ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>MAHIM&#256SH&#256H&#298&#256S</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="MAHIMSHH*S"> <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">&#65279MAHIM&#256SH&#256H&#298&#256S, followers of Mohar Si&#7749gh (AD 1758-1815), a holy Sikh who earned the honoured nickname of Mahim&#257 Sh&#257h for his constant muttering of a phrase (&#8216infinite is Thy praise') in God's <i>mahim&#257</i> or adoration. Mahim&#257 Sh&#257h claimed spiritual descent from Bh&#257&#299 Day&#257 Si&#7749gh, one of the Pañj Pi&#257re or Five Beloved who had offered their heads at the call of Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh at the time of inauguration of the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 in 1699. Bh&#257&#299 Day&#257 Si&#7749gh was succeeded by Sant Gurba<u>kh</u>sh Si&#7749gh who was the mentor of Mahim&#257 Sh&#257h. This was a line of preachers of the Sikh faith, an offshoot of the scholarly Nirmal&#257 sect.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mohar Si&#7749gh was born in 1758 to Bh&#257&#299 Gurba<u>kh</u>sh Si&#7749gh and B&#299b&#299 Rasm&#257 at the village of Sal&#257&#7751&#257, in the territory of the N&#257bh&#257 rulers. He received his early education at the hands of his father, a <i>granth&#299</i> to the N&#257bh&#257 family. He received the rites of initiation at the hands of Sant Gurba<u>kh</u>sh Si&#7749gh whom he served devotedly for many years. Taking leave of his mentor, he proceeded on a long pilgrimage and returned to settle at Lopo&#7749, near Mog&#257. There he established his own <i>&#7693er&#257</i> or seat to disseminate Sikh religion and philosophy. A <i>sm&#257dh</i> (mausoleum) and a <i>darb&#257r</i> (assembly hall) were got constructed in his memory by his disciple and successor, B&#257b&#257 B&#299r Si&#7749gh.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Besides, Lopo&#7749, where Mahim&#257 Sh&#257h spent his last years, another Mahim&#257sh&#257h&#299 centre was set up at the village of Uggo, in Sa&#7749gr&#363r district, by B&#257b&#257 Hak&#363mat Si&#7749gh. To these centres were affiliated Mahim&#257sh&#257h&#299 <i>&#7693er&#257s</i> at places such as at Buggar, Sakraud&#299, Pañj Gar&#257&#299&#7749, Ph&#363lev&#257l, Kha&#7751&#7693e-Va&#7693ha&#7751&#299, Rakb&#257, &#7788ibb&#257, Bil&#257spur and M&#363le Chakk owing allegiance to either Lopo&#7749 or Uggo centre. These centres still attract local Sikh populations. The priests in these, <i>&#7693er&#257s</i> normally retain their Nirmal&#257 garb, but members of the sect generally are not differentiated either by dress or fundamental tenets from the main body of Sikhs. They recognize no religious literature besides the Sikh Scripture.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Mahant, Narai&#7751 Si&#7749gh Mus&#257far, ed., <i>Mahim&#257 Sh&#257h&#299s Nirm&#257le Nali</i> . Amritsar, n.d.<BR> <li class="C1"> Ganesh&#257 Si&#7749gh, <i>Bh&#257rat M&#257t Darpan</i>. Amritsar, 1926<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">T&#257ran Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>