ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>MAN&#298 R&#256M BH&#256&#298 (1644-1734)</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="MAN*,RM,BH*,Person,Person"> <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">&#65279MAN&#298 R&#256M, BH&#256&#298 (1644-1734), from a devoted Sikh family of Pram&#257r R&#257jp&#363ts, was, according to Sev&#257 Si&#7749gh, <i>Shah&#299d Bil&#257s (Bh&#257&#299 Man&#299 Si&#7749gh)</i>, the third of the twelve sons of N&#257ik M&#257&#299 D&#257s and his wife, Madhar&#299 B&#257&#299, of 'Al&#299pur village in Muzaffarga&#7771h district. His grandfather, Ball&#363, had laid down his life fighting for Gur&#363 Hargobind (1595-1644), in the battle of Amritsar in 1634. Born on 10 March 1644, Man&#299 R&#257m was brought by his father to Gur&#363 Har R&#257i(1630-61) at K&#299ratpur in 1657. He stayed there for two years, receiving instruction in Sikh lore. In 1659, he returned to his native 'Al&#299pur to get married to S&#299to Dev&#299, daughter of Lakkh&#299 R&#257i of <u>Kh</u>&#257irpur S&#257d&#257t, Muzaffarga&#7771h district, a trader and caravan owner who later, in 1675, had the honour of cremating the body of Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sometime after his marriage, Man&#299 R&#257m, along with his two brothers, Je&#7789h&#257 and Day&#257l&#257, returned to K&#299ratpur and humbly devoted himself to serving in the Gur&#363 k&#257 La&#7749gar. On the passing away of Gur&#363 Har R&#257i, he continued to attend on his successor, Gur&#363 Har Krishan, till the latter's death on 30 March 1664. Thereafter, he stayed put in 'Al&#299pur, visiting K&#299ratpur and Anandpur between whiles to pay his homage to Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur and Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh. When, on 30 March 1699, Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh inaugurated the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257, Man&#299 R&#257m was there with five of his sons whom he presented to the Gur&#363 for initiation. The five, Bachittar Si&#7749gh, Ude Si&#7749gh, Anik Si&#7749gh, Ajab Si&#7749gh and Aj&#257ib Si&#7749gh, remained with the Gur&#363 and took part in all the battles fought thereafter until each one of them attained martyrdom in clashes that immediately followed the evacuation of Anandpur in early December 1705.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Bh&#257&#299 Man&#299 R&#257m lived to see another two of his sons and several grandchildren lay down their lives on different occasions in the cause of their faith. He himself died on 24 June 1734.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Kaushish, Sev&#257 Si&#7749gh, <i>Shah&#299d Bil&#257s (Bh&#257&#299 Man&#299 Si&#7749gh) </i>. Ludhiana,a 1961<BR> <li class="C1"> Kuir Si&#7749gh, <i>Gurbil&#257s P&#257tsh&#257h&#299 l0</i>, ed. Shamsher Si&#7749gh Ashok. Patiala, 1968<BR> <li class="C1"> Gurmukh Singh "Identity of Bhai Mani Singh Shahid", <i>Proceedings, Punjab History Conference</i>, Twenty-second Session. Patiala, March 25-27, 1988.<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>