ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>NIRMAL PAÑCH&#256IT&#298 AKH&#256&#7770&#256</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="NIRMAL,PAÑCHIT*,AKHZ"> <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">&#65279NIRMAL PAÑCH&#256IT&#298 AKH&#256&#7770&#256 is a semin&#257ry of the Nirmal&#257 sect of the Sikhs established in 1862 at Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257. <i>Akh&#257r&#257</i>, lit. arena, signifies a monastery or seminary with facilities for board, lodging and education of s&#257dh&#363s of a particular sect or cult. Sanny&#257s&#299 and Bair&#257g&#299 s&#257dh&#363s had their respective <i>akh&#257&#7771&#257s</i>, also known as <i>&#7693er&#257s</i> at many prominent pilgrim centres. Ud&#257s&#299 Sikhs, too, had established their Pañch&#257it&#299 akh&#257&#7771&#257 in 1779, with headquarters at Pray&#257g (All&#257h&#257b&#257d) and branches at K&#257sh&#299 and Kankhal. Individual Nirmal&#257 saints had their <i>&#7693er&#257s</i> scattered all over Punjab, cis-Sutlej princely states and other parts of the country, but they had no central seat or authority. It was in 1807 that some leading members of the sect first mooted the idea of a <i>pañch&#257it&#299 akh&#257&#7771&#257</i> of their own, but the proposal had been in contemplation for nearly half a century before it materialized. During the Kumbha fair'-at Haridv&#257r in 1855, a general meeting of the sect unanimously elected Bh&#257&#299 Mahit&#257b Si&#7749gh (1812-71) their Sr&#299 Mahant or principal priest. Mahit&#257b Si&#7749gh enjoyed the esteem of the rulers of the Ph&#363lk&#299&#257&#7749 states of Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257, N&#257bh&#257 and J&#299nd. In 1861, the three chiefs, Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Narinder Si&#7749gh of Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257, R&#257j&#257 Bharp&#363r Si&#7749gh of N&#257bh&#257 and R&#257j&#257 Sar&#363p Si&#7749gh of J&#299nd, established the Nirmal&#257 <i>akh&#257&#7771&#257</i> at Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257, where a large house, Chan&#257rthal&#299&#257&#7749 d&#299 Havel&#299, was placed at its disposal. Formal inauguration took place on 7 August 1862. An elaborate constitution called D&#257stur ul-'Amal was drawn up. It was duly approved by the rulers of the three states, who also made cash and land grants for the maintenance of the Akh&#257&#7771&#257. In the text of the constitution the institution is also referred to as Dharam Dhuj&#257 Akh&#257&#7771&#257 Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh J&#299. The Dast&#363r ul-'Amal lays down the strength of the permanent staff. It also requires that all income from whatever sources shall be credited to the accounts of the Akh&#257&#7771&#257 and that no priest shall keep any part of the offerings and donations for his own use; assistance given in cash or kind to the needy must be properly recorded; proper accounts must be kept and inspected by the Sr&#299 'Mahant at least once a year; new entrants to the seminary shall be made to swear by the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib that they offer all their belongings to the institution and that they would always abide by the rules and discipline of the Akh&#257&#7771&#257. The inmates must wear one of their garments in the traditional ochre colour and they must remain celibate. The three state governments by mutual consultation could remove any priest guilty of infringement of the provisions of the Dast&#363r ul-'Amal.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Mahit&#257b Si&#7749gh on his death in 1871 was succeeded as Sr&#299 Mahant by Pa&#7751&#7693it R&#257m Si&#7749gh Kuberi&#257 who remained in office until his death in 1896. During his stewardship Nirmal Pañchait&#299 Akh&#257&#7771&#257 expanded considerably. He acquired three large houses at Kankhal near Haridv&#257r in Uttar Pradesh which became run on headquarters of the Nirmal&#257 sect. Besides Kankhal, Haridv&#257r, Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 and All&#257h&#257b&#257d, the Akh&#257&#7771&#257 today has branches in the form of preaching centres at Ujjain, Triyambak (N&#257sik), Kurukshetra, Pa&#7789n&#257 and some other places.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Dy&#257l Si&#7749gh, Mahant, <i>Nirmal Panth Darshan</i>. Amritsar, 1952<BR> <li class="C1"> Ganesh&#257 Si&#7749gh, Mahant, <i>Nirmal Bh&#363shan arth&#257t Itih&#257s Nirmal Bhekh</i>. Amritsar, 1937<BR> <li class="C1"> Pr&#299tam Si&#7749gh, <i>Nirmal Samprad&#257&#299</i>. Amritsar, 1981<BR> <li class="C1"> Gi&#257n Si&#7749gh, Gi&#257n&#299, <i>Nirmal Prad&#299pak&#257</i>. Kankhal, 1962<BR> <li class="C1"> Man&#299, Arjan Si&#7749gh, <i>Itih&#257s Nirmal Pañch&#257it&#299 Akh&#257&#7771&#257</i>. Kankhal, 1952<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Gi&#257n&#299 Balwant Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>