ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>GHAR&#298BD&#256S&#298&#256S</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 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">&#65279<u>GH</u>AR&#298BD&#256S&#298&#256S, followers of Sant <u>Gh</u>ar&#299bd&#257s (1717-78), also known as Sats&#257hib&#299&#257s for their peculiar form of greeting which is 'Sat S&#257hib,' i.e. eternally existent (<i>satya</i>) is the Lord (<i>s&#257hib</i>). The founder of the sect, <u>Gh</u>ar&#299b D&#257s was born in 1717 in the small village Chhu&#7693&#257&#7751&#299, in Rohtak district. He got married, had six children --- four sons and two daughters, and lived a normal worldly life until he came under the influence of D&#257d&#363panth&#299s. His sincere and persistent devotion won him many followers who sought initiation from him. Though unlettered, he composed religious verse in the form of <i>dohir&#257s</i> and <i>chaupa&#299s</i> and <i>s&#257kh&#299s</i> or narratives of saints from Indian piety. Upon his death, <u>Gh</u>ar&#299b D&#257s was succeeded by one of his sons who retained his seat in his ancestral village.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For decennial census returns <u>Gh</u>ar&#299bd&#257s&#299&#257s described themselves neither as Sikhs nor as Hindus, and were classified in the reports in the category of 'other religions.' In the 1931 census, only six of them, i.e. one family of two male and four female members, are recorded as Sikhs. However, adjuring of idol worship in favour of reverence for the Book and worship of the Impersonal God, the institution of <i>bh&#257&#7751&#7693&#257r&#257</i>, i.e. serving free meals on special occasions, and denunciation of caste are some of the features of this sect which indicate a strong Sikh influence.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Among the adherents of the sect are both ascetics and laymen. The former are celibates, completely abstaining from flesh and wine. They engage neither in farming nor in trade, and live by begging. They shave their heads and faces, and wear necklaces and white round caps to which is attached a piece of cloth that hangs back. They worship the Book, which contains compositions of <u>Gh</u>ar&#299bd&#257s and some other saints, and build no temples.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Numerically, the <u>Gh</u>ar&#299bd&#257s&#299&#257s now form an extremely insignificant group, though they have centres, known as the <i>khamb&#257s, lit. </i> pillars, including one very impressive <i>&#7693er&#257</i> at Haridv&#257r.</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">T&#257ran Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>