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<p class="C1">&#65279LA&#7748G&#256H, BH&#256&#298, a wellknown figure in early Sikh history, was originally a follower of Sult&#257n Sa<u>kh</u>&#299 Sarwar. Son of Abu ul- <u>Kh</u>air, a &#7692hillo&#7749 Ja&#7789&#7789 with a Muslim name, belonging to the village of Jhab&#257l, in the present Amritsar district of the Punjab, he was one of the three <i>chaudhar&#299s</i> or revenue officials of the <i>parganah</i> of Pa&#7789&#7789&#299, who between them were responsible for collecting, on behalf of the governor of Lahore, a revenue of Rs 900,000 from villages under their jurisdiction. La&#7749g&#257h alone had 84 villages under him. It is said that once La&#7749g&#257h was afflicted with a serious illness. Neither medicine nor prayer to the patron saint of his sect, Sa<u>kh</u>&#299 Sarwar, proved of any avail. He met a Sikh who counselled him to pray to God Almighty and to Gur&#363 N&#257nak. La&#7749g&#257h soon recovered and was converted a Sikh. He lovingly contributed the labour of his hands as well as money for the excavation of the sacred pool and the construction of the Harimandar at Amritsar. His devotion and earnestness were applauded by Gur&#363 Arjan, who appointed him a <i>masand</i> (officiant) in his own area. He was one of the privileged Sikhs who were included in the marriage party of Gur&#363 Hargobind in 1604. La&#7749g&#257h, again, was one of the five Sikhs chosen to accompany Gur&#363 Arjan on his last journey to Lahore. He witnessed the torturous scenes leading to the Gur&#363's martyrdom and helped to cremate his earthly remains. He continued to enjoy the confidence of the next Gur&#363, Gur&#363 Hargobind. Known for his fighting skills as well as for his religious faith and piety, Bh&#257&#299 La&#7749g&#257h was appointed one of the commanders of Gur&#363 Hargobind's newly trained force. Later, when the Gur&#363 visited Lahore and had a small shrine constructed on the spot where Gur&#363 Arjan's body had been cremated, Bh&#257&#299 La&#7749g&#257h was appointed to look after it. He served in this capacity for many a long year. Bh&#257&#299 La&#7749g&#257h died at &#7692hilv&#257&#7749, on the bank of the River Be&#257s.</p>
<p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;	Among Bh&#257&#299 La&#7749g&#257h's descendants was the Sikh general, Baghel Si&#7749gh of Karo&#7771si&#7749gh&#299&#257 <i>misl</i>, who triumphantly entered Delhi in 1770 and had several Sikh shrines erected to mark the historical sites in the capital. M&#257&#299 Bh&#257go, who fought with the M&#257jh&#257 contingent in the battle of Khidr&#257&#7751&#257 (present-day Muktsar), was the grand-daughter of Bh&#257&#299 La&#7749g&#257h's younger brother, P&#299ro Sh&#257h.</p>
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BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Bhall&#257, Sar&#363p D&#257s, <i>Mahim&#257 Prak&#257sh</i>. Patiala, 1971<BR>
<li class="C1"> Santokh Si&#7749gh, Bh&#257&#299, <i>Sr&#299 Gur Prat&#257p S&#363raj Granth</i>. Amritsar, 1927-33<BR>
<li class="C1"> Macauliffe, Max Arthur, <i>The Sikh Religion</i>. Oxford, 1909<BR>
</ol><p class="CONT">T&#257ran Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR>
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