ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>B&#256LAK SI&#7748GH B&#256B&#256 (1785-1862)</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="BLAK,SIDGH,BB,Person,Person"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279B&#256LAK SI&#7748GH, B&#256B&#256 (1785-1862), mentor of B&#257b&#257 R&#257m Si&#7749gh, acknowledged to be the forerunner of the N&#257mdh&#257r&#299 movement, was born in 1841 Bk/AD 1785 to Di&#257l Si&#7749gh and M&#257t&#257 Bh&#257g Bhar&#299, in an Aro&#7771&#257 family of village Chho&#299 in Attock district, in R&#257walpi&#7751&#7693&#299 division, now in Pakistan. B&#257lak Si&#7749gh took from a young age to the family business of providing supplies to the garrison in the fort at Hazro, close to his native village. He was married to M&#257&#299 Tot&#299. No more biographical information is available about him except that he was a man of religious disposition and while at Hazro he was deeply influenced by Bhagat Jaw&#257har Mall. He soon attracted followers from among the inhabitants of Hazro and from among the garrison in the fort. B&#257b&#257 R&#257m Si&#7749gh (<i>q. v. </i>), who succeeded him as head of the sect, was one of the garrison here. His study of Sikh history and letters made him well aware of the rot that was at the time corroding Sikh society. He took upon himself to lead a campaign against the evil and corruption of the tenet that had set in. His religious and social ideas were shaped by the teaching of B&#257b&#257 B&#257lak Si&#7749gh, though the political edge his movement eventually acquired can only be traced to the advanced precept of Bh&#257&#299 Mah&#257r&#257j Si&#7749gh (d. 1856).</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The religious and ethical code of conduct preached by B&#257b&#257 B&#257lak Si&#7749gh for his followers included constant meditation on the Transcendental Reality; bathing at least thrice daily; not to use a leather bucket for drinking water; performing marriage rites according to the Anand ceremony; offering as sacrament <i>Ka&#7771&#257hpras&#257d</i> worth one and a quarter rupee every month; and not to eat food cooked by anyone outside of the Sikh faith. Giving of dowry, meat-eating and use of alcohol were totally prohibited. Honest labour and truth-telling were the virtues prized most.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; B&#257b&#257 B&#257lak Si&#7749gh built at Hazro a place where his followers used to meet regularly. It was here that B&#257b&#257 R&#257m Si&#7749gh, who had earlier moved southwards with the garrison, came to meet his spiritual mentor around 1860 and sought permission to instruct the people in his doctrine. Prominent among his other disciples were Bh&#257&#299 K&#257hn Si&#7749gh, a son of his brother Mann&#257 Si&#7749gh and Bh&#257&#299 L&#257l Si&#7749gh. The former is said to have occupied the <i>gadd&#299</i> at Hazro and the latter preached in the Amritsar area.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; B&#257b&#257 B&#257lak Si&#7749gh died at Hazro on Saturday, Maghar <i>sud&#299</i> 15, 1919 Bk/6 December 1862.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Vahim&#299, Taran Si&#7749gh, <i>Jass J&#299van</i>. Rampur (Hissar), 1971<BR> <li class="C1"> Ga&#7751&#7693&#257 Si&#7749gh, <i>K&#363k&#299&#257&#7749 d&#299 Vithi&#257</i>. Amritsar, 1944<BR> <li class="C1"> Fauja Singh, <i>Kuka Movement</i>. Delhi, 1965<BR> <li class="C1"> Jolly, Surjit Kaur, <i>Sikh Revivalist Movements</i>. Delhi, 1988<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Dharam Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>