ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>TATT KH&#256LS&#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="TATT"> <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">&#65279TATT <u>KH</u>&#256LS&#256, lit. the Real or Pure <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257, as against the followers of Band&#257 Si&#7749gh Bah&#257dur who came to be called Banda&#299 <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257, was one of the factions in the schism which arose among the Sikhs after the passing away of Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh. Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh, while sending Band&#257 Si&#7749gh to the Punjab in 1708 to lead the Sikhs, had abolished the line of living Gur&#363s bequeathing spiritual gur&#363ship to Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib. Band&#257 Si&#7749gh in the flush of initial victories made some innovations which appeared heretical to the orthodox <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257. Instead of the Sikh salutation of "V&#257higur&#363 J&#299 k&#257 <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257, V&#257higur&#363 J&#299 k&#299 Fateh" he introduced "Fateh Darshan"; discarding the traditional blue dress of the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 warriors he adopted garments of red colour; and, what hurt the Sikhs most, he allowed his followers to treat him as <i>Gur&#363</i>. Many Sikhs led by the veteran Binod Si&#7749gh and his son, K&#257hn Si&#7749gh, parted company with Band&#257 Si&#7749gh during his last defensive battle against the imperial army. They called themselves Tatt <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257, "ready" <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257. Band&#257 Si&#7749gh was put to death at Delhi in June 1716, but the schism persisted.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;With the assassination of Emperor Farrukh-S&#299yar in 1719, persecution of the Sikhs slackened somewhat and they began to gather occasionally at Amritsar. The differences between the two groups increased with the Banda&#299 <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 claiming 50 per cent of the income from offerings at the shrines and the Tatt <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 refuting the claim as entirely baseless. When this state of affairs was brought to the notice of M&#257t&#257 Sundar&#299 at Delhi, she despatched Bh&#257&#299 Man&#299 Si&#7749gh with six other Sikhs for the management of the Darb&#257r S&#257hib at Amritsar, and enjoined that the entire income should be spent on Gur&#363 k&#257 La&#7749gar. Matters came to a head on the occasion of Bais&#257kh&#299 in 1721 when the Band&#257is made fortifications around their camp and prepared for a confrontation. However, on Bh&#257&#299 Man&#299 Si&#7749gh's mediation both parties agreed to seek guidance from the Gur&#363. Two slips of paper, one with the words "V&#257h&#299gur&#363 J&#299 k&#257 <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257, V&#257h&#299gur&#363 J&#299 k&#299 Fateh," written on it and the other with the words "Fateh Darshan", were dropped into the sacred pool. Whichever slip came up on the surface first was to indicate the Gur&#363's verdict. It so happened that the slip Bearing "V&#257higur&#363 J&#299 k&#299 Fateh" surfaced first. Many Banda&#299s bowed their heads and came over to the camp of the Tatt <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257, but some questioned the propriety of the procedure adopted. It was then decided to settle the issue through a wrestling bout. The bout was held in front of the Ak&#257l Ta<u>kh</u>t between M&#299r&#299 Si&#7749gh, son of B&#257b&#257 K&#257hn Si&#7749gh, leader of the Tatt <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257, and Sa&#7749gat Si&#7749gh, son of Lahaur&#257 Si&#7749gh Banda&#299. M&#299ri Si&#7749gh won and the Tatt <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 was again declared the winner. The bulk of the Banda&#299 Sikhs joined the Tatt <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 and a few who remained adamant were driven away. Although the name of the sect, Tatt <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257, became redundant thereafter, the words continued to be used especially in the Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 days, to denote Sikhs fully committed and ever prepared for action on behalf of the community. This was in contrast to <i>&#7693hilla&#7771</i> (Sikhs) connoting indolent, passive or ineffectual.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Gand&#257 Si&#7749gh, <i>Life of Banda Si&#7749gh Bahadur</i>. Amritsar, 1935<BR> <li class="C1"> Harbans Singh, <i>The Heritage of the Sikhs</i>. Delhi, 1983<BR> <li class="C1"> Gi&#257n Si&#7749gh, Gi&#257n&#299, <i>Panth Prak&#257sh</i>. Delhi, 1880<BR> <li class="C1"> Bha&#7749g&#363, Ratan Si&#7749gh, <i>Pr&#257ch&#299n Panth Prak&#257sh</i>. Amritsar, 1912<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Sudarshan Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>