Piara Singh Bhaniara
Indian religious leader
Piara Singh Bhaniara (23 August 1958 – 30 December 2019) also known as Baba Bhaniara (or Bhaniarawala), was a Dalit religious leader from Punjab, India. He established a Sikh sect in the 1980s, which was opposed by mainline Khalsa Sikhs as insulting to their faith. In 2001, his followers published their own holy text Bhavsagar Granth, and allegedly insulted the Sikh holy book Guru Granth Sahib. This sparked violence against Bhaniara's followers. The Government of Punjab banned Bhavsagar Granth, and arrested and jailed Bhaniara.
Early life
Piara Singh Bhaniara was from the Dhamiana village of Rupnagar district. He was one of the 7 children of Tulsi Ram, a mason. Before becoming a religious leader, Bhaniara was working in a sericulture farm in Asmanpur village, as a Class IV employee of the Punjab state's horticulture department.
Religious career
Bhaniara's father served as the caretaker of two mazars (mausoleums of Sufi saints) located on the outskirts of Dhamiana. After his father's death, Bhaniara became the caretaker of these mazars.
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