577. How did Baba Dayal get married ?

Baba Dayal got married in March 1808 (Chet) at Bhera to the daughter of Bhai Charan Dass Kapur. It was the month of Chet which, according to Brahamanical cult, is inauspicious and hence no Pandit would agree to perform the ceremony. Baba Dayal hit upon a new idea of a new and revolutionary type of marriage. Shabads and Anand Sahib was recited and Ardas was done for the success of this "Anand Marriage".

578. When did Baba Dayal die ?

Baba Dayal died on 30th January, 1855.

579. Who succeeded Baba Dayal ?

Baba Dayal appointed his eldest son, Baba Darbara Singh to succeed him.

580. What was Baba Darbara Singh's contribution to the reform of the "Anand Marriage" ?

On March 13, 1855, Baba Darbara Singh called a conference of his followers at the Nirankari darbar at Rawalpindi. Here a young couple was united in wedlock by the Anand Marriage by circumambulating the Guru Granth Sahib four times with the tunes of the hymns. Thereafter four 'Lavan' composed by Guru Ram Das Ji and shabads were recited. In history, this may be said to be the first "Anand Marriage".

581. Who started the Namdhari Movement (also known as Kuka Movement) ?

The founder was Bhai Balak Singh of Hazro but his follower Baba Ram Singh Namdhari gave it a more positive orientation.

582. When was Baba Ram Singh born ?

Baba Ram Singh was born on February 3, 1816.

586. How many Kukas (Namdharis) were blown from the guns ?

Sixty-five Kukas were unjustifiably blown from the guns by the British Government in India on January 17-18, 1872, when they decided to march against the butchers of Maler-Kotla.

587. When and where did Baba Ram Singh die ?

Baba Ram Singh was deported to Rangoon where he died on November 29, 1884.

588. Who was the originator of Singh Sabha at Amritsar ?

Sardar Thakur Singh Sandhawalia of Raja Sansi was the originator of Singh Sabha at Amritsar in 1873. He was the president of the society and Giani Gian Singh the secretary. (Other prominent Sikhs like Baba Khem Singh Bedi and Kanwar Bikram Singh were involved too, but he was the moving spirit of the body.)

589. What were the main objectives of the Singh Sabha ?

The Singh Sabha mainly undertook to:

• Restore Sikhism to it's pristine purity;

• Edit and publish historical and religious books;

• Propagate current knowledge, using Punjabi as the medium, and to start magazines and newspapers in Punjabi;

• Reform and bring back into the Sikh fold the apostates; and

• Interest the highlyplaced Englishmen, in and ensure their association with, the educational program of Sikhs.

590. When was the second Singh Sabha established ?

The second Singh Sabha was established in Lahore in 1879, with Dewan Boota Singh and Professor Gurmukh Singh as President and Secretary.

591. What was the Singh Sabha at Amritsar renamed to ?

The Amritsar Singh Sabha became the central organization and other Singh Sabha's became associated with it. It's name was changed to Khalsa Diwan. Baba Khem Singh Bedi became the President and Professor Gurmukh Singh it's chief Secretary.

592. When was the Khalsa Diwan at Lahore established ?

Professor Gurmukh Singh founded the Khalsa Diwan of Lahore in 1886.

593. What was the name of the newspaper started by the Khalsa Diwan, Lahore ?

A newspaper called the "Khalsa Akhbar" was started by the Khalsa Diwan, with Bhai Dit Singh as it's editor.

594. Name some important works of Bhai Kahan Singh of Nabha ?

Bhai Kahan Singh was a great scholar of Sikh literature. Some of his important works are:

• Ham Hindu Nahin

• Gurmat Prabhakar

• Gurmat Sudhakar

• Encyclopedia of Sikh Literature (this was his magnum opus).