ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>SR&#298 GUR&#362 HITK&#256RN&#298 SI&#7748GH 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="SR*,GURj,HITKRN*,SIDGH,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">&#65279SR&#298 GUR&#362 HITK&#256RN&#298 SI&#7748GH SABH&#256, a splinter group of the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 D&#299w&#257n, Lahore, came into existence during the early period of the Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 movement for reasons partly ideological and partly personal. The <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 D&#299w&#257n, Lahore, itself had separated from its parent set-up at Amritsar for similar reasons. Dissension marked its very first meeting held on 11 April 1886 when B&#257v&#257 Nih&#257l Si&#7749gh and D&#299w&#257n B&#363&#7789&#257 Si&#7749gh were expelled from it, the former for his advocacy in his book <i><u>Kh</u>ursh&#299d-i-<u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257</i> of the restoration of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Duleep Si&#7749gh to the throne of the Punjab, and the latter for the publication of the Punjabi translation of Major Evan Bell's <i>The Annexation of the Punjab and Maharaja Duleep Si&#7749gh</i>, again espousing the cause of the deposed prince. The policy of the pioneers of the Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 movement was to keep aloof from politics, and never to criticize the British government. Since their publications went against the government, B&#257v&#257 Nih&#257l Si&#7749gh and D&#299w&#257n B&#363&#7789&#257 Si&#7749gh rendered themselves liable to the drastic penalty. But the action against them embittered the feelings of their supporters. D&#299w&#257n B&#363&#7789&#257 Si&#7749gh, who owned the <i>&#256ft&#257b-i-Punjab</i> paper as well as the printing press having the same name, was a man of influence in Lahore society. The difference came to a head when, on 31 October 1887 the N&#257nak Panth Park&#257sh Sabh&#257, celebrating its seventh anniversary at Gurdw&#257r&#257 Janam Asth&#257n, Lahore, displayed a garlanded portrait of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Duleep Si&#7749gh by the side of Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib. Bh&#257&#299 Jaw&#257hir Si&#7749gh, secretary of Sr&#299 Gur&#363 Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257, Lahore, took exception to what he said was an act of sacrilege as well as an act against the government.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He especially criticized Bh&#257&#299 Basant Si&#7749gh, vice-president of the Lahore Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257, who also held an important office in the N&#257nak Panth Park&#257sh Sabh&#257.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In those days, a defamation case was going on in the civil court against Gi&#257n&#299 Ditt Si&#7749gh, another leading figure of the Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 movement, for the publication in the <i><u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 A<u>kh</u>bar</i> supplement, dated16 April 1887, of a part of <i>Svapan N&#257&#7789ak</i>, or dream play, a thinly-veiled satire on the leaders of the rival <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 D&#299w&#257n, Amritsar. A part of the expenses for the defendant in the long-drawn suit had been borne by the Lahore Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257. When the accounts were audited in 1888, Bh&#257&#299 Basant Si&#7749gh passed strictures against the secretary, Bh&#257&#299 Jaw&#257hir Si&#7749gh, and others of his group for alleged misuse of the Sabh&#257's funds. Mutual recriminations continued and in September 1888, Bh&#257&#299 Sant Si&#7749gh and Bh&#257&#299 Basant Si&#7749gh, president and vice-president respectively, resigned from the Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 and formed an association named Sr&#299 Gur&#363 Hitk&#257rn&#299 Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 based in Lahore. Sant Si&#7749gh became its president and Basant Si&#7749gh vice-president, with Mehar Si&#7749gh Ch&#257wl&#257, a rich merchant of Lahore, as secretary. D&#299w&#257n B&#363&#7789&#257 Si&#7749gh and his paper, the <i>&#256ft&#257b-i-Punjab</i>, backed the new organization which also had the support of Amritsar <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 D&#299w&#257n.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The aims and objects of Sr&#299 Gur&#363 Hitk&#257rn&#299 Sabh&#257 remained the same as those of Sr&#299 Gur&#363 Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257, Lahore. Among them could be counted (a) celebration of Sikh festivals and anniversaries and restoration of the true rites, practices and doctrines of Sikhism ; and (b) spread of education among the Sikh masses by opening schools, publishing newspapers, books and pamphlets, and propagation of Punjabi in the Gurmukh&#299 script. The Hitk&#257rn&#299 Sabh&#257, which received liberal financial aid from Mehar Si&#7749gh Ch&#257wl&#257, devoted itself especially to the renovation of the <i>gurdw&#257r&#257s</i>, to activities for the promotion of Sikh teaching and of Gurmukh&#299 letters, and free distribution of breviaries containing hymns from the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib. The Hitk&#257rn&#299 Sabh&#257 supported the <i>shuddh&#299</i> or proselytization movement of Dr Jai Si&#7749gh, though the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 D&#299w&#257n, Amritsar, opposed it and was averse to according equal status in Sikh society to converts from among Muslims and low-caste Hindus. On the question of the location of the proposed <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 College, the Hitk&#257rn&#299 Sabh&#257 sided with the Amritsar <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 D&#299w&#257n. Both favoured Amritsar. Unlike the Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257, Lahore, and the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 D&#299w&#257n, Lahore, Hitk&#257rn&#299 Sabh&#257 applauded the enterprise of R&#257j&#257 Bikram Si&#7749gh of Far&#299dko&#7789 to have a commentary on the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib prepared by a synod of scholars. Its representatives, in fact, joined the Amritsar <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 D&#299w&#257n deputation that called on the ailing R&#257j&#257 on 10 February 1894 at Far&#299dko&#7789 to offer prayers for his speedy recovery and to make suggestions for a revision of the draft of the commentary. The following year, 1895, however, witnessed a rapproachement and ultimate reunion and amalgamation of the Hitk&#257rn&#299 Sabh&#257 with the Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257, Lahore. At a meeting of the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 College Council at Amritsar in March 1895, Bh&#257&#299 Mayy&#257 Si&#7749gh, secretary of the Sr&#299 Gur&#363 Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257, Lahore, bitterly attacked Bh&#257&#299 Gurmukh Si&#7749gh, an influential figure in the college affairs, on the question of recruitment of staff and allocation of scholarships. Bh&#257&#299 Basant Si&#7749gh, also a member of the council, joined hands with him in the attack. This incidental alliance paved the way to a closer understanding between the two and the societies they led merged together to form a united Sr&#299 Gur&#363 Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257, Lahore.</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><u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 A<u>kh</u>b&#257r</i>. Lahore, 24 November and 7 December 1888<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Jagj&#299t Si&#7749gh <br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>