ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>SIKL&#298GAR SIKHS</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="SIKL*GAR,SIKHS"> <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">&#65279SIKL&#298GAR SIKHS constitute that section of <i>loh&#257rs</i> or ironsmiths who once specialized in the craft of making and polishing weapons. <i>Sikl&#299gar</i> is derived from Persian <i>saql</i>, lit. polishing, furnishing, making bright (a sword), the term <i>saqlgar</i> meaning a polisher of swords. In medieval India, Sikl&#299gars were in great demand for manufacturing spears, swords, shields and arrows. Some of them later learnt even to make matchlocks, muskets, cannon and guns. Traditionally treated as of a low caste, Sikl&#299gars first came in contact with Sikhism during the time of Gur&#363 Hargobind (1595-1644) who had initiated the practice of arms among Sikhs. The advent of modern weapons and industrial technology has hit the Sikl&#299gars hard economically. Engaged in the pursuit of an obsolete occupation, they are now a poor and backward people forming one of the scheduled castes as defined under the Indian Constitution. Also known as <i>g&#257&#7693&#7693&#299-loh&#257rs</i> they roam about in small groups carrying their meagre possessions on specially designed carts (<i>g&#257&#7693&#7693&#299</i>, in north Indian dialects) and making and selling small articles like knives, sickles, betel-nut cutters, sieves, locks, buckets and toys which they manufacture from waste-metal. The influence of Sikhism is still clearly discernible in the dress and social customs of some of the Sikl&#299gars. The males, especially those of the older generation, wear their hair long. Their women-folk wear <i>salv&#257r</i> (loose trousers) and <i>kam&#299z</i> (shirt) like Punjabi women or <i>lahi&#7749g&#257</i> (skirt) and <i>chol&#299</i> (bodice) like R&#257jasth&#257n&#299 women, but the use of <i>dhot&#299</i> and <i>s&#257&#7771&#299</i> is rare. The newly born child is on the fourth day administered <i>amrit</i> by five Sikhs; relatives and friends assemble in <i>sa&#7749gat</i> where <i>ka&#7771&#257h pras&#257d</i> is distributed. A special share of <i>ka&#7771&#257h pras&#257d</i> is sent to any member who keeps the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib or any breviary of <i>gurb&#257&#7751&#299</i> at home. Sikl&#299gar Sikhs of Central and South India have great faith in Ta<u>kh</u>t Sachkha&#7751&#7693 Sr&#299 Haz&#363r S&#257hib at N&#257nde&#7693, which they visit regularly. On the annual Ta<u>kh</u>t <i>ishn&#257n</i> (lit. bath ceremony) at the Ta<u>kh</u>t S&#257hib, it is the special privilege of Sikl&#299gar Sikhs to clean and oil the old weapons preserved there as sacred relics.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1">Rose, H.A., ed., <i>A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province</i>. Lahore, 1911-19<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Nirvair Si&#7749gh Arsh&#299<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>