SHIHAN

SHIHAN, Dhir Mall`s masand, desperately supported his patron who had set himself up at Bakala as one of the several claimants to the guruship following the death of Guru Har Krishan in March 1664. He enticed the Sikhs to his patron`s presence telling them that he was the late Guru`s successor and he, as a mark of it, had in his possession the original copy of the Holy Granth. After Guru Tegh Bahadur had been anointed Guru, Shihan counselled Dhir Mall to occupy the gaddi by force. Dhir Mall agreed to the proposal and allowed Shihan to make an armed attack on Guru Tegh Bahadur and ransack his house.

Shihan even fired at the Guru, who however escaped unhurt. Makkhan Shah, a wealthy trader and a staunch follower of Guru Tegh Bahadur who happened to be in town with his armed attendants, retaliated and plundered Dhir Mall`s residence. But when the Guru learnt what Makkhan Shah had done, he bade him restore the property to its owner. He even had the sacred volume returned to Dhir Mall. Shihan was not deterred from his malicious ways. According to Guru kian Sakhian, he was still with Dhir Mall when the latter, in 1676, was summoned by royal warrant to Delhi to be confined to the Fort of Ranthambore.

References :

1. Bhalla, Sarup Das, Mahmia Prakash, vol.11. Patiala, 1971
2. Santokh Singh, Bhai, Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth. Amritsar, 1927-35
3. Padam, Piara Singh and Giani Garja Singh, eds., Guru kian Sakhian. Patiala, 1986
4. Trilochan singh, Guru Tegh Bahadur : Prophet and Martyr., Delhi, 1967
5. Harbans Singh, Guru Tegh Bahadur. Delhi, 1982