AMIR ULIMLA, also known as MUNTAKHAB ULHAQA`IQ, a collection of miscellaneous letters, in Persian script, mostly of Sikh chiefs of the Punjab addressed to one another on subjects relating to private and public affairs. Compiled by Amir Chand in A.H. 1209 (ADi 794-95), the manuscript comprises 127 folios and 247

BAHR ULMAWWAJ (lit. stormy or tempestuous sea), also known as Akhbar us Salatin, is a comprehensive work on Muslim history divided into nine parts and 49 sections fancifully called bahr (sea) and waves (mauJ) respectively, and hence the title. Its last part divided into six sections deals with Indian Timurides

BANNO, BHAI (1558-1645), a prominent Sikh contemporary of Guru Arjan and Guru Hargobind, was the son of Bhai Bishan Dev of village Mangat, also called KharaMangat, Khara being its older name, in Phalia tahsil of Gujrat district (now in Pakistan). He was born on Saturday, Baisakh sudi 13,1615 Bk/

BIR, a term used for a recension or copy of the Guru Granth Sahib, is derived from Skt. verb vid meaning "to make strong or firm, strengthen, fasten, or to be strong, firm or hard." The Punjabi verb birana which means "to fix, bind or fasten (something) firmly, or to

NAND CHAND, of the village of Darauli Bhai, who had been a playmate of Guru Gobind Singh, served as a masand or officiant and later as the Guru`s diwdn, looking after his accounts and stores. His grandfather, Umar Shah, was a masand during the time of Guru Arjan. Nand

POTHI SACH KHAND, by Sodhi Miharban (also written as Miharvan), is the first of the six pothis or volumes which are said to have comprised the first detailed janam sdkhi or biography of Guru Nanak. Sodhi Miharban (1581-1640) was the son of BabaPrithi Chand and grandson of Guru Ram

RATAN DAM by Tahkan, a translation and adaptation into Braj of Acharya Amar Singh`s Amar Kosh, the famous Sanskrit lexicon. Tahkan was one of the several poets who kept Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708) company. In preparing Ratan Dam, the poet consulted works other than Amar Kosh as well. The manuscript