<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>&#298SHAR SI&#7748GH JATHED&#256R BH&#256&#298 (1870-1921)</TITLE>
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<p class="C1">&#65279&#298SHAR SI&#7748GH JATHED&#256R, BH&#256&#298 (1870-1921), one of the Nank&#257&#7751&#257 S&#257hib martyrs, was the second son of Dafed&#257r (cavalry sergeant) Hardit Si&#7749gh and M&#257t&#257 Prem Kaur of Dh&#257rov&#257l&#299 village in Gurd&#257spur district. He learnt to read the scripture in the village <i>gurdw&#257r&#257</i>. He was married on 15 Ph&#257gun 1942 Bk/26 February 1886 to Bib&#299 Basant Kaur, daughter of Bh&#257&#299 Harn&#257m Si&#7749gh of Muhadd&#299pur village in Jalandhar district. The family later migrated to Chakk No. 33 Dh&#257rov&#257l&#299 in Shei<u>kh</u>&#363pur&#257 district in the Lower Chen&#257b Canal Colony. &#298shar Si&#7749gh was of deeply religious temperament, and although he had taken the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 <i>p&#257hul</i> at the hands of Bh&#257&#299 M&#363l Si&#7749gh Garm&#363l&#257, he was more impressed by his grandfather, Naura&#7749g Si&#7749gh, who renouncing his home had joined a band of <i>s&#257dh&#363s</i> and gone towards Haridv&#257r. &#298shar Si&#7749gh too after some time went to the Kumbh fair at Pary&#257g (All&#257h&#257b&#257d) in search of his grandfather. For three years he roamed about the country with holy men, and ultimately reached Sr&#299 Abchalnagar Haz&#363r S&#257hib, N&#257nde&#7693, in the then Hyder&#257b&#257d state. His uncle, Kesar Si&#7749gh who was serving in 30th Cavalry, then stationed at N&#257nde&#7693, recognized him and reclaimed him to the Sikh fold. &#298shar Si&#7749gh took the <i>p&#257hul</i> again at Haz&#363r S&#257hib and returned home accompanying his uncle when the latter was granted leave some six months later. He now settled down as a householder, but his religious zeal was undiminished. He joined hands with Bh&#257&#299 Lachhma&#7751 Si&#7749gh (who was a collateral nephew to him) in organizing the historic conference held at their village on 1 to 3 October 1920 for propagating the cause of Gurdw&#257r&#257 Reform. Together they mobilized support and enrolled volunteers for the liberation of Gurdw&#257r&#257 Janam Asth&#257n, Nank&#257&#7751&#257 S&#257hib. On 19 February 1921, while Lachhma&#7751 Si&#7749gh collected and led volunteers from villages in the immediate neighbourhood of Dh&#257rov&#257l&#299, Bh&#257&#299 &#298shar Si&#7749gh collected another 30 odd men from villages further to the west. These latter formed a separate <i>jath&#257</i> and chose &#298shar Si&#7749gh as their <i>jathed&#257r</i> (leader). During the night 19-20 February, this <i>jath&#257</i>, although supposed to join the other led by Bh&#257&#299 Lachhma&#7751 Si&#7749gh lost their way and were yet about one kilometre short of Janam Asth&#257n when the other one had already been shut in and was being massacred by the Mahant's hirelings. Hearing the bangs of gunfire, these men ran forward to join their comrades. Jathed&#257r &#298shar Si&#7749gh being the oldest among them lagged behind so that when he reached near the Gurdw&#257r&#257, he found the younger lot coming back on the run chased by the assassins. They told him that the situation was hopeless and they should go back, but he continued to run forward shouting that they had come to die and die they must. He faced the pursuers and bore a bullet from one of them on his chest before he fell down; the others hacked him to pieces and dragged his body to a burning pyre.</p>
<p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;	The Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee granted a pension to Bh&#257&#299 &#298shar Si&#7749gh's widow at Rs 150 per annum and also paid off the family's debt of Rs 1300.</p>
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BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1">Shamsher, Gurba<u>kh</u>sh Si&#7749gh, <i>Shah&#299d&#299 : J&#299van</i>. Nankana Sahib, 1938<BR>
</ol><p class="CONT">Gurcharan Si&#7749gh Gi&#257n&#299<br></p><BR>
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