BATTICE, an Italian, who joined the Sikh service in 1843. He was employed in the ordnance factory at Lahore for manufacturing gunpowder and saltpetre. In 1844, the army Panchayats removed him from the service, along with some other European officers. He died at Lahore soon afterwards.

HARIDAS, BHAI, a Soini Khatri, was the superintendent of the State jail in Gwalior Fort during the reign of Emperor Jahangir (1605-27). When Guru Hargobind was detained in Gwalior Fort under the orders of the Emperor, Haridas treated him with great veneration and devotion.

MAHA DEVI, MATA (d. 1645), also called Mata Marvahi after her ancestral caste-name, was the daughter of Bhai Dvara (also known as Daya Ram) and Mata Bhagan of the village of Mandiala on the right bank of the Ravi, 20 km southwest of Lahore. She was married to Guru

Singh, Harbhajan, born on 18th August 1920 and died on 20th November 2002, was an eminent Punjabi poet, critic, scholar and translator. An M.A. (English and Hindi), Gyani and a Ph.D. (on A critical Study of Medieval Hindi Poetry Preserved in Gurmukhi Scripts), he has been at different stages

AHANKAR (hankar as it is commonly pronounced in Punjabi) is a compound of Sanskrit aham (I) and kar (\'maker\') and means I-maker, i.e. what individuates the person as I. It stands for egotism, egoism, self conceit, self centredness, vanity or simply pride. Other synonyms used in the sacred texts of

BHAGBHARI, MAI (d. 1614), of a Brahman family of Srinagar, was converted to the Sikh faith by Bhai Madho Sodhi, sent by Guru Arjan to preach in Kashmir. As she grew old, she wished to have a glimpse of the Guru before she died. Guru Hargobind then occupied the

HARVEY, an English physician who was employed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1838, as a medical officer in the army. In the latter half of 1839, he fell sick and left the Punjab.

MAHADEV, BABA (1560-1605), the second son of Guru Ram Das (1534-81) and Mata Bhani, was born on 1 June 1560 at Goindval, in present-day Amritsar district of the Punjab. As he grew up, he displayed little interest in worldly affairs and remained occupied in meditation. According to Bhai Gurdas,

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