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<p class="C1">&#65279DHAMT&#256N, a large village in J&#299nd district of Hary&#257&#7751&#257, is sacred to Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur. He visited it first in 1665 in the course of his travels through M&#257lv&#257 and B&#257&#7749gar territories. Chaudhar&#299 Daggo, who was a cattle lifter and lived on plunder, came with pitchers full of milk, but the Gur&#363 declined the offering saying that he would not take what was not honestly earned. Daggo asked forgiveness for his past misdeeds and promised to abide by the Gur&#363's teaching. Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur gave him funds to construct a well and a <i>dharams&#257l&#257</i> for the travellers. While at Dhamt&#257n, Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur was pleased with the devoted service of his loyal Sikh, Bh&#257&#299 M&#299h&#257&#7749. He bestowed on him a kettle, a drum and a flag, and appointed him to look after the <i>sa&#7749gat</i> or community in that area. According to some chroniclers, Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur was first arrested near Dhamt&#257n in 1665 and taken to Delhi where, however, he was released at the intervention of Ka&#7749var R&#257m Si&#7749gh, son of Mirz&#257 R&#257j&#257 Jai Si&#7749gh, of &#256mber (Jaipur), and allowed to continue his journey towards the east.</p>
<p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;	Dhamt&#257n became the most important centre of Sikh faith in the B&#257&#7749gar region. Later, when this area became part of Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 state, a large endowment was made for the shrine commemorating the visits of Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur. The present complex was constructed by Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Karam Si&#7749gh of Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 (1798-1845). The building is in the form of a large <i>havel&#299</i>. A high arched gateway with massive wooden doors leads to the outer compound from which another heavy gate opens into an inner courtyard. The sanctum representing the actual spot where Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur had put up is on the left. Constructed in the inner courtyard in the traditional style, the Mañj&#299 S&#257hib is a domed square room on a high plinth, the interior walls being decorated with floral designs in colour. The Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib is seated on a high platform in the centre. The <i>havel&#299</i> is flanked by the village pond a part of which has been enclosed and converted into a bathing tank. The shrine is managed by the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee. Two important festivals celebrated are Hol&#257 and Dussehr&#257 which are attended by a large number of devotees from the neighbouring villages and towns. Dhamt&#257n itself has very few Sikh families.</p>
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BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"><i>M&#257lv&#257 Desh Ra&#7789an d&#299 S&#257kh&#299 Poth&#299</i>. Amritsar, 1968<BR>
<li class="C1"> T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh, <i>Sr&#299 Gur T&#299rath Sa&#7749grahi</i>. Amritsar, n. d.<BR>
<li class="C1"> &#7788h&#257kar Si&#7749gh, Gi&#257n&#299, <i>Sr&#299 Gurdu&#257re Darshan</i>. Amritsar, 1923<BR>
</ol><p class="CONT">Major Gurmukh Si&#7749gh (Retd.)<br></p><BR>
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