Golden Temple museum to don Rai Bular Bhatti’s portrait

Tribune News Service

GS Paul

Amritsar, October 13

The SGPC has decided to set up a portrait of Rai Bular Bhatti, a 15th century Muslim landlord of undivided Punjab and disciple of Guru Nanak Dev, at Central Sikh Museum in the Golden Temple complex on October 15.

Originally, the programme was fixed for October 11 on the Parkash Purb of Guru Ramdas, but it could not be held as the descendants of Rai Bular Bhatti failed to reach for want of visa clearance from the Indian authorities.

Guru Nanak’s contemporary

• Rai Bular Bhatti was a big landlord of Rai-Bhoi-Di-Talwandi, now Sri Nankana Sahib. He owned over 36,000 acres and Guru Nanak’s father Mehta Kalu was a munshi at his estate
• After Bebe Nanki, Guru Nanak’s sister, he was the one who had recognised the first Sikh master as a divine soul

Despite the recommendation of the SGPC to the ministeries of Home and External Affairs, the visa formalities for the Bhatti family could not be completed. Now, the SGPC has decided to go ahead with the installation without the presence of his descendants.

From Pakistan, Rai Saleem Bhatti (44), a lawyer at the Lahore High Court and 19th generation of Rai Bular Bhatti, spoke to The Tribune. “This time, too, we had received an invitation from the SGPC well in advance in April, but we could not visit for want of clearance from the Indian side,” he said.

However, the family was still overjoyed to know that their ancestor’s close association with Guru Nanak Dev and his contribution to promoting Guru’s teachings and Sikhism would be known widely to devotees visiting the Golden Temple from all over the globe, he added.

“We were all keen to attend this programme, but in vain. Yet, we are overwhelmed that the SGPC is going ahead with its plan to enshrine the portrait of Rai Bular saheb in the Golden Temple museum,” he said.

The Bhatti family, despite being devout Muslims, has kept alive its ancestral links with Sikhism for the past several generations and continues the legacy by contributing in every way for the wellbeing of people living in Sri Nankana Sahib.

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