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<p class="C1">&#65279M&#298H&#256&#7748, BH&#256&#298, founder of the M&#299h&#257&#7749sh&#257h&#299 or M&#299h&#257&#7749s&#257hib&#299 sect of Ud&#257s&#299 s&#257dh&#363s, was a Sikh contemporary of the eighth, ninth and the tenth Gur&#363s. His real name was R&#257mdev. His father, Nand L&#257l Soh&#7751&#257, had been a disciple of two Muslim devotees of Gur&#363 Hargobind, <u>Kh</u>w&#257j&#257 and J&#257n&#299, and later remained  in attendance upon Gur&#363 Hargobind, Gur&#363 Har R&#257i and Gur&#363 Har Krishan. Soh&#7751&#257, i.e. handsome, was the epithet bestowed upon him by Gur&#363 Hargobind for his very striking  features and physique. N&#257nd L&#257l introduced his eldest son, R&#257mdev, to the service of Gur&#363 Har Krishan in 1663. R&#257mdev took upon himself the duty of carrying water for Gur&#363 k&#257 La&#7749gar and of sprinkling water upon the ground where the holy assembly took place morning and evening. When Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur set out on his travels through the M&#257lv&#257 country in 1665, Bh&#257&#299 R&#257mdev was in his retinue performing his usual chore. At every halt he would inundate the dusty ground with his sprinkling as if by rain, <i>m&#299&#7749h</i> in Punjabi. According  to Sar&#363p D&#257s Bhall&#257, <i>Mahim&#257 Prak&#257sh</i>, Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur, pleased at his devotion and diligence, nicknamed him <i>M&#299h&#257&#7749</i>, bringer of rain. The name stuck and R&#257mdev came to be known as Bh&#257&#299 M&#299h&#257&#7749. Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur at Dhamtan during the same journey bestowed upon him a drum and banner as symbols of sovereignty (in matters spiritual, in this case), released him from personal attendance and bade him preach on his own. This was one of the six <i>ba<u>kh</u>shishes</i> or bestowals on the Ud&#257s&#299s made at different times. Bh&#257&#299 M&#299h&#257&#7749 preached mainly in northern India. He also once waited upon Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh and received blessing from him. His followers established many <i>&#7693er&#257s</i> or preaching centres, the better known among them being &#7693er&#257 Magn&#299 R&#257m at Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 and S&#257dh&#363 Bel&#257, near Sakkhar, now in Pakistan, established by the most prominent of his successors, Bankha&#7751&#7693&#299 (d. 1863). Bh&#257&#299 M&#299h&#257&#7749 himself died at Soh&#299&#257&#7749, a village in N&#257rov&#257l <i>tahs&#299l</i> (sub-division) of Si&#257lko&#7789 district, now in Pakistan.</p>
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BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Atar Si&#7749gh, <i>M&#257lv&#257 Desh Ra&#7789an d&#299 : S&#257kh&#299 Poth&#299</i>. Amritsar, 1950<BR>
<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, 1927-35<BR>
<li class="C1"> Ra&#7751dh&#299r Si&#7749gh, <i>Ud&#257s&#299 Sikh&#257&#7749 d&#299 Vithi&#257</i>. Amritsar, 2016 Bk<BR>
<li class="C1"> Gi&#257n Si&#7749gh, Gi&#257n&#299, <i>Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u> Gur&#363 <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257</i> [Reprint] . Patiala, 1970<BR>
</ol><p class="CONT">Pi&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh Padam<br></p><BR>
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