The Multifarious Faces of Sikhism
throughout Sikh History
Page 1 of 1
Gulab
Raieh
Time of origin: early 1700s
Gulab Rai was a grandson of
the sixth Sikh Guru. He was the son of Akali
Guru Hargobind Sahib’s fifth son, Suraj
Mal a cousin of Akali Nihang Guru Gobind
Singh.
Dasam Guru Durbar
Folio from an illustrated Dasam Guru Durbar
which contains the compiled
works of Akali Nihang Guru Gobind Singh Ji depicting
the second 'Avtar' (incarnations)
of Vishnu known as 'Kachh' (the tortoise) and
the churning of the Ocean, circa 1850-1860
After Akali Nihang Guru Gobind Singh fled from
Anandpur, the property of Anandpur was confiscated
by the Moghal state. Gulab Rai paid the local
Hindu King a sum of 60,000 rupees to buy back
Anandpur and settled in Anandpur Sahib. There
he set up his ‘Manji’
(seat) and declared himself as Guru. He was
not a Khalsa Sikh, indeed, he was in fact hostile
to the Akali Nihang Singh Khalsa. Gulab Rai
began to give ‘Charana Phaul’
(initiation) and initiate his own Sikhs. On
the offering of these Sikhs, he became very
rich and powerful.
Akali Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj and
Akali Nihang Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj
A Pahari painting depicting an imaginary meeting
between the first and tenth Sikh Guru, Mandi,
circa mid 19th century
During this time at Anandpur, the mausoleum
of Akali Guru Tegh Bahadur was maintained by
an Udasi Sadhu named Baba Gurbakhsh
Das Ji. Before leaving Anandpur Sahib,
Akali Nihang Guru Gobind Singh Ji had appointed
Baba Gurbakhsh Das this position. Gulab Rai
wished to evict the Udasi Sikh from the territory
of Anandpur. Baba Gurbakhsh Das, like all true
Sikhs, had objected to Gulab Rai setting himself
up as a Guru within the holy city of Anandpur
Sahib. Gulab Rai and his eighteen sons could
not tolerate the Udasi Sadhu’s objections.
Udasi
A Pahari painting of an Udasi Sikh named Bhyalashmir,
circa mid 19th century, Gulam
Rattan Singh Bhangu states that Gulab Rai
and the Udasi Baba exchanged hostile words,
and this eventually spilled over into violence.
Gulab Rai ordered his eighteen sons to beat
the Udasi Sadhu upon which they desecrated the
Sadhu’s matted hair. In turn, the holy
Sadhu cursed Gulab Rai that his seed would die
out. Spiteful and angry, Gulab Rai repeated
the same curse onto Gurbakhsh Das. Rattan Singh
Bhangu continues:
‘Gulab listening said:
“May none of your offspring also not
remain.”
He [the Udhasi replied]: “Some
of mine will still remain be they deaf or
one eyed. They will attend my ‘Dhooi’
(sacred smoking fire of Udasis). But your
roots will not remain at all.”
With anger he cursed him thus.
Like this no offspring of both remained.
Sword like words were wielded between them.’
‘Pracheen Panth Prakash’, by
Rattan Singh Bhangu, expunged by Vir Singh,
Pa. 174-175