<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>GA&#7748G&#362SH&#256H&#298S</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="GAṄGŪSHĀHĪS">
<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">&#65279GA&#7748G&#362SH&#256H&#298S, a Sikh missionary order which owed its origin to Ga&#7749g&#363 Sh&#257h. Ga&#7749g&#363 Sh&#257h, also known as Ga&#7749g&#257 D&#257s, was born in a Bas&#299 Khatr&#299 family of Ga&#7771hsha&#7749kar, in Hoshi&#257rpur district of the Punjab, and was a disciple of Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s, the third Gur&#363 or prophet preceptor of the Sikh faith. He was sent to the &#346iv&#257lik hills to preach the word of Gur&#363 N&#257nak and given charge of a seat in the Sirm&#363r region. He and his successors built a considerable following which emerged over the years as a distinct order. They raised their own shrines at places like Dau&#7751, near Khara&#7771, in Ropa&#7771 district, built by Ga&#7749g&#363 Sh&#257h, and Kha&#7789ka&#7771 Kal&#257&#7749 near Ba&#7749g&#257, in Jalandhar district, built by Jaw&#257har Si&#7749gh, his great-grandson. These are venerated to this day by the members of the sect and others.</p>
<p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;	The Ga&#7749g&#363sh&#257h&#299s were excommunicated by the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 when Kha&#7771ak Si&#7749gh, the incumbent of their <i>gadd&#299</i> at the time of Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh's death, called the Sikh congregations 'widowed' with the implicit meaning of himself being left to lead the Sikhs, and to buttress his claim, he is said to have performed some miracles. He also opposed <i>kha&#7751&#7693e d&#299 p&#257hul,</i> initiation by the sword, as introduced by Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh, and recommended instead <i>charan p&#257hul.</i></p>
<p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;	The Ga&#7749g&#363sh&#257h&#299s, a small community numerically, live in the &#346iv&#257lik hill territory, mainly in the areas of Jauha&#7771sar, Piñjaur, &#7692agsha&#299 and N&#257han. They have their <i>&#7693er&#257s</i> or centres which the followers visit to receive benediction. They do not strictly observe the Sikh custom or code of conduct.</p>
</font>
<p class="BIB">
BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Crooke, W., <i>The Tribes and Castes of the North Western India.</i> Delhi, 1974<BR>
<li class="C1"> Ibbetson, Denzil, <i>A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier    Province</i>. Patiala, 1970<BR>
</ol><p class="CONT">B. S. Nijjar<br></p><BR>
</font>
<img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt="">
</HTML></BODY>
�