CENTRAL MAJHA KHALSA DiWAN, also known as the Shiromani Panth Milauni Jatha, was one of the several regional organizations that came into being on the eve of the Gurdwara reform movement of the 1920\'s. A Khalsa Diwan in the Majha area had in fact been established as early as

FIVE SYMBOLS, a set of five distinctive features or elements of personal appearance or apparel that set off Sikhs from the followers of any other religious faith. Any study of religious symbols involves a dual task: first, to explain the meaning of symbols not only in terms of their

ISHAR SINGH GRANTHI, BHAI (1881-1921), one of the Nankana Sahib martyrs, was born at Bahoru village in Amritsar district in 1881, the son of Bhai Alar Singh and Mai Nihal Kaur. His schooling was interrupted owing to his father`s death. But the desire to learn was so strong in

KHALSA DIWAN, afterwards renamed Central Malva Khalsa Pritinidhi Diwan, Nabha, was formed on 1 January 1906 at a large conclave of the Sikhs held in the princely town. The inspiration came from Tikka Ripudaman Singh (1883-1943), henapparent to the Nabha throne, who was a staunch advocate of the Singh

MAHAN SINGH, BHAl (d. 1705), one of the martyrs of Muktsar, collectively called Chali Mukte, the Forty Liberated Ones. He, in addition to Mata (Mother) Bhago, was the only one among the wounded who had some life still left in him. As the Guru went across to visit the site

NIHAL SINGH AHLUVALIA (d. 1852), son of Fateh Singh Ahluvalia, succeeded to the Ahluvalia chieftaincy on the death, in 1836, of his father. In his youth he was a favourite of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and was the recipient of the towns of Nur Mahal and Kalat Majra and other

RANDHIR SINGH. BHAI (1878-1961). a revolutionary as well as a saintly personage much revered among the Sikhs, was born on 7 July 1878 at the village of Narangval in Ludhiana district of the Punjab, to Nattha Singh and Panjab Kaur. Nattha Singh was at first the district inspector of

SIKH. The word sikh goes back to Sanskrit sisya, meaning a learner or disciple. In Pali, sisya became sissa. The Pali word sekha (also sekkha) means a pupil or one under training in a religious doctrine (sikkha, siksa). The Punjabi form of the word was sikh. The term Sikh

SUNDAR SINGH, RAGI (1892-1937), head musician at Sri Harimandar at Amritsar, was born at Amritsar in 1892, the son of Bahi Amar Singh Arora, himself a musician of considerable standing. Sundar Singh served his apprenticeship with Bhai Atra, a well known rababi (rebeckplayer), who was a disciple of Bhai Moti,

VADDA GHALLUGHARA, lit. major holocaust or carnage, so called to distinguish it from another similar disaster, Chhota (minor) Ghallughara that took place in 1746, is how a one day battle between the Dal Khalsa and Ahmad Shah Durrani fought on 5 February 1762 with a heavy toll of life is

AKAL TAKHT is the primary seat of Sikh religious authority and central altar for Sikh political assembly. Through hukamnamas, edicts or writes, it may issue decretals providing guidance or clarification on any point of Sikh doctrine or practice referred to it, may lay under penance personages charged with violation of

BASAWAN, SHAIKH, a ranked Muslim officer at Maharaja Ranjit Singh`s court, started his career as an assistant to Misr Beli Ram, who had entered the Maharaja`s service in 1809 and who in 1816 had become superintendent of the to shakhana or treasury. Basawan by dint of hard work gradually rose