guru

NIRANJANIE, also called Handalie, was an heretic cult rounded by Handal (1573-1646) of Jandiala in Amritsar district, a former follower of Sultan SakhT Sarwar, who became a Sikh in the time of GuruAmar Das. He served in the Guru ka Larigar. Pleased with his devotion, the Guru appointed him a preacher in his native Jandiala and the surrounding area. People admired him for his simple ways. Handal attracted many followers. But as time passed, he grew very vain and appropriated unto himself the status of Guru and started calling himself Nirarijania, i.e. one who had overcome his illusion.

OFFER OF SIKH STATE RECALLED BY MAHARAJA YADAVINDER SINGH. It was raining heavily and my garden was enveloped in mist. We were having the First real monsoon downpour of the season. The beautiful dahlias, some of them 10 inches or more in diameter, were sadly drooping. The gladioli were not looking too happy, either. This was all too much for them. 

PAKPATAN, a tahsil town in Sahiwal (Montgomery) district of Pakistan, is known for the tomb of the famous Sufi saint Shaikh Farid ud Din Shakarganj (1173-1266). Guru Nanak visited Pakpatan during his travels through that part of the country. At the time of that visit he fell into a discourse with his successor, Farid II, at a place which is now marked by Gurdwara Nanaksar, about six kilometres to the west of the town, commemorating the Guru`s visit. Guru Nanak`s birth anniversary continued to be marked as a religious fair here until the partition of the country in 1947.

PARAMARTHA, a combination of param, i.e. the highest or the supreme, and artha, i.e. meaning or objective or purpose, is, in literature, the title generally applied to a work of exposition of a scriptural text. Unliked which deals with the text in an elaborate and comprehensive way, the paramdrtha, in contradistinction, refers only to the inner or central meaning of the text. In Sikh exegetical literature, the paramdrtha tradition goes back to the Janam Sakhis, the first ever written accounts of Guru Nanak`s life, which also contain elaborations and expositions of some of his compositions.

PAVADARA or Puadhara, village 16 km west of Phillaur (31° 1`N, 75° 47`E) in the Punjab, is sacred to Guru Har Rai who made a halt here while travelling from Kartarpur and Nur Mahal towards the Malva country, across the River Sutlej. The shrine commemorating the visit is named Gurdwara Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib Patshahi VII, It is an old enclosure, with a square domed sanctum in the centre and a cloister along the compound wall. The Gurdwara is managed by the village sangat.

PIARA, BHAI, once visited Guru Arjan in the company of Bhai Lalu, Balu and Haridas, and became a disciple. The name occurs in Bhai Gurdas, Varan, XI. 18.

PRITHA, BHAI, and Bhai Kheda. both Soini Khatris, who figure in Bhai Gurdas` list of the leading Sikhs of Guru Nanak {Varan, XI. 13), first met the Guru at Kartarpur. As they arrived. Guru Nanak, says Bhai Mani Singh, Sikhdn di Bhagat Maid, was speaking with his disciples. Pritha and his companion sat down and listened attentively. At the end, the Guru enquired of them the purpose of their visit.

PURIS (Shiva Puri, Brahama Puri, Vishnu Puri and Indra Puri) Death will ultimately come in Indra Puri (heaven of Indra), Brahma Puri (heaven of Brahma) will not be there for ever;Shiva Puri (heaven of Shiva) will also come to an end..... (Gauri M. 5, p. 237) All the Puris, regions and worlds of Jivas are under the Command of the Lord. The Greatness and Acts of such Command are Indescribable. (Var Sarang M. 4, Shalok M. l, p. 1241) The word Puri is ordinarily used for a town or city. Mythologically it is related to gods.

RAILI, a small village 12 km from Sirhind (30° 37`N. 76° 23`E) in Fatehgarh Sahib district, claims a historical shrine dedicated to the Ninth Guru. Before 1947 Rail! was predominantly a Muslim village, with only a few Kamboj Sikh families. These Sikhs maintained a platform as a memorial to Guru Tegh Bahadur`s visit. The present Gurdwara was built in the early 1950`s. It has a square hall with a low platform in the middle as the sanctum. The Gurdwara is managed by a village committee in which members of the old Kamboj families take a leading role.

RANJIT NAGARA, lit. the drum of victory in battlefield, was the name given the kettledrum installed by Guru Gobind Singh at Anandpur in 1684. Nagdrd, Punjabi for the Persian naqqdrah meaning a kettledrum, was a symbol of royalty. As well as fulfilling his spiritual office, Guru Gobind Singh had, like his grandfather. Guru Hargobind, adopted the emblems of worldly dignity. He wore an aigrette and arms, sat under canopy and went out riding in state. Adding another sign of authority, in 1684, his diwdn, Nand Chand, had a kettledrum installed at his bidding.