AI PANTH, one of the twelve sects of yogis, whose adherents worship Ai Bhavani, a tribal female deity, believed to be an extension of Sakti. Siva in the form of ardhanarisvara is said to have two forms represented by his own halves. His right side is the male whose followers

AJAIB, BHAI, a Sangha Jatt who embraced the Sikh faith in the time of Guru Arjan. He belonged to the village of Darauli Bhai, in presentday Faridkot district. Two of his brothers, Umar Shah and Ajab, were the Guru`s masands or vicars. Bhai Ajaib took part in seva, voluntary

ASCETICISM, derived from the Greek word askesis, connotes the `training` or `exercise` of the body and the mind. Asceticism or ascetic practices belong to the domain of religious culture, and fasts, pilgrimages, ablutions, purificatory rituals, vigils, abstinence from certain foods and drinks, primitive and strange dress, nudity, uncut hair, tonsure.

ABDHUT/AUDHUT/AVADHUT A kind of Hindu devotee who worships Shiva. neglects the ceremonies of religion, and goes naked, with the body besmeared with ashes. Guru Nanak defines the Abdhut as a person who renounces vice and is imbued with the Holy Name. Such a person not only liberates himself front

DANI, BIBI, was the elder daughter of Guru Amar Das (1479-1574). Not much is known about her life except that she was married to Bhai Rama and that the couple came to live at Goindval founded by Guru Amar Das.

DHINGA, BHAI, a barber by profession, became a follower of Guru Nanak. He once came to Guru Arigad, Nanak II (1502-52), and sought instruction. The latter advised him to emulate Sain, famous saint who too was a barber by profession and who had gained spiritual enlightenment by his loving

DIPA, BHAI, a prominent Sikh of the time of Guru Ram Das mentioned by Bhai Gurdas in his Varan, XI. 17. See DHARAM DAS, BHAI

MACAULIFFE, MAX ARTHUR (1841-1913), English translator of the Sikh Scriptures and historian of Sikhism, was born on 10 September 1841 at Newcastle West, County Limerick, Ireland. He was educated at Newcastle School, Limerick, and at Springfield College and Queen\'s College, Galway. He received a broad humanistic education that allowed him

MUL CHAND, BHAI father in law of Guru Nanak, was a Chona Khatri, resident of Batala, who looked after the lands of the Randhava Jatts of the village of Pakkhokc in present day Gurdaspur district of the Punjab. He had a daughter of marriageable age named Sulakkhani whom he betrothed

NAYYA, BHAI, a Khullar Khatri, was a prominent Sikh of the time of Guru Ram Das. Bhai Gurdas describes him, in his Varan, XI. 17, as "Nayya Khullar, beloved of the Guru himself."

PAKHAR, BHAI, a carpenter of Bushehar, who, along with his sonJhanda, as says the Bdldjanam Sdkhl, received instruction at the hands of Guru Nanak at the time of his visit to their town, and became a devotee.

SRI GURU UPKAR PRACHARNI SABHA, i.e. an association for the propagation of the Guru`s deeds of compassion and charity was formed by a group of Sikh youth at Amritsar during the opening years of the twentieth century, with Bhai (also known as Pandit, being a learned scholar of religion) Ganda