ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>RA&#7750J&#298T NAG&#256R&#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="RAFJ*T,NAGR"> <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">&#65279RA&#7750J&#298T NAG&#256R&#256, lit. the drum of victory in battlefield, was the name given the kettledrum installed by Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh at Anandpur in 1684. <i>Nag&#257r&#257</i>, Punjabi for the Persian <i>naqq&#257rah</i> meaning a kettledrum, was a symbol of royalty. As well as fulfilling his spiritual office, Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh had, like his grandfather, Gur&#363 Hargobind, adopted the emblems of worldly dignity. He wore an aigrette and arms, sat under canopy and went out riding in state. Adding another sign of authority, in 1684, his <i>diwan</i>, Nand Chand, had a kettledrum installed at his bidding. The massive drum with a metallic hemispheric body was called by Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh Ra&#7751j&#299t Nag&#257r&#257. According to Kuir Si&#7749gh, <i>Gurbil&#257s P&#257tsh&#257h&#299 10</i>, the <i>masands</i> became afraid lest the beating of the drum should arouse the envy of the local chieftain, and begged the Gur&#363's mother, M&#257t&#257 Gujar&#299, to plead with him not to offend the r&#257j&#257. Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh, as says Bh&#257&#299 Santokh Si&#7749gh, <i>Sr&#299 Gur Prat&#257p S&#363raj Granth</i>, spoke to his mother, "Why should anyone resort to antagonism? I am not going to seize anyone's territory." Ra&#7751j&#299t Nag&#257r&#257 was usually beaten when Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh went out for the chase. The thunderous roll of Ra&#7751j&#299t Nag&#257r&#257 made R&#257j&#257 Bh&#299m Chand, R&#257j&#257 of Kahl&#363r, who was already jealous of the growing influence of Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh, panicky. He and later his son, Ajmer Chand, supported by other hill monarchs, attacked Anandpur and continued hostilities until Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh, under pressure of a prolonged siege, was forced to evacuate the fort in December 1705. History provides no clue, but in all probability Ra&#7751j&#299t Nag&#257r&#257 was left behind in Anandpur. However, kettledrum as such had become part of Sikh tradition, and it continues to be so till today. Almost every <i>gurdw&#257r&#257</i> now maintains a large kettledrum called <i>dhau&#7749s&#257</i> or <i>nag&#257r&#257</i>, which is beaten during <i>ard&#257s</i>, the supplicatory prayer, to punctuate certain lines and as a call for meals in the Gur&#363 k&#257 La&#7749gar.</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"> Kuir Si&#7749gh, <i>Gurbil&#257s P&#257tsh&#257h&#299 10</i>, ed. Shamsher Si&#7749gh Ashok. Patiala, 1968<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Park&#257sh Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>