After Kabir's passing, two of his principal disciples — Dharamdas and Surat Gopal — established maths (monastic centres/gaddis) to propagate his teachings. By the 17th century, this had crystallised into a well-organised institutional tradition.

Centred at Kabir Chaura in Varanasi, with a branch presence at Maghar, this tradition is traditionally attributed to Surat Gopal, said to have been installed as its first missionary around 1559 CE. This branch conducted missionary work across Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Associated with Dhani Dharamdas, this branch is concentrated mainly in Chhattisgarh. Tradition holds that Kabir blessed Dharamdas with 'forty-two lineages' (bayalis vansh). The branch later split into two principal seats — Kharsia and Damakheda (Kabir Dharm Nagar Damakheda, in Baloda Bazar–Bhatapara district) — with Damakheda now the largest Dharamdasi centre.

Some accounts also mention other regional branches, including a Bhagatahi branch centred on the Dhanauti math in Bihar — these are comparatively less well documented.

The core scriptures of the Kabir Panth are the Bijak and the Anurag Sagar. The Bijak is divided into three sections — Ramaini, Shabda and Sakhi — urging the reader to shed delusion and pretension in favour of a direct experience of truth. Texts such as Kabir Parachai, Sakhi Granth and Kabir Granthavali (the Rajasthani tradition) are also followed across various branches.

Local Kabir Panthi communities are led by a mahant, identifiable by a conical cap, a tulsi-bead necklace (kanthi), and a rosary. Celibacy is not mandatory for mahants — some are married. Higher spiritual leaders carry titles such as Acharya or Guru (e.g. 'Vanshguru' at Damakheda).