ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>S&#256HIB SI&#7748GH BED&#298 B&#256B&#256 (1756-1834)</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="SHIB,SIDGH,BED*,BB,Person,Person"> <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">&#65279S&#256HIB SI&#7748GH BED&#298, B&#256B&#256 (1756-1834), tenth in direct descent from Gur&#363 N&#257nak, was much revered in Sikh times for his piety as well as for his martial prowess. He was born at &#7692er&#257 B&#257b&#257 N&#257nak, Gurd&#257spur district on Chet <i>sud&#299</i> 5, 1813 Bk/5 April 1756. Around 1770, his parents B&#257b&#257 Aj&#299t Si&#7749gh and M&#257t&#257 Sar&#363p&#257&#7749 Dev&#299, shifted from &#7692er&#257 B&#257b&#257 N&#257nak to &#362n&#257, a town now in Him&#257chal Pradesh in the &#346iv&#257lik foothills, where the family held extensive <i>j&#257g&#299rs</i>. As a young boy, S&#257hib Si&#7749gh studied the Sikh sacred texts and had training in the use of arms. On the death of his father in Calcutta in 1773, S&#257hib Si&#7749gh succeeded to the ancestral estate. He became widely reputed for his religious learning and devotees flocked to his magnificently-built fortress at &#362n&#257 to listen to his discourses. A charisma grew around his person and it was considered a signal honour to receive <i>p&#257hul</i> or the Sikh initiatory rite at his hands. At the same time, he became the arbiter of political feuds among the <i>m&#299sld&#257rs</i>, then engaged in occupying territories in parts of the Punjab. The <i>sard&#257rs</i> settled upon him grants of lands and he came to acquire great influence in the Jalandhar Do&#257b and the M&#257jh&#257 region.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In 1794, he led a punitive campaign against the Af<u>gh</u>&#257n ruler, At&#257 Ull&#257h <u>Kh</u>&#257n, of M&#257lerko&#7789l&#257. T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh <u>Gh</u>aib&#257, Baghel Si&#7749gh and Bha&#7749g&#257 Si&#7749gh of Th&#257nesar joined forces with him in this expedition. But Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257, N&#257bh&#257, J&#299nd and Kals&#299&#257 troops intervened on behalf of 'At&#257 Ull&#257h <u>Kh</u>&#257n and S&#257hib Si&#7749gh withdrew after receiving a war indemnity. In 1798, helped by the forces of T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh, Gurdit Si&#7749gh and Jodh Si&#7749gh, he attacked R&#257i lliy&#257s, of R&#257iko&#7789, about 40 km from Ludhi&#257&#7751&#257. He occupied Jagr&#257o&#7749, D&#257kh&#257 and Baddov&#257l, and then advanced towards Ludhi&#257&#7751&#257 and Mans&#363r&#257&#7749 and took both these places. A <i>gurdw&#257r&#257</i> in the village of Akh&#257&#7771&#257 (Ludhi&#257&#7751&#257 district) commemorates his victory. During Sh&#257h Zam&#257n's invasion of northern India (1796-98), S&#257hib Si&#7749gh spearheaded Sikh resistance. When on 7 July 1799, the young Sukkarchakk&#299&#257 chief Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh took possession of Lahore, S&#257hib Si&#7749gh threw his weight on his side and helped him to vanquish Gul&#257b Si&#7749gh Bha&#7749g&#299 in the battle of Bhas&#299n in March 1800.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;At the time of Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh's coronation at Lahore on 11 April 1801, B&#257b&#257 S&#257hib Si&#7749gh placed the <i>tilak</i> or mark of sovereignty on his forehead. In 1807, he helped to settle a long standing dispute between the rulers of N&#257bh&#257 and Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257. He was also instrumental in arranging a meeting between S&#257hib Si&#7749gh of Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 and Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh at Lakhnaur in November 1808, when they entered into a bond of mutual fraternity by exchanging turbans. He accompanied Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh on several of his military expeditions. Later in his life, B&#257b&#257 S&#257hib Si&#7749gh devoted himself entirely to preaching Gur&#363 N&#257nak&#8217s word. He travelled extensively in the Po&#7789hoh&#257r, M&#257jh&#257 and M&#257lv&#257 regions and wherever he went people thronged in large numbers to see him and to pay homage to him. B&#257b&#257 S&#257hib Si&#7749gh died at &#362n&#257 on 17 July 1834.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Sobh&#257 R&#257m, <i> Gur-Bil&#257s S&#257hib Si&#7749gh Bed&#299</i>. Ed. Gurmukh Si&#7749gh.Patiala,1988<BR> <li class="C1"> Griffin, Lepel, and C.E Massy, <i>Chiefs and Families of Note in the Punjab</i>. Lahore,1890<BR> <li class="C1"> Khushwant Singh, <i>Ranjit Singh : Maharajah of the Punjab</i>. Bombay,1962<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">R&#257jinder Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>