ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>H&#298R&#256 SI&#7748GH R&#256G&#298 BH&#256&#298 (1879-1926)</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="H*R,SIDGH,RG*,BH*,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">&#65279H&#298R&#256 SI&#7748GH R&#256G&#298, BH&#256&#298 (1879-1926), eminent exponent of Sikh devotional music, was born in 1879 at Far&#363k&#257, in Sh&#257hpur district, now in Pakistan. His father's name was Bh&#257&#299 Bh&#257g Si&#7749gh and mother's Satbhar&#257&#299. Bh&#257g Si&#7749gh was well versed in classical music and played string instruments such as <i>s&#257ra&#7749g&#299</i> and <i>t&#257&#363s</i>. H&#299r&#257 Si&#7749gh joined the middle school at S&#257h&#299v&#257l, but soon left it to study the religious texts with Bh&#257&#299 M&#257h&#7751&#257 Si&#7749gh of Far&#363k&#257. He learnt music from his father who performed <i>k&#299rtan</i> in the village <i>gurdw&#257r&#257</i>. At the age of 15, he was married to B&#299b&#299 Bh&#257v&#257&#7749 (renamed Prem Kaur). He attended the Nira&#7749k&#257r&#299 Darb&#257r at R&#257walpi&#7751&#7693&#299 and N&#257mdh&#257r&#299 Darb&#257r at Bhai&#7751&#299, and subsequently joined the <i>jath&#257</i> of Sant Atar Si&#7749gh in whose company he also went on a pilgrimage to Sr&#299 Abchal Nagar Haz&#363r S&#257hib, N&#257nde&#7693. In 1897, he settled down, with his wife, at Amritsar, working with the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 Tract Society which brought him under the influence of Bh&#257&#299 V&#299r Si&#7749gh and deepened his study of the Sikh scriptural writings. He started to learn playing the harmonium from Mahant Ta<u>kh</u>t Si&#7749gh. His father soon joined him in Amritsar and the two formed a <i>r&#257g&#299 jath&#257</i>, or choir, which soon became the most famous ensemble reciting <i>k&#299rtan</i> at Sikh gatherings. H&#299r&#257 Si&#7749gh led the <i>k&#299rtan</i> interspersing it with exposition of the sacred verse, as his father accompanied him on the <i>t&#257&#363s</i>. He joined the Chief <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 D&#299w&#257n founded in 1902, and worked tirelessly towards promoting its programme of religious and social reform and of education among Sikhs. By his <i>k&#299rtan</i> and discourses, he kept vast audiences spellbound. Many entered the Sikh fold under his influence. The story is told of H&#257j&#299 Muhammad Misk&#299n who was among the audience listening to Bh&#257&#299 H&#299r&#257 Si&#7749gh's <i>k&#299rtan</i> in Gw&#257l&#299or in 1925. The H&#257j&#299 had very diligently manufactured a rare piece of art -- a whisk made of 1,45,000 strands of sandalwood fibre -- which he desired to present as an offering at an appropriate place of worship. He felt so moved that he accompanied Bh&#257&#299 H&#299r&#257 Si&#7749gh to Amritsar and, on his advice, offered the precious article at the Golden Temple. The whisk is still preserved in the Golden Temple <i>tosh&#257<u>kh</u>&#257n&#257</i> or treasury.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Bh&#257&#299 H&#299r&#257 Si&#7749gh was one of the principal fund-raisers for the Sikh Educational Conference which set up schools in many parts of the Punjab. He helped to found in 1908 a <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 high school at Far&#363k&#257 which after the partition of 1947 was restarted in Amb&#257l&#257 Cantonment.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In the middle of 1924, Bh&#257&#299 H&#299r&#257 Si&#7749gh was taken ill with cancer of the stomach. He died at Dehr&#257 D&#363n on 2 September 1926.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Avt&#257r Si&#7749gh, Bh&#257&#299, and Gurcharan Si&#7749gh, <i>Gurb&#257&#7751&#299 Sa&#7749g&#299t</i>. Patiala, 1976<BR> <li class="C1"> Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 Patrik&#257 <i>(Bh&#257&#299 S&#257hib R&#257g&#299 H&#299r&#257 Si&#7749gh, Vishesh A&#7749k)</i>. Amritsar, 1979<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Balwant Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>