GAJJA SINGH, MAHANT (c. 1850-1914), maestro of Sikh classical devotional music, was born in a Jatt Sikh family of Vandar, a village in Faridkot district of the Punjab. He had a sensitive ear for music from his early childhood. His father, a pious Sikh himself, apprenticed him for religious

GOLAK or GURU KI GOLAK (the Guru`s own till). Golak (Sanskrit golak; Persian gholak) means, in Punjabi, a till, cash box or any other container used for keeping money especially one used for receiving contributions for charitable purposes. It is a time honoured Indian custom to carry an offering

GURBAKHSH, an Udasi saint contemporary with Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708), who was at the time of the evacuation of Anandpur directed by the Guru to stay behind to look after the local sangat and the sacred shrines. Years later, when Gulab Rai, a great grandson of Guru Hargobind (1595-1644),

GURMUKH SINGH, SANT (1849-1947), with titles such as Patialevale, Karsevavale or simply Sevavale commonly added to the name as a suffix, was born in an Arora family in 1849 at the village of Dialgarh Buna, in the princely state of Patiala. His parents, Karam Singh and Gurdet, were a

HIRA SINGH, MAHARAJA SIR (1843-1911), born on 19 December 1843, the son of Sukkha Singh of Badrukkhari, ascended the throne of Nabha state on 10 August 1877 after Raja Bhagvan Singh who had died issueless and without adopting an heir. Hira Singh ruled for forty years and did much

ISHAR SINGH, BHAI, one of the Five Muktas, fell a martyr in the battle of Chamkaur (7 December 1705). See DEVA SINGH, BHAi ISHAR SINGH, BHAI (1888-1921), one of the Nankana Sahib martyrs, was born at Rupovali in Gurdaspur district on 13 Savan 1945 BK/27July 1888, the elder son

JAPU, BHAI, a Khatri of Vansi subcaste, was a devoted Sikh of Guru Nanak. See Bhai Gurdas, Varan, XI. 19 BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Mani Singh, Bhai, Sikhdn di Bhagat Maid. Ainritsar, 1955 2. Santokli Singh, Bhai, Sri Cur Pratdp Suraj Granth. Amritsar, 1927-33 Gn.S. JAPU, BHAI, a devoted Sikh of

JIVANMUKTA, in Sikhism the ideal and aim or objective of man`s spiritual life. The term is derived from jivanmukti {j`tvan=`ife; mukli=recasc, liberation, emancipation, freedom from bondage), and means one who has attained liberation from human bondage or one who has attained to the highest spiritual slate of being in tune

KALGIDHAR DlWAN MALAYA, a socioreligious body of the Sikhs in Malaya (Malaysia), and an offshoot of Khalsa Diwan Malaya, was first formed in January 1918 as Khalsa Diwan, Sclangor (3"20`N, 101°15`E), by those elements of the Khalsa Diwan Malaya who were dissatisfied with the parent body`s affiliation witli the Chief

KATTU SHAH, a Muslim resident of Kashmir who converted a Sikh, was known for his piety and devotion. Journeying through Kashmir once, Guru Hargobind (1595-1644) put up with him in his house for a night. Later, as says Sarup Das Bhalla, Mahimd Prakdsh, a group of Sikhs, on their

KHALSA NAMAH, by Bakht Mall, a Persian manuscript prepared during 1810-14, is a history of the Sikhs from the time of Guru Nanak (1469-1539) to the beginning of the nineteenth century. Copies of the script, unpublished so far, are preserved in British Library; Royal Asiatic Society, London; Panjab University, Lahore;

KOT SHAMIR or Kol Shamhir, village 12 km southeast of Bathinda (30"14`N, `74°59`E) is sacred to Guru Gobind Singh, who visited here during his sojourn at Talvandi Sabo, in 1706. According to Sdkhi Potlii, BhaT Dalla, the local chieftain who was also a disciple, came to call on him.