VIRO, BIBI (b. 1615), daughter of Guru Hargobind (1595-1644) and Mata Damodari, was born at Amritsar on 11 July 1615. She was married to Bhai Sadhu, son of Bhai Dharma, a Khosia Khatri of the village of Malla.The nuptials were performed on 24 May 1629 at Jhabal, 15 km

AKAL, BHAI, a carpenter resident of Vadda Ghar in present day Fandkot district of the Punjab and, according to Gurbilas Chhevin Patshahi, maternal grandfather of the celebrated Bhai Rup Chand, became a devotee of Guru Ram Das. He also served Guru Arjan and Guru Hargobind. He was a man

BHANA, BHAI (1536-1644), the youngest son of Baba Buddha, was born in the village of Katthu Nangal, in Amritsar district of the Punjab. Baba Buddha, blessed by Guru Nanak himself, was the most revered Sikh of his day. In his lifetime, he had had the privilege of anointing with

HEMA, BHAI, a devout Sikh of Khanpur, a village now known as Khan Chhapn, 8 km west of Goindval (30°22`N, 75"9`E) in Amritsar district of the Punjab, who would extend the hospitality of his humble thatched hut, chhapn`m Punjabi, to any Sikh or holy man. Once, during the winter

MAHER JOHN, was a Eurasian musician who served as a drum-major in Maharaja Ranjit Singh\'s army.

ALEXANDER ALIAS MUHAMMAD SADIQ, a European of unknown nationality, who drifted to Lahore in 1841 from Kabul, where he had served in Shah Shuja\'s army, and had adopted the Muslim faith. He joined the Khalsa army as a battalion commander serving under John Holmes.

BHANA, BHAI (1536-1644), the youngest son of Baba Buddha, was born in the village of Katthu Nangal, in Amritsar district of the Punjab. Baba Buddha, blessed by Guru Nanak himself, was the most revered Sikh of his day. In his lifetime, he had had the privilege of anointing with

HEST, a Greek national, who, before joing the Sikh army in 1843, was the commandant of Hyderabad artillery. According to Carmichael Smyth, he was killed at Lahore.

NABI KHAN and his brother Ghani Khan, Pathans of Machhivara, who after the battle of Chamkaur (1705) escorted Guru Gobind Singh to the safety of the Malva region disguised as a Muslim pir. See GHANI KHAN

ALVARINE, an Italian (Irishman, according to C. Grey`s European Adventurers of Northern India), who joined service under the Sikh Darbar in 1841. He died at Lahore soon afterwards.

BIDHI CHAND, BHAI (d. 1640). warrior as well as religious preacher of the time of Guru Hargobind, was a Chhina Jatt of the village of Sursingh, 34 km south of Amritsar (31° 37`N, 74° 52`E). His father`s name was Vassan and his grandfather`s Bhikkhi. His mother was from Sirhali,

HOMMUS, a Spaniard, who joined the Khalsa Darbar`s service in 1842. He was employed in the gunpowder factory. Shortly afterwards lie fell ill and died at Lahore.