<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>PRAS&#256D&#298 H&#256TH&#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="PRASĀDĪ,HĀTHĪ">
<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">&#65279PRAS&#256D&#298 H&#256TH&#298, an elephant trained to perform several unusual feat, was among the presence brought to Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh by an Assamese chief, Ratan R&#257i. According  to Sikh chronicles, Ratan R&#257i's father, R&#257m R&#257i had served Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur during his travels across Assam in the mid-1660s and received his blessing. Ratan R&#257i, as he grew up, learnt that after the death of Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur, his son, Gobind R&#257i, sat on his spiritual seat. He travelled up-country and came to Anandpur to make obeisance to the Gur&#363, bringing with him as presents a young and trained elephant, five horses of rare breed and a five-in-one weapon. According  to Bh&#257&#299 Santokh Si&#7749gh, <i>Gur Prat&#257p S&#363raj Granth, ritu 1, a&#7749s&#363</i> 23, the Gur&#363 gave the name <i>Pras&#257d&#299</i> to the elephant. Pras&#257d&#299 was a beautiful little beast with a round white mark on his head and white streaks on its trunk and back. He soon learnt to salute the Gur&#363, wash his feet, put a saffron mark on his forehead, wave a whisk over him, collect and bring back arrows shot by him, and walk before him at night holding a torch <i>high</i> with his trunk. Pras&#257d&#299 soon became famous in the hill territory and instantly excited the envy of Bh&#299m Chand, the R&#257j&#257 of Kahl&#363r, as he once saw it while on a visit to the Gur&#363. Failing to acquire the animal by strategem, he resorted to force and led out an armed contingent to attack Anandpur, but ways repulsed.</p>
<p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;	According  to Sukh&#257 Si&#7749gh, <i>Gurbil&#257s D&#257svi&#7749 P&#257tsh&#257h&#299</i>, Pras&#257d&#299 was reduced to a skeleton owing to lack of food during the prolonged siege of Anandpur (1705), and Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh had him killed  to save him the torture.</p>
</font>
<p class="BIB">
BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><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"> Sukh&#257 Si&#7749gh, <i>Gurbil&#257s Dasv&#299&#7749 P&#257tsh&#257h&#299</i>. Patiala,1970<BR>
<li class="C1"> Kuir Si&#7749gh, <i>Gurbil&#257s P&#257tsh&#257h&#299  10</i>. Patiala,1968<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>
�