ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>KAITHAL (29º-47'N, 76º-23'E)</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="KAITHAL"> <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">&#65279KAITHAL (29º-47'N, 76º-23'E), district town of Hary&#257&#7751&#257, is an old historic place. Bh&#257&#299 Des&#363 Si&#7749gh, a descendant of Bh&#257&#299 Bhagat&#363, a Siddh&#363 <i>ja&#7789&#7789</i> of B&#257ra&#7771 clan, occupied it in 1767 and made it the capital of the principality he had established. The state came under British protection in 1809 and lapsed to the British on the death of its third ruler, Bh&#257&#299 Udai Si&#7749gh who died on 15 March 1843 without an heir. It was in Kaithal that, under the patronage of the last ruler, Bh&#257&#299 Santokh Si&#7749gh wrote his monumental <i>Sr&#299 Gur Prat&#257p S&#363raj Granth</i>, popularly known as <i>S&#363raj Prak&#257sh</i>. There are two historic shrines in the town, both commemorating the visit of Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GURDW&#256R&#256 NIMM S&#256HIB P&#256TSH&#256H&#298 NAUV&#298&#7748 is situated outside the old town to the west of it at a spot referred to in old accounts as &#7788ha&#7751&#7693&#257r T&#299rath. There used to be an old <i>nimm</i> (Margossa) tree here under which Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur had first sat and preached. He is believed to have cured patients by administering to them leaves from this tree. The sanctum of the Gurdw&#257r&#257 marks the site of the tree which existed till at least the third decade of the twentieth century when it was destroyed in a fire. The present building, in a walled compound, has a marble-floored assembly hall, with a <i>sarovar</i> close by. The Gur&#363 k&#257 La&#7749gar is in a separate double-storeyed block. The Nish&#257n S&#257hib in front of the main building is topped by a goldplated <i>kha&#7751&#7693&#257</i>. Inside the hall, the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib is seated on a canopied throne of pure white marble. The hall is rectangular in shape with a verandah all around.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GURDW&#256R&#256 MAÑJ&#298 S&#256HIB is located inside the town. On this site lived a devout Sikh, Ro&#7693&#257 B&#257&#7693h&#299, who was a carpenter by profession. When he heard that Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur was staying outside the town in the open, he went to make obeisance and to request him to shift to his humble dwelling. The Gur&#363 granted his wish and stayed with him for a few days. Ro&#7693&#257 B&#257&#7693hi's house opened on an open space where the <i>sa&#7749gat</i> daily assembled to hear the Gur&#363's word. Bh&#257&#299 L&#257l Si&#7749gh, the son and successor of Bh&#257&#299 Des&#363 Si&#7749gh, had a small shrine constructed on the spot. This has now been replaced by a more imposing building.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1">Gi&#257n Si&#7749gh, Gi&#257n&#299, <i>Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u> Gurdu&#257ri&#257&#7749</i>. Amritsar, n.d.<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Major Gurmukh Si&#7749gh (Retd.)<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>