Meet the man on whose ancestral land Gurdwara Nankana Sahib is built

Guru Nanak’s birthday sees a grand annual celebration in this Muslim-dominated city, Nankana Sahib in Pakistan.

File photo of Guru Nanak's birth celebrations at Nankana Sahib, Pakistan. Source: Supplied

“On Guru Nanak’s birthday, for residents of Nankana Sahib, it feels like Eid,” Rai Haroon Bhatti tells SBS Punjabi over the telephone from Pakistan’s north-western city of Nankana Sahib, referring to the upcoming birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. Mr Bhatti claims to be from the 16^th generation of Rai Bular Bhatti, a 15^th-century rich landlord of Punjab who was only the second person to acknowledge the divine qualities of Guru Nanak, after his sister, Bebe Nanki. Legend has it that after observing Guru Nanak’s divine greatness, Rai Bular Bhatti donated vast swathes of land to him as a token of his respect towards him, who later went on to be known as the founder of Sikhism. 

A representational picture of Rai Bular Bhatti in the family records. Source: Supplied

“In our family, we pass this history down the generations and our connection with Guru Nanak forms a nice triangular story of religious harmony amongst Islam, Sikhism and Hinduism as Guru Nanak was born in a Hindu family,” says Mr Bhatti from his home in Nankana Sahib, which he says is being decorated up for the upcoming gurpurab (birth anniversary).

A trust owns the land on which Gurdwara Janam Asthan, dedicated to the birthplace of Guru Nanak, is located. Along with it, it also owns practically all of Nankana Sahib, a city of nearly 1.5 million people, out of which Sikhs and Hindus are a small but significant part. Apart from Gurdwara Janam Asthan, there are six other gurdwaras of historic significance in Nankana Sahib. Mr Bhatti takes SBS Punjabi on a virtual tour of all seven gurdwaras in this interview. 

A picture from the Bhatti family's private collection depicting the legend of a snake providing shade to Guru Nanak in the sun. Source: Supplied

Mr Bhatti is impressively well-versed in the historic and historical relationship between his ancestor Rai Bular Bhatti and Guru Nanak. In a span of a few seconds, he traces his ancestry 16 generations back, right up to Rai Bular Bhatti, who donated 757 murabbas of land (an outdated measure of 25 acres) from his personal land holding of 1800 murabbas to Guru Nanak. “Rai Bular sahib and Baba Guru Nanak had such a mutually respectful relationship that whenever they met, both would stand up to greet each other despite the fact that Babaji was the son of his munshi (accountant), Mehta Kalu,” says Mr Bhatti using the respectful epithet ‘Babaji’ for Guru Nanak as is the tradition across Nankana Sahib, whose population is largely Muslim. 

Rai Haroon Bhatti with his mother Shamshad Rasheed. Source: Supplied

Thousands of yatris (pilgrims) congregate in Nankana Sahib every year at this time of the year to participate in the gurpurab, which sees the entire city light up. “I often say that on Babaji’s gurpurab, it feels like the entire planet has become bright with light. There is a grand display of fireworks also, and we all celebrate it with great fervour,” says Mr Bhatti. 

To listen to this interview in Punjabi, click on the player at the top of the page. 

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