ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>DES R&#256J BH&#256&#298</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="DES,RJ,BH*"> <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">&#65279DES R&#256J, BH&#256&#298, a Khatr&#299 Sikh of Amritsar, was entrusted with the supervision of the reconstruction of the Harimandar during the sixties and seventies of the eighteenth century. Nothing is known about his early life or family except that he originally came from Sursi&#7749gh village, 30 km southwest of Amritsar, from where he migrated to the town and flourished in business, with a reputation for honesty and truthfulness. When the Sikhs sacked Sirhind in January 1764 and allocated several hundred thousands rupees from the plunder for the restoration of Sr&#299 Harimandar S&#257hib at Amritsar, demolished by Ahmad Sh&#257h Durr&#257n&#299 two years earlier, they assigned Bh&#257&#299 Des R&#257j to undertake the reconstruction. The money was deposited with some bankers of repute at Amritsar from whom Bh&#257&#299 Des R&#257j was authorized to withdraw amounts as and when needed. He was also given a seal, <i>Gur&#363 k&#299 mohar</i> or the Gur&#363's seal by the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 to raise more funds. The foundation of the holy sanctum was laid on 19 April 1764 by Jass&#257 Si&#7749gh &#256hl&#363v&#257l&#299&#257, supreme commander of the Dal <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257. According to Gi&#257n&#299 Gi&#257n Si&#7749gh, <i>Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u> Sr&#299 Amritsar</i>, the construction of the Harimandar, the approach bridge, the Darshan&#299 Deo&#7771h&#299 or gateway, and the clearance of the sacred tank filled by the debris in 1762 were completed by 1776. After the sack of Khurj&#257, a rich market-town in the present Bulandshahar district of Uttar Pradesh, by the Dal <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 in February 1783, one tenth of the plunder, amounting to 1, 00, 000 rupees, was also placed at the disposal of Bh&#257&#299 Des R&#257j, who now started having the <i>parikram&#257</i> or the circumambulatory terrace paved. This work, including the platform around the Dukhbhañjan&#299 Ber&#299 and two large masonry screens for ladies' baths, was completed by 1784.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Gi&#257n Si&#7749gh, Gi&#257n&#299, <i>Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u> Sr&#299 Amritsar</i> [Reprint]. Amritsar, 1977<BR> <li class="C1"> Fauja Singh, ed. , <i>The City of Amritsar-An Introduction</i>. Patiala, 1977<BR> <li class="C1"> Madanjit Kaur, <i>The Golden Temple : Past and Present</i>. Amritsar, 1983<BR> <li class="C1"> Arshi, P. S. , <i>Sikh Architecture in Punjab</i>. Delhi, 1986<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Sarmukh Si&#7749gh Amole<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>