VALLA, village 7 km east of Amritsar (31°38`N, 74°53`E) along the Amritsar Sri Hargobindpur road, is sacred to Guru Tegh Bahadur, who visited here in November 1664. According to Bhai Santokh Singh, Sri Gur Pratap Sura/` Granth, the Guru had come on a visit to the Harimandar, Amritsar, but

BAKHT MALL and Tara Chand, masands or accredited Sikh preachers in Kabul, once ledr the sangat of their area to the Punjab to wait on Guru Hargobind (1595-1644). Among the offerings they brought were two pedigree horses of excelling beauty, named Gulbagh and Dilbagh. As they were passing through Lahore,

DAMDAMA SAHIB GURUDWARA, ANANDPUR It is known as Gurdwara Takht Sahib as well. Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib used to perform the functions of Akal Takht Sahib from this place. It was Diwane-i-Khas. It was also the court of Guru Sahib. Here, Guru Sahib used to receive representatives of different States

KHALSA, from Arabic khalis (lit. pure, unsullied) and Perso Arabic khalisah (lit. pure; office of revenue department; lands directly under government management), is used collectively for the community of baptized Sikhs. The term khalisah was used during the Muslim rule in India for crown lands administered directly by the

MANJI, derived from the Sanskrit mancha and manchaka meaning a stage, platform, raised seat, dais, throne, beadstead, or a couch, has a special connotation in Sikh tradition. Ordinarily, a manji, in Punjabi, means a cot, especially of the simple, stringed variety. Social manner in India requires that when more than

MASANDS were, in early Sikhism, local community leaders who looked after the ^an^a^in their diocese and linked them to their spiritual mentor, the Guru. They led Sikhs, preached the word of the Guru and transmitted to him their offerings, escorting occasionally batches of them to his presence. The first such

MELI, lit. attached or companion, appears in the Sikh Scripture in different connotations usually as a verb form, past indefinite of melana (to attach, join, bring together), in the feminine form (GG, 54, 63, 90, 243, 379, 389, 584 et al.); as an adjective meaning loving, attached (GG, 4243); and

PANJAB KAUR (d. 1741) was the wife of Baba Ram Rai, who after being disowned by his father. Guru Har Rai, for his heresy had settled in Dehra Dun. Ram Rai died on 4 September 1687. Panjab Kaur believed that her husband had not died a natural death and