Lakhmi Das (13.2.1497 – 9.4.1555), the younger son of Guru Nanak Sahib was born at Rai Bhoi-Di-Talwandi (now Nanakana Sahib). He spent first seven years of his life at his village, three years at Sultanpur. At the age of 25 he moved to Kartarpur and spent the rest thirty-three years of his life there. Guru Nanak Sahib rejected him as his successor-in-mission. His direct descendants, known as Bedis, though, later, they got Sikh initiation, still tried to continue their own lineage as successors of Guru Nanak. They tried to create a separate class in Sikh society, which is apparently against Sikh philosophy. They could succeed only partly, as the Sikh elite refused to grant them any special status. Lakhmi Das had a son Dharam Chand (1523 – 1618). Dharam Chand was succeeded by Mehar Chand, Pahar Chand, Harkaran Chand, Nihal Chand and Kaladhari respectively. Kaladhari died in 1681. Kaladhari’s son Jit (Ajit) Singh (died 1716) embraced Sikh faith. Jit Singh’s son Sahib Singh Bedi became a powerful person during the time of (Maharaja) Ranjit Singh. Sahib Singh died in 1834. He was succeeded by Bishan Singh (Kallar, Rawalpindi) and Bikram Singh (Una, Himanchal). Bishan Singh and his son Atar Singh both died in 1839. Sahib Singh Bedi’s second son, Bikram Singh sided with (Maharaja) Ranjit Singh’s family during Anglo-Sikh wars and got imprisonment. Sahib Singh Bedi’s great-grandson Khem Singh Bedi (son of Atar Singh and grandson of Bishan Singh) always collaborated with the British rulers; and, he was suitably rewarded for this. In 1995, Madhusudan Singh, a descendant of this family, spearheaded a movement of the ascetics and phoney saints and formed ‘Sant Samaj’. He did succeed partly but soon lost respect aong the elite Sikhs.
(Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer)