Rai Bular Bhatti
Encyclopedia
Rai Bular Bhatti or Rai (died c. 1515) was a Muslim
noble of the Rajput Bhatti clan
during the latter half of the 15th century. The Bhatti clan founded the cities of Batinda and Jaisalmir, among others. The exact date of Rai Bular's birth is not known but records kept by bards date it c. 1425, in the city of Talwandi
. This city, which is situated about 42 miles (67.6 km) west of Lahore
and 18 miles (29 km) south of the river Ravi, later became known as Nankana Sahib
. Rai Bular’s father, Rai Bhoe Bhatti
, was the owner of over 100000 acres (404.7 km²) of land with Talwandi as its center of commerce; Talwandi thus also came to be known as Rai Bhoe Di Talwandi (Rai Bhoe’s Talwandi).
Rai Bular was the only son among Rai Bhoe’s six children. One of Rai Bhoe's daughters was married to Daulat Khan Lodi, the Governor of the Punjab
. After Rai Bhoe's death, Rai Bular became the chief of Talvandi and inherited his estate. Guru Nanak was born in this village in 1469. Rai Bular Bhatti is mentioned in several stories in the Janamsakhis
, Sikh
religious texts. According to the Janamsakhis, Rai Bular perceived the Divine in Guru Nanak and became his second devotee, the Guru's sister being his first. One story relates that young Nanak was arraigned before Rai Bular for allowing the cattle he was tending to damage a farmer's crop. The Rai sent for Baba Kalu, the Guru's father, and directed him to compensate the farmer for the damage. But footmen sent to estimate the loss reported that they could find no damage. Rai Bular was as much surprised as the complainant himself, who insisted that he had seen with his own eyes the whole crop ruined and the buffaloes sitting amidst it after they had heartily gorged themselves on it.
On another occasion, Guru Nanak, while out with his herd, lay down to rest under a tree in the summer afternoon and fell asleep. After a while, Rai Bular along with his servants happened to pass by. He was surprised to see a strange phenomenon. The shadows of other trees had traveled round with the sun, but not of the tree under which Nanak slept.
Returning to the town, the Rai called Kalu and said to him, "Your son is a great man. He is the honour of my town. Kalu, thou hast become exalted and I too am exalted in whose town such a one has been born." Guru Nanak reciprocated the honour and affection extended to him by Rai Bular and never failed in between his long travels to visit him, who always felt blessed to see him. When he lay dying, Guru Nanak was by his bedside.
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
noble of the Rajput Bhatti clan
Bhati
Bhati is one of the largest tribes of the Gujjars& Rajput. They claim descent from Krishna as an avatar of Vishnu, and thus identify themselves as a Chandravanshi Kshatriya clan. The Bhati trace their history to the desert principality of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, in the border villages of Bikaner...
during the latter half of the 15th century. The Bhatti clan founded the cities of Batinda and Jaisalmir, among others. The exact date of Rai Bular's birth is not known but records kept by bards date it c. 1425, in the city of Talwandi
Talwandi
Talwandi is a town and Union Council of Kasur District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is part of Chunian Tehsil located at 30°53'60N 74°7'60E and has an altitude of 175 metres ....
. This city, which is situated about 42 miles (67.6 km) west of Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
and 18 miles (29 km) south of the river Ravi, later became known as Nankana Sahib
Nankana Sahib
Nankana Sahib , earlier known as Rai-Bhoi-Di-Talwandi, is a city in the Pakistani province of Punjab. It is named after the first Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Nanak Dev, the central figure in Sikhism who was born here, so it is a city of high historic and religious value and is a popular pilgrimage site...
. Rai Bular’s father, Rai Bhoe Bhatti
Rai Bhoe Bhatti
Rai Bhoe Bhatti was the founder of Nankana Sahib, formerly known as 'Rai-Bhoi-Di-Talwandi' a city in the province of Punjab. Located at 31°26'51N 73°41'50E - about 80 kilometres south west of Lahore and about 75 kilometres East from Faisalabad, with a population of almost 160,000, it is also the...
, was the owner of over 100000 acres (404.7 km²) of land with Talwandi as its center of commerce; Talwandi thus also came to be known as Rai Bhoe Di Talwandi (Rai Bhoe’s Talwandi).
Rai Bular was the only son among Rai Bhoe’s six children. One of Rai Bhoe's daughters was married to Daulat Khan Lodi, the Governor of the Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
. After Rai Bhoe's death, Rai Bular became the chief of Talvandi and inherited his estate. Guru Nanak was born in this village in 1469. Rai Bular Bhatti is mentioned in several stories in the Janamsakhis
Janamsakhis
The Janamsakhis , literally birth stories, are writings which profess to be biographies of the first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak. These compositions have been written at various stages after the death of the first guru.-Overview:...
, Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
religious texts. According to the Janamsakhis, Rai Bular perceived the Divine in Guru Nanak and became his second devotee, the Guru's sister being his first. One story relates that young Nanak was arraigned before Rai Bular for allowing the cattle he was tending to damage a farmer's crop. The Rai sent for Baba Kalu, the Guru's father, and directed him to compensate the farmer for the damage. But footmen sent to estimate the loss reported that they could find no damage. Rai Bular was as much surprised as the complainant himself, who insisted that he had seen with his own eyes the whole crop ruined and the buffaloes sitting amidst it after they had heartily gorged themselves on it.
On another occasion, Guru Nanak, while out with his herd, lay down to rest under a tree in the summer afternoon and fell asleep. After a while, Rai Bular along with his servants happened to pass by. He was surprised to see a strange phenomenon. The shadows of other trees had traveled round with the sun, but not of the tree under which Nanak slept.
Returning to the town, the Rai called Kalu and said to him, "Your son is a great man. He is the honour of my town. Kalu, thou hast become exalted and I too am exalted in whose town such a one has been born." Guru Nanak reciprocated the honour and affection extended to him by Rai Bular and never failed in between his long travels to visit him, who always felt blessed to see him. When he lay dying, Guru Nanak was by his bedside.
Descendants of Rai Bular Bhatti
- Rai Husain Khan BhattiRai Husain Khan BhattiRai Husain Khan BhattiIn the late 19th century, Rai Husain Khan Bhatti, the direct descendant of Rai Bular Bhatti built a village 3 miles from Talwandi in the center of the Rajput Bhatti Land holdings and named it "Kot Hussein Khan". Today, Kot Hussein Khan has all the amenities of a small city,...
-landlord; elder brother of Rai Rehmat; head of Bhatti clan; most influential person of the area. - Rai Rehamat Khan Bhatti -landlord; collected land revenue for the Gurdwaras.