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Bhai Bhagatu Brar was
a devoted Sikh who served the Fifth,
Sixth and the Seventh Gurus. He was
son of Adam (Uddam in some chronicles),
a Siddhu Brar of Malva country. Sikh
chronicles record that Adam, without
a son for a long time and despaired
of prayers at the feet of different
holy men, Muslim as well as Hindu, was
advised by a Sikh to go to Guru Ram
Das. Adam reached Amritsar and dedicated
himself to the service of the Guru and
the sangat.
The Guru was pleased by his humility
and sincerity. Adam received his blessing
and had a son born to him. Bhagatu,
as the son was named, grew to be a saintly
person with a firm faith in the Guru.
He made frequent visits to Amritsar
where he stopped for long intervals
rendering diligent service as construction
of the Harimandar was in progress under
the guidance of Guru Arjan. He was at
Kiratpur in 1644 when Guru Har Rai succeeded
Guru Hargobind on Guru Nanak's throne.
He later retired to his village, but
continued to visit the Guru, especially
on Baisakhi and Divali. During one of
these visits, Guru Har Rai said to him,
'You are fairly old now; it is time
you were married." The Guru was
'referring metaphorically to death,
alluding to Shaik Farid's line in the
Guru Granth Sahib:
The soul is the bride, Death the bride
groom;
He will wed her and take her away.
(cc, 1377)
But the simple-minded Bhai Bhagatu,
taking the remarks literally, was greatly
perplexed. He had two grown-up sons
from his wife, now long deceased, and
remarriage at his age would in any case
be ridiculous. He went home without
giving a reply, but the Guru's words
continued to ring in his ears. He was
still ruminating over the Strange"
suggestion when he made his next visit
to Guru Har Rai, at Kartarpur, in present
day Jalandhar district. The Guru asked
Bhai Bhagatu why he looked so preoccupied.
As Bhai Bhagatu shyly and hastingly
revealed his problem, Guru Har Rai smiled
at his naivette and told him that he
had merely meant to comment on his age.
Bhai Bhagatu now feeling relieved, stayed
on in the service of the Guru until
he died shortly after the next Baisakhl
festival in April 1652. Guru Har Rai
personally performed his last rites,
and praised his simplicity and devotion.
Bhai Bhagatu's elder son, Gaura, through
his enterprising spirit and prowess,
became a minor chief at the village
of Vinjhu, near Bathinda. One of his
descendants, Bhai Desu Singh, founded
the Sikh state of Kaithal in the eighteenth
century. A gurdwara, Bhalana Bhagatu,
named after the celebrated Bhai is located
near village Gobindpura, about 11 km
northeast of Bathinda (30-14'N, 7458'E).
An annual fair is held there on the
occasion of Baisakhi.
Santokh Singh, Bhai, Sri Gur Pratap
Suraj Crarith. Amritsar, 1926-37
Gian Singh, Giani, Twankh Guru Khalsa.
Patiala
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