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AMAR SIDDHU, village 13 km southeast of Lahore along the LahoreKasur road, is sacred to Guru Hargobind (1595-1644),...
ANAND KARAJ, lit. joyful ceremonial occasion or proceedings is the name given the Sikh marriage ceremony. For Sikhs married state is the norm and the ideal; through it, according to their belief, come the best opportunities for serving God\'s purpose and the well being of humanity, and it affords the best means of fulfilment of individuality and attainment of bliss. Sikhism repudiates monkery, vows of celibacy, renunciation or the sannyas in state. Unlike in the West, most marriages among Sikhs, as also in India as a whole, are arranged.
ASA KI VAR, as recorded in the index to the Guru Granth Sahib, but commonly designated Asa di Var, lit. an ode (var) in the musical measure Asa, is a composition by Guru Nanak sung by musicians at Sikh congregations as part of the early morning service. Asa is the raga of predawn hours and the custom of reciting the hymn at morning time is traced to the days of Guru Nanak himself. It is said that Bhai Lahina (later, Guru Arigad) was the first to sing it in the presence of Guru Nanak.
AMRIT VELA: Amrit Vela means hour before the dawn of the day. In Sikhism, there is no concept of auspicious hour or moment . A Sikh, however, is supposed to get up before the dawn of the day and have shower before his daily worship and prayer. It does not mean that meditation at other times is less auspicious.
\'Anand\', which the Sikhs reverently call Anand Saheb is among the most popular compositions of Guru Amardas, the third of the ten Sikh gurus. This important composition constitutes on significant part of the daily liturgical recitations prescribed for the Sikhs. The compositions of Guru Amardas in general, and Anand in particular, expresses deep spiritual experiences couched in simple, unembellished diction. The guru is a master at blending profound philosophical tenor with enchanting lyricism in metaphors which are homely, and images that are drawn from everyday life.
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BAHADURGARH, Fort, 9 km northeast of Patiala (30° 20\'N, 76° 26\'E), marks the site of the old Saifabad Fort, the residence of Nawab Saif ud-Din Mahmud or Saif Khan. The Fort was acquired by Raja Amar Singh (1748-82) of Patiala in 1774 and was reconstructed by Maharaja Karam Singh (1798-1845) in 1837. The latter renamed it Bahadurgarh after Guru Tegh Bahadur who had visited the place more than once. Maharaja Karam Singh also raised two gurdwaras, one outside the Fort and the other inside it, both honouring the memory of Guru Tegh Bahadur.
BALA, BHAI, whose name occurs in Bhai Gurdas, Varan, XI. 19, embraced the Sikh faith in the time of Guru Arjan, As reports Bhai Mani Singh, Sikhan diBhagat Mala, he and his companions Mula, Suja, Chandu, Ram Das Bhandari and SairiDas received instruction at the hands of Guru Arjan.
BANI PRAKASH or 5n Guru Banf Prakash is a dictionary of the Guru Granth Sahib compiled by Sodhi Teja Singh. According to the author, he started working on it in December 1928, and got it printed in 1932 at the Phulwari Press, Lahore. The original version of the dictionary, according to the author, was based on the Faridkot Tika of Guru Granth Sahib, but subsequently he incorporated into it a considerable amount of more material from further study of exegetical and lexical works in the field of Sikh learning.
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BATALA (31° 49`N, 75° 12`E), an old town in Gurdaspur district of the Punjab, is sacred to Guru Nanak, who was married here, according to local tradition, on Bhadon sudf7, 1544 Bk/24 September 1487, to Sulakkhani, daughter of Mul Chand, of the village of Pakkhoke, on the River Ravi, but resident at Batala as caretaker of the lands and property owned by an affluent landlord, Ajitta Randhava. Two historical shrines in Batala commemorate the event. A third one is dedicated to Guru Hargobind`s eldest son, Baba Gurditta, who was also married at Batala. GURDWARA DEHRA SAHIB, also known as Viah Asthan Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, marks the house where Bhai Mul Chand lived and where the nuptials were performed.
BHAGATA, BHAI, an Ohri Khatri, figures in Bhai Gurdas`s roster of the principal disciples of Guru Nanak, Varan, XI. 14. To quote Bhai Mani Singh, Sikhan di Bhagat Mala, Bhai Bhagata, accompanied by Bhai Japu Vansi, presented himself before the Guru and said, "Holy Sir, we are illiterate and can neither read nor write. How shall we be saved!" "By shunning the ways of the manmukh," said Guru Nanak. "Pray, unfold to us the ways of a manmukh." The Guru replied, "Recognize a manmukh by his four traits, viz. envy, pride, backbiting and aversion to good counsel. These you must avoid, and you must share with your brethren food earned by the labour of your hands." Bhai Bhagata and Bhai Japu, continues the Bhagat Mala, practised the precept and attained liberation.
