ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>M&#256GH&#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 NAME="keywords" CONTENT="MGH*"> <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 M&#256GH&#298, Makara Sa&#7749kr&#257nti, the first day of the month of M&#257gh when, according to the Zodiac, the sun enters the house of Capricorn. It is observed in India as a winter solstice festival. The eve of M&#257gh&#299 is the common Indian festival of Loh&#7771&#299 when bonfires are lit in Hindu homes to greet the birth of sons in the families and alms are distributed. In the morning, people go out for an early hour dip in nearby tanks. For Sikhs, M&#257gh&#299 means primarily the festival at Muktsar, a district town of the Punjab, in commemoration of the heroic fight of the Ch&#257l&#299 Mukte, lit. the Forty Liberated Ones, who laid down their lives warding off an attack by an imperial army marching in pursuit of Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh. The action took place near a pool of water, Khidr&#257&#7751e d&#299 &#7693h&#257b, on 29 December 1705 which corresponded to the last day of the solar month of Poh of the Bikram&#299 year 1762 (although some chroniclers ascribe a later date i.e. Vais&#257kh 21, 1 762 Bk to it). The bodies were cremated the following day, the first of M&#257gh (hence the name of the festival), which now falls usually on the 13th of January.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Following the custom of the Sikhs to observe their anniversaries of happy and tragic events alike, M&#257gh&#299 is celebrated with end-to-end recital of the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib and religious <i>d&#299v&#257ns</i> in almost all <i>gurdw&#257r&#257s</i>. The largest assembly, however, takes place at Muktsar in the form of a big fair during which pilgrims take a dip in the sacred <i>sarovar</i> and visit several shrines connected with the historic battle. A <i>mahall&#257</i> or big march of pilgrims from the main shrine to Gurdw&#257r&#257 &#7788ibb&#299 S&#257hib, sacred to Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh, marks the conclusion of the three-day celebration.</p> </ol><p class="CONT">S. S. Vañj&#257r&#257 Bed&#299<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>