Ram Rai (Gurmukhi: ਰਾਮ ਰਾਏ; rāma rā'ē; 1645–1687) was the excommunicated eldest son of the seventh Sikh Guru, Guru Har Rai, and the founder of the Ramraiyas, an unorthodox and heretical sect in Sikhism.[1][2][3]
Baba Ram Rai | |
|---|---|
ਰਾਮ ਰਾਏ | |
 Detail of Ram Rai from a mural depicting Guru Nanak and Ram Rai listening to hymns together under a tree from the Bhai Bahlo Darwaza of the Darbar of Ram Rai in Dehradun, circa pre-1688 | |
| Head of Ramraiya sect | |
| Preceded by | None (founder) |
| Succeeded by | Aud Dass (mahant) |
| Personal | |
| Born | 1645 |
| Died | 1687 |
| Religion | Sikhism |
| Spouse |
|
| Parents |
|
| Sect | Ramraiya |
| Other names | Guru Ram Rai |
| Relatives | Guru Har Krishan (brother) |
Biography
editMarriages
editHe had four wives, Raj Kaur (d. 1698), Maluki (d. 1701), Panjab Kaur (d. 1742), and Lal Kaur (d. 1698).[4]
Excommunication
editAfter Sikhs assisted the fleeing Dara Shikoh in the aftermath of the Battle of Samugarh, Aurangzeb demanded that the Sikh Guru explain his actions.[5] Ram Rai was chosen by his father to represent him in the Mughal darbar (court) to explain why he had supported and given refuge to Dara Shikoh, during the Mughal war of succession.[6][5] During this meeting, the emperor complained that a verse from the Adi Granth was "anti-Islamic", in-response to this claim by the emperor, Ram Rai altered the words of the verse, which changed the context, instead of standing firm to his faith entirely. This had pleased the emperor. Ram Rai was excommunicated from the mainstream Sikh community by his father Guru Har Rai, after he learnt that his eldest son had altered gurbani to please Aurangzeb and nominated his younger son, Har Krishan, as next-in-line for the Sikh guruship before he died on 6 October 1661.[6][5] This had foiled the plans of the Mughal emperor, who was keeping Ram Rai as a hostage, as he had been hoping that the Sikh guruship would pass onto Ram Rai so that he could enact control over the wider Sikh community by manipulating their titular head.[5] He became a favourite of Aurangzeb, purportedly due to his willingness to perform miracles for the Mughal emperor.[7] After his excommunication, he founded the Guru Ram Rai Darbar Sahib, a Darbar in Dehradun which was built in Indo-Islamic architecture style.[8] Ram Rai's brother, Guru Har Krishan, was the eighth of the ten Sikh Gurus.[9]
Forgiveness
editAccording to Sikh accounts, by the time of Guru Gobind Singh's time on the gurgaddi, Ram Rai had become remorseful of his actions and asked to meet the 10th guru of the Sikhs, after learning about the exploits of the guru in 1685 at Sirmaur state.[10] However, any proposed meeting would have to be conducted in relative secrecy as the masands of Ram Rai were overzealous against any potential reconciliation between Ram Rai and the mainstream Sikhs.[10] A meeting between the two is said to have taken place between Dehradun and Paonta Sahib on the banks of the river Yamuna.[10] The guru forgave Ram Rai for his past transgressions.[10] As a result, it is said Ram Rai left no heir apparent to lead his sect after him.[10]
Death
editHistorical accounts, such as Shahid Bilas by Sewa Singh blame the demise of Ram Rai on a masand named Gurbakhsh, who, along with other masands, is recorded as burning Ram Rai alive while he was meditating in September 1687.[10] The motive was to capture his wealth and property.[10] Ram Rai's remains were subsequently cremated against his widow's, Panjab Kaur's, wishes.[10] After his death, he was succeeded as head of the sect by either mahant Aud Dass[11] or Har Prasad,[4] the successor was helped by Ram Rai's widow, Panjab Kaur.[11][note 1] Gurbakhsh became a pretender to the Ramraiya guruship at the Lahore ashram and later clashed with Khalsa Sikhs.[10]
Notes
edit- ^ According to the tradition of the Guru Ram Rai Darbar Sahib, Aud Das was the successor to Ram Rai. However, Henry George Walton in the British Garhwal: A Gazetteer, regards Har Prasad as the successor.
References
edit- ^ Smith, R. V. (February 5, 2020). "In the light of the moon". The Hindu – via www.thehindu.com.
- ^ "Rām Rāiyā | Sikhism". Encyclopedia Britannica.
- ^ Singh, Harbans (2013-04-01). Concise Encyclopedia of Sikhism. Punjabi University. pp. 537, 538.
- ^ a b Kamboj, B. P. (2003). Early Wall Painting of Garhwal. Indus Publishing. pp. 26–29. ISBN 9788173871399.
- ^ a b c d Takhar, Opinderjit Opinderjit; Jakobsh, Doris R. (2023). Global Sikhs: Histories, Practices and Identities. Routledge Critical Sikh Studies. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9781000847352.
According to Mahima Prakash Vartak, Guru Har Rai deployed his own troops at the ferry at Goindval to delay Aurangzeb's army, which was pursuing Dara Shikoh at his heels (Bajwa 2004: 161). When the Mughal courtiers reported to Aurangzeb that Guru Har Rai had helped the fugitive prince Dara Shikoh, Aurangzeb asked Raja Jai Singh of Amber to have the Guru summoned to Delhi. The Guru sent instead his elder son, Ram Rai, along with his minister Dargah Mall, who escorted him. In the Mughal court, Ram Rai deliberately misread one of the lines from the Adi Granth and strayed away from the teachings of the Gurus against the performance of miracles. When Guru Har Rai came to know about his elder son's moral lapse, he immediately designated his youngest son, Har Krishan (1656−1664), as his successor before he passed away at Kiratpur on October 6, 1661 CE. This was a direct challenge to Aurangzeb who had kept Ram Rai as hostage in Delhi on the assumption that Ram Rai would be the heir apparent of Guru Har Rai and could be manipulated into bringing the Sikhs under control.
- ^ a b Dhir, Krishna S. (2022). The Wonder That Is Urdu. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 206. ISBN 9788120843011.
- ^ Singh, Trilochan (1967). "Chapter XXIV". Guru Tegh Bahadur, Prophet and Martyr: A Biography. Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. p. 312.
- ^ Jain & Handa 2009, p. 37
- ^ "The fascinating, tragic saga of Baba Ram Rai". The Pioneer.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Singh, Harinder (8 March 2017). "The Next Panjab Kaur". Sikh Research Institute. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
- ^ a b "Mahants & Gurus, Darbar Shri Guru Ram Rai Ji Maharaj − Dehradun". www.sgrrdarbar.org. Retrieved 2022-08-20.
Bibliography
edit- Jain, Madhu; Handa, Omacanda (July 2009). Art and Architecture of Uttarakhand. Pentagon Press. ISBN 9788182744172.
External links
edit
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