ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>SHUDDHI SABH&#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="SHUDDHI,SABH"> <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">&#65279SHUDDHI SABH&#256, a society working in the closing years of the nineteenth century primarily for the reconversion to Sikhism of those proselytized into Christianity or Islam, was established in 1893. Christian proselytization had started with the advent of British rule in the Punjab with official encouragement. Though the rate was never alarming, the local religious communities were becoming increasingly self-conscious. The Sikh response had materialized in the shape of the Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257. That the Sikhs were the main target is clear from the valedictory instructions given to the first batch of misssionaries of the Church of England appointed to the Punjab in 1852."A few hopeful instances," they were told, "lead us to believe that the Sikhs may prove more accessible to scriptural truths than the Hindus and the Muhammedans&#8230. The principal mission centre was set up at Amritsar, the religious capital of the Sikhs. Converts steadily came from amongst Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims. To reclaim such of them as had converted to Christianity, the Muslims formed associations like Him&#257yat-i-Isl&#257m. Orthodox Hinduism does not permit readmission of the apostates, and it was not till the rise of the &#256rya Sam&#257j that reconversion of <i>shuddh&#299</i> was encouraged. The Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 was not averse to reclaiming converts, but its focus was mainly on religious reform and education. Specifically for reconversion a separate Ja&#7789&#7789 Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 was formed at Lahore by Bh&#257&#299 Uttam Si&#7749gh and Bh&#257&#299 Nih&#257l Si&#7749gh Jam&#257d&#257r. Some other Sikhs individually cooperated with the &#256rya Sam&#257jists in their efforts at reconversion. A broad-based organization came into existence only when Dr Jai Si&#7749gh (1856-1898), who had not long before set up as a chemist in Lahore, established on 17 April 1893 the Shuddh&#299 Sabh&#257, with representatives from the Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257, Ja&#7789&#7789 Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257, &#256rya Sam&#257j, San&#257tan Dharam Sabh&#257, and Pa&#7751&#7693it Sabh&#257. Its first president was Sard&#257r Basant Si&#7749gh, vice-president L&#257l&#257 Dilb&#257<u>gh</u> R&#257i Ba<u>kh</u>sh&#299 and secretary Sard&#257r Mehar Si&#7749gh Ch&#257wl&#257. By August 1893, its membership had risen to 70.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Under the constitution of the Sabh&#257, <i>shuddh&#299</i> meant conversion or reconversion of one from Christianity or Islam to Sikh--- or Hindu -- faith. Like converts, <i>patits</i>, i.e. fallen ones guilty of a major <i>kurahit</i> or breach of religious discipline, were readmitted into the Sikh faith. If a Hindu wanted to enter the Sikh fold and was willing to observe <i>rahit</i> or the code of the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257, he was to be administered <i>kha&#7751&#7693e d&#299 p&#257hul</i>, <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 rites by the double-edged sword. If any new entrant was not yet prepared to adopt the Sikh discipline, he was, as a first step, administered <i>charan p&#257hul</i>, or initiation by sanctified water, to become a <i>sahajdh&#257r&#299</i> (gradualist) Sikh declaring himself a follower of the Sikh Gur&#363s and of no other religion.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The main force behind the activities of the Shuddh&#299 Sabh&#257 was Dr Jai Si&#7749gh. In Bais&#257kh 1953 Bk/April-May 1896, he established a journal in Punjabi called <i>Shuddh&#299 Patra <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 Dharam Prak&#257shak</i>. A large number of converts were brought back into the Sikh fold through the initiative of Shuddh&#299 Sabh&#257. But the death on 9 June 1898 of its founder, Dr Jai Si&#7749gh, tolled its knell. Both the Sabh&#257 and its journal folded up soon afterwards.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Jagj&#299t Si&#7749gh, <i>Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 Lahir</i>. Ludhiana,1974<BR> <li class="C1"><i>Shuddh&#299 Patra Kh&#257ls&#257 Dharam Prak&#257shak</i>. April-May 1896 and January-February 1897<BR> <li class="C1"><i>V&#299r Sudh&#257r Pattar arth&#257t Sr&#299 Gur&#363 Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 Bhasau&#7771 de A&#7789hme te Naume Sal&#257ne D&#299v&#257n d&#257 Si&#7789&#7789&#257</i>. Bhasau&#7771, 1903<BR> <li class="C1"> Harbans Singh, <i>The Heritage of the Sikhs</i>. Delhi, 1983<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Jagj&#299t Si&#7749gh <br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>