seeped into many other aspects of life. Breaking this oath meant rather serious repercussions for the transgressors.
In India, the community had its origins in Gujarat. It is probably because of this reason that there are lots of customs that are quite similar to that of the Hindus.
