ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>KH&#256LS&#256 BAR&#256DAR&#298</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>KH</u>&#256LS&#256 BAR&#256DAR&#298, a social organization of Sikhs belonging to backward classes, founded in 1914. The moving spirit behind it was Bh&#257&#299 Mahit&#257b Si&#7749gh B&#299r, whose father, Maulaw&#299 Kar&#299m Ba<u>kh</u>sh had, along with his children, embraced Sikhism in June 1903 and become famous as Sant Lakhm&#299r Si&#7749gh. Bh&#257&#299 Mahit&#257b Si&#7749gh convened a meeting of the Sikhs from backward classes in 1914 in Bh&#257&#299 Dasaundh&#257 Si&#7749gh's <i>dharams&#257l&#257</i> near Sr&#299 Darb&#257r S&#257hib, Amritsar, at which it was resolved to establish a society called <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 Bar&#257dar&#299 with the object of preaching Sikh tenets among them, bring them into the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 fold by administering to them the rites of <i>amrit</i> and reforming their social customs such as the giving of dowry and ostentatious display at weddings. &#298shar Si&#7749gh of Sarh&#257l&#257 Q&#257z&#299&#257&#7749, Jalandhar district, was chosen president and Mahit&#257b Si&#7749gh general secretary. Besides the central office in Amritsar, branches of <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 Bar&#257dar&#299 were opened at several places in the districts of Amritsar, Lahore, Si&#257lko&#7789 and Shei<u>kh</u>&#363pur&#257. Bh&#257&#299 Mahit&#257b Si&#7749gh also launched a weekly journal in Punjabi, the <i>B&#299r</i>, to promote the interests of the Bar&#257dar&#299 and to campaign especially against caste and untouchability.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; On 11 and 12 October 1920, the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 Bar&#257dar&#299 held a big religious gathering in the Jalli&#257&#7749v&#257l&#257 B&#257<u>gh</u> at Amritsar which was attended by some professors of the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 College. Elixir of the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 was administered to a large number of Mazhab&#299 and R&#257md&#257s&#299&#257 Sikhs. At the end of the ceremonies on 12 October the congregation proceeded to the Darb&#257r S&#257hib where the newly initiated Sikhs were to make offering of <i>ka&#7771&#257h pras&#257d</i>, the Sikh sacrament, for distribution among the <i>sa&#7749gat</i>. The priests of the Darb&#257r S&#257hib refused to accept the <i>ka&#7771&#257h pras&#257d</i> and recite <i>ard&#257s</i> on their behalf. Protest was raised against this discrimination towards Sikhs from certain castes. A compromise was at last reached and it was decided that the Gur&#363's word be sought. The Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib was, as is the custom, opened and the first verse on the page to be read was: "He receiveth the meritless (lowly) into grace, and puts them in the path of righteous service..." (GG, 638). The Gur&#363's verdict was clearly in favour of those whom the clergy would not accept as full members of the community. The group thereafter marched to the Ak&#257l Ta<u>kh</u>t to offer prayers, but found that the priests had disappeared, leaving the shrine unattended. The reformist Sikhs, Bh&#257&#299 Kart&#257r Si&#7749gh Jhabbar and Bh&#257&#299 Tej&#257 Si&#7749gh Bhuchchar, filled the gap and a committee consisting of 25 Sikhs including a few members of the backward classes was formed to take over control of the Ak&#257l Ta<u>kh</u>t. In this way the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 Bar&#257dar&#299 indirectly heralded the Gurdw&#257r&#257 Reform movement for wresting control of Sikh shrines from the hands of the conservative and effete priestly order, securing at the same time recognition for the so-called low-caste Sikhs as equal members of the community.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; During 1939-41, <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 Bar&#257dar&#299 organized a series of conferences urging members of the backward classes to enlist themselves as Sikhs at the ensuing census (1941) and demanding reservation of seats for them in the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee, a representative body of the Sikhs for managing Sikh shrines. It also demanded enrolment of Mazhab&#299 and R&#257md&#257s&#299&#257 Sikhs in the armed forces. With most of its demands conceded in course of time, the Bar&#257dar&#299 became redundant. It virtually ceased to exist after the death in 1960 of its founder, Bh&#257&#299 Mahit&#257b Si&#7749gh B&#299r.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Prat&#257p Si&#7749gh, Gi&#257n&#299, <i>Gurdw&#257r&#257 Sudh&#257r arthat Ak&#257l&#299 Lahir</i>. Amritsar, 1975<BR> <li class="C1"> Harbans Singh, <i>The Heritage of the Sikhs</i>. Delhi, 1983<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Part&#257p Si&#7749gh Gi&#257n&#299<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>