SKETCH OF THE SIKHS. 253 



which is held at that sacred place, and which deliberates under all the in- 

 fluence of religious enthusiasm. 



The Acdlis* are a class of »Sz^A devotees ; who, agreeably to the his- 

 torians of that nation, were first founded by Gu'iiu' Govind, whose 

 Institutes, as it has been before stated, they most zealously defended 

 against the innovations of the Bairdgi Banda. They wear blue chequer- 

 ed clothes, and bangles or bracelets of steel-f round their wrists, initiate 

 converts, and' have alittost the sole dire6lion of the religious ceremonies 

 2Lt Ajnritsar, where they reside, and of which they deem themselves the 

 defenders, and consequently never desire to quit it itnless in cases df great 

 Extremity, ■ 



This order of Sikhs have a place, or Bungd,X o^ the bank of the 



sacred reservoir of Amrilsary where they generally resort, but are indivi- 

 f ' n !-■".' ' '• ■ .i'i.vj " J . , " ; ' " . - l^ ;^.^" ■ '' ■ ^' ■ '. ' ' ' :' ' j 



* Acali, derived from Acdl, acompound term of cdly death, and the Sanscrit privative 

 tf, which means never-dj/ing, or immortal. It is one of the names of the divinity, and 

 has probably been given: tO' this I'emarkable class of devotees, from their always exclaiming 

 Acdl.! Acal! iu ih^ir devotions. 



•f All Sinhs do not wear bracelets ; but it is indispensable to have steel about their persons, 

 which they gerterally haVd in the shape l)f'k' knife or dagger. In support of this ordinance*, 

 •they quote the following verses of Guru' Govind :> ! 



Saheb bea ki rach'ha hamne, 

 Tuhi Sri Saheb, churi, kati, katar— 

 Acal purukh ki rach'ha hamqe, 

 Serv )6h rli rach'ha hamne, 

 Servacai <!i rach'ha hamne, 

 Ser» lohji di sada rach'ha hamni. 



which may be translated, ** The protection of the infinite lord is over us : thou art the lord, 

 the cutlass, the knife and the dagger. The protection of the immortal being is over us : 

 the protection of all-steel is over us : the protection of all-time is over us ; the protcc- 

 tection of all-steel is constantly over us." 



■\ The Shaliid and Nirmala, two other religious tribes among the Sikhs, have BunguSy 

 or places, upon the great rcseivou of Amritsar; but both these are peaceful ofUers of priesta> 



Qqq- 



