Discover Guru Arjan's teachings on the heart-soothing power of Shabda and the value of wise company, as shared by devoted Sikh Mukanda Bhai.
Explore Ram Singh's impact in aiding the 1848 anti-British rebellion, including hosting rebels at his dharamsala in Zahura and introducing them to key allies.
Discover the legacy of Ram Singh, expert in Arabic & Persian, rising to Brigadier General in Maharaja Ranjit Singh's army by 1837.
Explore the legacy of Ram Singh, ancestor of Patiala royalty & disciple of Guru Gobind Singh, founder of Rampura & a key figure in Sikh history.
ALAM CHAND HANDA, a Sikh of Guru Arjan\'s time. As says Bhai Mani Singh, Sikhan di Bhagat Mala, Alam Chand, along with Bhai Murari Anand, Bhai Kaliana, Bhai Nanori, Bhai Latkan of Bindrao clan, and Bhai Saisaru Talvar, once came to the Guru and spoke with folded hands, "0 support of the support less, show us the way to liberation." The Guru said, "Practise the sabda, or the sacred word, and serve others." Alam Chand said, "Lord, our minds are humble as long as we are listening to the sacred hymns, but they go wayward the moment we leave the sangat.
AVTAR SINGH AZAD Avtar Singh \'Azad\', (1906 - 1972) the minor Punjabi poet, is not deserving of notice. Before independence, he had published four collections of poems, Swant Bundan (Drops of Bliss), Savan Pinghan (The Swings of Savan), Vishva Vedna (Plight of the World) and Kansoan (Intimations), and published a translation of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam under the title of Khayyam Khumari (Inebriations of Khayyam). His style is rhetorical in the way of most Urdu poetry.
BHAGIRATH, BHAI, whose name occurs in the roster of leading Sikhs in Bhai Gurdas, Varan, XI. 18, was a Soini Khatri. He entered the Sikh faith in the time of Guru Arjan. From the Guru himself he received enlightenment and learnt to distinguish a true gurmukh (one with face turned towards the Guru) from a manmukh (an egoridden one). See BHULLA, BHAI
BHIKHA(pronounced as Bhikkha), BHATT. a Brahman bard of Sultanpur Lodhi in present day Kapurthala district of the Punjab, became a Sikh receiving the rites of initiation at the hands of Guru Amar Das. He lived up to the time of Guru Arjan to whom he introduced sixteen other Brahman minstrels from his community. They sang in his presence praises to God and the Gurus. Some of their compositions were included by Guru Arjan in the Guru Granth Sahib. One of the two stanzas by Bhikha recounts his wanderings in search of a true saint ending with his ultimate success by the grace of God. "Lord," sang the bard, "hath caused me to meet the Guru; as thou wiliest for me so must I receive 0 God !"
BUDDHU, BHAI, a kiln owner of Lahore, whose name occurs in Bhai Gurdas, Varan, XI.25, among the prominent Sikhs of the time of Guru Arjan, once waited upon the Guru and begged to be instructed. The Guru said, "Commence any task you may be launching on after an ardas or prayer in sangat seeking God`s blessing, and distribution of karahprasad. Lay aside one tenth of what you earn for the general weal." Bhai Buddhu took the Guru`s precept and became a Sikh. Once, as the tradition goes, Bhai Buddhu undertook a large brick baking project, involving considerable investment.
CHHAJJU, BHAI, a devoted Sikh of the time of Guru Hargobind (1595-1644) who was also a brave warrior....
DHARAM SINGH, SARDAR BAHADUR (1881-1933), Sikh philanthropist, was born at the village of Kopra, in Sialkot district, now in Pakistan, on 18 January 1881. His father, Bhai Nattha Ram, was a sahajdhari Sikh who became Nattha Singh after receiving the rites of amrit. Dharam Singh learned Gurmukhi characters at the village dharamsala from Bava Narayan Singh. He had a religious bent of mind, and could read fluently the Guru Granth Sahib before he was 8 years of age. For his primary education, he joined the Mission School, Wazirabad, later passing his matriculation from Khalsa High School, Gujrariwala. In 1901, he qualified to be a sub overseer from Thompson Engineering College, Roorkee, and got a job in Burma.
DUNI CHAND, grandson of the well known Bhai Salho (d. 1628), a Dhalival Jatt of Majitha in Amritsar district in the Punjab, was a masand of the Guru`s nominee in the Majha area. A hefty man of immense bulk, Duni Chand led out a band of 500 warriors to Anandpur in 1700 when the Rajput hill chiefs had laid siege to the town. One day it was reported to Guru Gobind Singh that the besiegers were planning to use a drugged elephant the following morning to force open the gate of the Lohgarh Fort. To quote Kuir Singh, Gur Bilas Patshahi X, the Guru said, "I too have an intoxicated elephant, Duni Chand.
