GLOSSARY

adalti

A Judicial Officer

adi Granth

The Sikh Scripture; the full name is Adi Sri

Guru Granth Sahib ji

ahadnama

Agreement

akali

A member of the Akali or Nihang order of the

Sikhs Literally meaning 'an immortal

akhbar

News, News paper

akhbar-i-darbar-imualla

The Royal Mughal Court News

amir

A Nobel, a ruler.

amir-ul-umra

A Nobel of nobles, a noble of high order.

amrit

The Sikh boptism of the double edged sword

ardas

A prayer

ashrafi

A gold coin

avtar

A prophet

azan

A Muslim call for prayer.

akal-purakh

The one beyond time, The God.

akal takhat

The supreme authority seat of the Sikhs,

situated at Amritsar in front of Sri Darbar
Sahib

Takhat

Authority seat, there are five Takhats of the

Sikhs situated in the different regions of
India. These are: Sri Akal Takhat Sahib at
Amritsar, Takhat Sri Keshgarh Sahib at
Anandpur

Sahib,

Takhat

Sri

Damdama

Sahib at Talwandi Sabo (Bathinda), Takhat

Sri Patna Sahib (Bihar) and

Takhat Sri

Hazur Sahib Nanded (Mahharashtra)

amritdhari

An initiated member of the Khalsa Commonwealth or a Sikh who has been baptized

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amrit sanskar

The initiation (baptization) ceremony of the

Khalsa.

babaji

An elderly and respected person

bahadur

Brave, also a title of distinction

baisakhi

The first day of the month of Baisakh, an

important

festival

of

rural

Punjab,

celebrating the advent of harvesting season,

generally falling into the second week of April
banjara

A businessman, an itinerant trader

baoli

A well with stairs going down to the water.

bet

An area situated on the bank of a river

bhagat

Devotee of the God, a contributor to the Adi

Granth other then the Guru

bhagtia

A dancing boy.

bhai

Literally a brother and a title of sanctity and

respectability among the Sikhs

bhangi

Addicted

to

taking

bhang

or

hemp-an

intoxicant, also the name of a Sikh Misal in

18th Century.
bigha

An old measure of land equal to 4 Kanals

(equal to one thousand square yards) and in
certain areas equal to 2 Kanals. Its size
varies from region to region.

bir

Pasture, Jungle, forest

budha dal

An army of the Sikh veterans or the army of

the Sikh elders

bungah

A dwelling place or a store house attached to

a Sikh temple

budki

Gold ducats

beldar

A class of workmen employed in digging

bazaz

A cloth merchant

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baradari

Brotherhood

baran-dari

An open hall, a summer house with twelve

doors.

chadar

A sheet of cloth used to cover the body or the

bed

chadar pauna

A ceremony to marry a widow

chak

A Village

chauth

It was a payment which saved a place from

the unwelcome presence of the Maratha
soldiers and civil underlings under Shivaji

charpai

A cot

chaudhari

A chief person of the village, usually rich and

distinguished.

chhota ghallughara

A small holocaust occurred in 1746

chugan

A sort of Polo game

chobdar

A mace-bearer

chaprasi

a messenger, or other servent, so-called from

his wearing a chapras (a sort of buckle or
breast-plate), Peon.

chief Khalsa Diwan

A united cultural body of the Sikhs to

conduct the affairs of the Amritsar and
Lahore Singh Sabhas jointly

daftar

A register or a book, also an office

dal

A group of persons, a Sikh contingent

dal-Khalsa

The national army of the Sikhs during 18th

Century under the leadership of Jassa Singh
Ahluwalia

dargah

A mausoleum

dastar

A turban

deohri

An entrance to a house or building

derah/ dera

An abode, a camp

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dharamsala

A place of congregation.

dharam-yudh

A holy war

diwali

The Indian festival of Lights celebrated in

commemoration of the return of Lord Rama
from his exile and the release of Guru
Hargobind from the fort of Gwalior, usually
falling towards the end of October or in the
beginning of November.

diwan

The head of the finance department, a

finance officer

diwan-khana

An audience hall.

doab/doaba

A territory lying between two rivers, and in

the Punjab particularly the one between the
rivers, Satluj and Beas.

doshala

A double Shawl

durbar

A court, an audience hall, government.

daftri

One in charge of office records

dupatta

A piece of Linen in which there are two

breadths

darshan

Appearance of an eminent person, audience,

sacred object

degh tegh fateh

couldron,

sword,

victory',

permanent

slogan of the Khalsa

dhadhi

Village bard

faqir

A mendicant, a religious minded person

devoted to meditation

farman

A royal order

farzand-i-dilband

An enchanting or charming son, a little

conferred by the British government on Raja
Randhir Singh of Kapurthala Stata

faujdar

Literally an official who maintained troops

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for law and order, the administrator of a

Sarkar under the Mughals, a commander
farrash

A servant whose business is to spread the

carpets.

farangi

Foreigners, Englishmen, Britishers

five 'ks'

Five items of an Amritdhari Khalsa which

initiate with 'k' letter of Gurmukhi script
These

are: Kesh (hair), Kangha (comb),

Karha

(Steel

wrist

ring),

Kachhehra

(breeches which must not extend below the

knees. and Kirpan (Sword long or short).
These five items are necessary to wear by the
Khalsa.
gaddi

An elevated place for the Guru or a ruler to

sit on, throne, cushion, a seat of authority

garhi

A fortress

gharana

A house, a family

ghee

purified butter

giani/gyani

A learned man of Punjabi Language.

granth sahib

Literally a book but here used for Holy book

of the Sikhs Adi Sri Guru Granth Sahib

granthi

The reader or the reciter of the Guru Granth

Sahib of the Sikhs

groh-i-singhan

A group of contingent of the Sikhs, here used

for the Dal Khalsa

gur

Molasses

gurdwara

Sikh

Place

of

congregtion

with

the

presence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib

gurmata

A resolution passed in an assembly of the

Sarbat Khalsa in the presence of the holy
Guru Granth Sahib

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guru

A guide, preceptor, title of the founders of

Sikh religion, the Sikhs having a hierarchy of
ten Gurus

guru-gaddi

A seat of Guru's spiritual authority

guru-ghar

A Sikh place of congregation

golandaz

A gunner

ghari

ghat

A measure of time equal to twenty-five

minutes
ferry

garibi

poverty

got or gotra

sub-caste

gujar

a milk seller

gurbani

Compositions of the Gurus included in Guru

Granth Sahib

gurmat

The teachings of the Gurus

gurmukhi

Script of the Punjabi language invented by

the Gurus and used by the Gurmukhs.

gian

Knowledge

guru-panth

The Panth (baptized Khalsa) in its role as

Guru.

harem

Mohammadan

women's

dwelling

house,

female quarters, specially in the royal places

haarhi (rabi)

Summer harvest

Harimandir

The temple of God, the Golden Temple of

Amritsar.

haveli

A mansion, an elegant house of a chief.

hazari

Holder of a rank of one thousand

hola

Annual spring festival of colours

howdah

A seat on an elephant's back

hukam

The royal order, the warrant, an injunction

hukamnama

Letter of command, document containing a

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command or a request issued by the Gurus,

an order issued by Akal Takhat.
haumai

Self -centredness

halal

Flesh of an animal killed in accordance with

Muslim rituals.

id

A Muslim festival

id-ul-zuha

A Muslim festival which falls on the 16th day

of last month of Islamic Calendar. It is a
thanks giving celebration and animals are
sacrificed on the occasion

ilaka

A territory, an estate, jurisdiction.

imam

A Muslim preacher who leads prayer in the

mosque

izzat

prestige, honour, self-respect

jagir

An assignment of land or land revenue or a

fixed sum of money for services rendered or
to be rendered, an estate.

jagirdar

The holder of a Jagir

jama

A gown

jarmana jurmana

Fine, penalty

jatha

A group of baptized Sikhs

jathedar

Leader of the group of baptized Sikhs

jawan

A youngman, a soldier

jhiwar

A person belonging to a class of water

carriers, a water-man

jazailchi

a musketeer

jarrah

a surgeon

janamsakhi

life-stories of Guru Nanak written in a very

simplistic and in a dramatic way.

jatt/jaat

A section of Indian society which dominates

the rural areas in the Northern India. These

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people are mostly agriculturists.

jhatka

flesh of an animal killed with a single blow.

It is a Khalsa way of killing the animal

julaha

Weaver

kacchehra

Half trousers of Khalsa style.

kalghi

kambli

Blanket,

kankut

A method of assessment based on the

A small aigrette plume.

appraisal of the standing crops.

karah parshad

Sacred

pudding

distributed

in

the

Gurdwaras
kardar

An officer incharge of the revenue and local

administration of a Pargana or taluqa

katra

a section of a bazar

khalsa-land

The Land held or administered directly by

the sovereign

khillat

A robe of honour

kos

An old measure of roads, distance of about

four kilometres.

kot

surrounding wall of a city or a complex or a

house.

kotwal

A police officer in charge of a Kotwali, a

thana or a police station.

kuran

The sacred book of the Muslims

kumedan

A unior officer in the army of Maharaja

Ranjit Singh.

khes

A kind of cloth, a sheet or wrapper

kangn

A bracelet

kantha

A neckless

kanat

Wall of a tent, a screen.

kachhehri

A court of Justice

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kalal

Distiller. Those Kalals who have adopted

Sikhism are called Ahluwalias

kanphat yogi

Split-ear yogi, follower of Gorakhath and

adherent of the Nath tradition

kismat

The destiny, the fate of an individual

kesahdhai

A Sikh who retains the Kesh (uncut hair)

khalsa

religious

order

established

by

Guru

Gobind Singh in 1699. A baptized Sikh.

khande di pahul

Amrit prepared by the two edged sword

khangah

A Muslim religious establishment

khatri

A mercantile caste of Punjab

kirtan

Musical singing of hymns of Guru Granth

Sahib

kuka

Member of the Namdhari sect of the Sikhs.

kurehit

One of the four cardinal infringements of the

rehat in Sikhism.

kuttha

Meat from an animal killed in a Muslim way.

langar

Common and free Kithen attached to every

Gurdwara from which food is served to all
regardless of caste or creed.

lohri

A winter festival of India which falls on the

night between the last day of Poh and the
first day of Maagh.

lota

a pot

lohar

Blacksmith caste

mahabat

An elephant driver

mahant

A Priest of a Dera

maharaja

The great King, the King of Kings, a ruler

and a sovereign ruler

mata

An elderly lady

majha

Literally the middle land of the two rivers,

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usually referring to the territory between

Ravi and Bieas rivers of the Punjab.
malwa

Land of the Malwaies or Malois usually

referring to the territory between the Satluj
and Ghaggar rivers.

manji

Literally a cot. A Sikh preaching-centre

established by Guru Amar Das.

masand

Gurus agent who preached Sikhism

matta

A resolution

maund

An old unit of weight of 40 seers.

mir

An army leader or a general

misal

A unit of Dal Khalsa which was organized on

the Baiskhi day, 1748.

misaldar

Chief of a Misal

mohri

A trunk of wood

morcha

An agitation against the government

mufti

Pronouncer of fatwa or verdict according to

Muslim law

mukhtiar

An agent, an accredited representative

mulla

A Muslim teacher who imparts Islamic

teachings

munshi

A Scribe, a writer

muqadam

A village headman

mutsaddi

An accountant, a clerk.

mullan

A Muhammadan priest

mazhabi/chuhra

A low caste Sikh

mehrab

The niche in a mosque which indicates the

direction of the Kabah in Mecca.

miri-piri

Doctrine that Guru Hargobind Sahib (The

Sixth Guru of the Sikhs) instituted. Miri
means temporal power and Piri means the

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spiritual authority
mlechh

barbarian, the term used by Punjabi's for the

Muslims who came as invadors.

murshid

The head of a Muslim religious order

nakhas

A horse market

nawab

A title of high authority

nazar

An offering to a superior or a holy person

nazarana

A tribute from a tributary or a dependant on

a regular basis or an special occasions.

nazim

The governor of a province

neonda

nishan sahib

A collection of gifts in cash at the time of

marriage
A pole carrying Sikh emblem (flag)

nit-name

The Sikh daily liturgy

nizamat

Local government

nazim

The term denotes an officer employed in a

Judicial court

nagarchi

One who beats a kettle-drum

nanakshahi

Standard currency of the Sikh Government

nai

Barber by caste

naam

The

divine

name,

summary

term

expressing the total being of Akal-Purakh

namaaz

Muslim Prayer

namdhari

A member of Kuka sect

naam-japana

Devoutly repeating the divine Name

naam-simran

The same as naan-japana. The devotional

practice of meditating on the divine name or
naam

nanak-panthi

The followers of Guru Nanak, the early Sikh

community.

nath-traditions

The belief of Gorakh Nath.

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nirankar

The formless being, the God of Sikh concept.

nirmala

A Sikh sect started from the times of Guru

Gobind Singh.

pagri

A turban

pahul

Sikh amrit or initiation

palki

A palanquin

panch

A representative of the people, a member of

the village Panchayat.

panchayat

A village court of arbitration consisting of

five or more members. It was the lowest rung
in the hierarchy of Indian administration.

pangat

A row

in

a Sikh Langar

without

any

consideration of a caste or creed.

panj piaras

Five beloved ones created by Guru Gobind

Singh.

panth

The baptized Sikh community.

pargana

A unit of Mughal administration equal to the

present district (roughly).

patan

A crossing place in the river.

patka/keshki

Head covered by a small piece of turban.

pir

A spiritual guide among the Muslims.

pirhi

Literally a sort of comfortable stool for the

preacher to sit on.

pothi

small

book,

particularly

containing

scriptures.
pranayam

A practice of stopping breath.

pucci garhi

A fortress built with stones and bricks

pujari

A priest, a worshipper

purbiya

A term applied to the residents of Hindustan

proper. At present it represents the Bihari
migrants.

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patwari

A revenue official in a village who keeps the

account of the land and its revenue

peshkar

A chief clerk or a chief Munshi

parwana

A written order or requisition

pao or paia

One fourth of Ser (Kilogram).

pajama

Trousers

pahredar

Watchmen or guards

pehar

A division of time being the forth part of the

natural day and night. A day is divided into
two Pehars i.e., forenoon or after-noon.

dopehar

Noon

prampra

Tradition. The account which has been

written on the basis of oral tradition.

paatth

patit

A lesson, a reading of Sikh scripture

A Sikh who commits one of the four cardinal
(Kurehat) sins. A defaulter Sikh.

pauri

Stanza of a Vaar

puratan

A written account belonging to an older

times. The Puratan Janamsakhi.

qanungo

A keeper of the revenue records at the

Pargana or Taaluqa level

qaum

A community

qazi

judge,

an

official

appointed

by

the

government to administer civil and criminal

justice.
qila

A fort

qiladar

Incharge of the fort

rehat

A code of conduct

raj

A kingdom, a government

raja

A ruler, a prince, a title of high rank in the

Kings court.

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raja-i-rajgan

A little of a senior-most wazir in King's court

rakhi

Protection, an amount realised in return for

protection

rani

Queen, a ruler's wife

rukhsat

Leave

razinama

Lit., an agreement, a note of good will

rehatnama

A manual of Rehat

raj karega khalsa

The Khalsa shall rule.

ravidasia/chamar

A Sikh belonging to the caste of leather

dressers.

ramgaria/tarkahan

A Sikh belonging to the caste of carpenters

sacha padshah

A true or spiritual king, usually used by the

Sikhs for their Gurus

sadhu

An ascetic

saif

A sword

samadh

A mausoleum

sanad

An official document or a certificate.

sangat

Congregation, a holy assembly of the Sikhs

sarbat khalsa

A representative assembly of all sections of

Sikh community.

sardar

A leader, a chief, a commander, A form of

address for the Sikhs

sarkar

An

administrative

unit

bigger

than

pargana, roughly like a present day district.

sarkar-i-wala

A ruler, a title of distinction.

sarovar

A tank

sati

A wife who burns herself on the funeral pyre

of her dead husband, self immolation.

sawar

A horseman, a military rank, a cavalier, a

trooper

serai

An inn.

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sewa

Service free of any remuneration or wages

shahid

A martyr

shahi samadhan

Royal mausoleums

shahidi jatha

A group prepared to undergo any sacrifices

shahukar

A banker, a money lender

shukrana

A present of thanks-giving.

Sikh

A follower of Sikhism.

suba

A province, a division of a kingdom or an

Empire.

subedar

The governor of a province

sukhmani

Psalm of Peace, a Bani of Guru Arjan Dev Ji

sultan-ul-qaum

Badshah, a king

shivala

A Hindu temple

sawari

A term of respect used for a high officials

riding a hourse, elephant or some other
suitable conveyance.

sarwarna

An offering intended to be given away as

alms for the good of some one.

sarishtadar

A clerk in immediate personal attendance of

an officer (generally a judicial officer).

salam

A mode of salutation

sadh

A Hindu saint

shabad

A hymn of Adi Granth

sabha

Society, Association.

sehajdhari

A Sikh who adopts Sikhism in a slow

process. A slow-adopter of Sikhism.

sant

A pious person. One who Knows the truth.

sant-sipahai

A Saint-Soldier. An ideal Sikh who combines

a qualities of a sanit and a soldier in himself.

shariat

Muslim religious law.

silsilah

A Sufi lineage of islam

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singh sabha

A Sikh Reform Movement started in 1873.

salok

A stanza of Adi Granth

sufi

A member of one of the Muslim mystical

orders.

taaluqa

A revenue administrative unit.

tabedar

A follower completely subservient to his

chief.

tarikh/twarikh

History

taruna dal

A contingent or an army of the young Sikhs

tehsildar

An officer in charge of a Tehsil ( a unit of

revenue administration)

thana

A police station

thanedar

An officer in charge of a thana

theh

A deserted place.

tila

A hillock, a dune

top

gun

toshekhana

A store room, a ward robe, a chamber in

which objects of value or rare articles are
kept

takhat

Authority seat, There are five Takhats of the

Khalsa commonwealth.

taksal

mint, a sect of the Sikhs named Damdami

Taksal.

talib

a seeker

tankhah

A penance for a violation of the Khalsa rehat

tankhahia

a transgressor against the rehat

tarkhan

A caste of carpenters also called Thoka and

Ramgarhia

tat khalsa

That group of the Khalsa who betrayed

Banda

Singh

Bahadur

and

Joined

the

Mughal government in the early decades of

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eighteenth century.
tazkira

Collections of biographical anecdotes.

udasi

Missionary journey a Sikh sect founded by

Baba Sri Chand

uprajparmukh

Deputy Governor of PEPSU

vakil

An ambassador, an agent or a representative.

vaheguru

praise to the Guru, a sikh name of God

vaar

A poetic form

varna

The Hindu caste hierarchy or a division of

society.

wada ghallughara

A big holocaust of the Sikhs which occurred

in 1762

wazir

A counsellor of a state, a minister.

wilayati

The term is applied to those who are of the

foreign country; in the book it denotes the
merchants from central Asia.

yama

An angel of death

yogi

An ascetic

yudh

A war.

zamburk

A camel battery

zamindar

A landlord, proprietor or an occupant of land

zamzama

Name of a gun

zanana

A harem, female quarter specially in the

royal palaces

zambura

A small gun, a swivel

ziyaft

Entertainment.

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