Q. Is it true that a Nirmala priest Atma Ram of Calcutta worked with Mahants at Patna to create, compile and promote this Gurmukhi Granth titled “Dasmi Patshahi Ka Granth” in Devnagri?

In the numerous texts of the 19th century there is no mention of any Atma Ram working with any Mahant at Patna. One important 19th century text is Sri Gur Panth Prakash, the main Sikh text of this period, which was written by Rattan Singh Bhangu a descendent of Bhai Mehtab Singh Bhangu (who beheaded Massa Ranghar). There is no mention of any Atma Ram in this important source of Sikh history. The Granthi of Patna Sahib, Baba Sumer Singh makes no mention of any Nirmala priest in his book. After Sri Dasam Granth was written it was then also transcribed in different languages
including Persian, Urdu and Devnagri. There is one copy of Sri Dasam Granth kept in the British Library that was written in Devnagri in the 19th century, over 100 years after the creation of Sri Dasam Granth by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. There is however a mention of an Atma Ram in Malcolm’s ‘Sketch of the Sikhs’, who helped in deciphering the meaning of Sri Guru Granth Sahib and other works for Malcolm (see p.9). And it appears that the same person helped Malcolm understand the Indian judicial system (see p.128). There is no mention of any Granth created by Atma Ram in this book and there is no mention of any Atma Ram working with Mahants from Patna