ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>R&#256M SI&#7748GH BH&#256&#298 (d. 1846)</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="RM,SIDGH,BH*"> <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">&#65279R&#256M SI&#7748GH, BH&#256&#298 (d. 1846), son of Bh&#257&#299 Harbhaj and a grandson of Bh&#257&#299 Vast&#299 R&#257m, occupied a position of honour at the court of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh. A good scholar of Sanskrit and Persian, he was a trusted counsellor of the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257, who consulted him on all important matters of State. He enjoyed the unique privilege of sitting on a chair in the presence of the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 and his tent was fixed next to that of his master whenever he accompanied him on a military campaign. He sometimes acted as an interpreter at the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257's meetings with his foreign visitors. He also acted as royal physician as he was adept in the use of indigenous herbs. Respected as a religious head, Bh&#257&#299 R&#257m Si&#7749gh placed the <i>tilak</i> on the forehead of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Kha&#7771ak Si&#7749gh when he ascended the throne of Lahore after the death of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh. During the ascendancy of Prince Nau Nih&#257l Si&#7749gh, who had received <i>p&#257hul</i> or Sikh initiatory rites at his hands, he rose in prominence and he was appointed to officiate as prime minister for a brief period in place of Dhi&#257n Si&#7749gh who had proceeded on leave. Nau Nih&#257l Si&#7749gh bestowed upon him the famous R&#257m B&#257<u>gh</u> garden in Amritsar.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; After the death of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Kha&#7771ak Si&#7749gh and Prince Nau Nih&#257l Si&#7749gh in November 1840, R&#257m Si&#7749gh supported the claim of R&#257&#7751&#299 Chand Kaur to the throne. Sher Si&#7749gh who eventually won the crown was not favourably disposed towards him initially, but soon acknowledged his pre-eminence. According to the court historian, Sohan L&#257l S&#363r&#299, the new Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 visited Bh&#257&#299 R&#257m Si&#7749gh who gave him his blessing by offering eleven pieces of cloth as robes of honour, along with sweets. Sher Si&#7749gh treated Bh&#257&#299 R&#257m Si&#7749gh with respect and allowed him the privilege of a seat in the <i>darb&#257r</i> as before. After the murder of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Sher Si&#7749gh in September 1843, when H&#299r&#257 Si&#7749gh &#7693ogr&#257 became prime minister, Bh&#257&#299 R&#257m Si&#7749gh again suffered a set back, but recovered his position as H&#299r&#257 Si&#7749gh disappeared from the scene. Mah&#257r&#257&#7751&#299 Jind Kaur turned more to him than to anybody else for advice during the period she held the reins of power.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Bh&#257&#299 R&#257m Si&#7749gh played a key role in the negotiations that followed the first Anglo-Sikh war (1845- 46) and was one of the signatories to the treaties dated 9 and 11 March 1846 between the British government and the State of Lahore. He was a member of the Council of Regency set up to administer the State on behalf of the minor Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Duleep Si&#7749gh.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Bh&#257&#299 R&#257m Si&#7749gh died at Lahore on 18 December 1846.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> S&#363r&#299, Sohan L&#257l, '<i>Umd&#257t ut-Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u></i>. Lahore, 1885-89<BR> <li class="C1"> Chopra, Barkat Rai, <i>Kingdom of the Punjab</i>. Hoshiarpur, 1969<BR> <li class="C1"> Kirpal Singh, <i>An Historical Account of Bhai Vasti Ram and Bhai Ram Singh</i>. Amritsar, n.d.<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Sard&#257r Si&#7749gh Bh&#257&#7789&#299&#257<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>