Bhai Lakkhi Rai Wanjara, a Yadav Rajput (4.7.1580 – 28.5.1680), son of Mata Sarni and Bhai Godhu and grandson of Bhai Thakar Das Yadav, was born at Khairpur (district Muzzafarnagar, in Pakistan). In 1632, he got married to Bibi Kanto. Bhai Lakkhi Rai had eight sons: Nigahia (Singh), Hem Chand (Singh), Harhi, Hira (Sital Singh), Pundia (Pundara Singh), Bakhshi (Gurbakhsh Singh), Bala (Bal Singh) and Jawahar (Jawahar Singh) and one daughter Sito Bai. Sito Bai (Basant Kaur after initiation) was married to Bhai Mani Singh on 15 March 1659. In 1663, he moved to Delhi where he had purchased the land of the whole of the village of Raisina (present site of the President’s House, Indian Parliament and Gurdwara Rakab Ganj, Delhi) and Malcha forest. When Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib embraced martyrdom, on November 11, 1675, he, along with his sons (Bhai Nigahia, Bhai Hema and Bhai Harhi) and Bhai Dhuman (son of Bhai Kahna), picked up the body of the Guru from Chandani Chowk and cremated it in his house by setting fire to one of his buildings. On November 15, he collected the ashes and went to Anandpur Sahib. When Bhai Lakkhi Rai reached Anandpur Sahib, Guru Gobind Singh Sahib embraced him with passion and seated Bhai Lakkhi Rai along side himself, at his throne. All the members of Bhai Lakkhi Rai’s family got initiation from Guru Gobind Singh. His son Bhai Jawahar Singh embraced martyrdom at Fatehgarh Fort (Anandpur Sahib) on August 29, 1700. Bhai Nigahia Singh embraced martyrdom at Amritsar on April 6, 1709. Bhai Nigahia Singh’s sons, Bhai Aghar Singh and Bhai Tharaj Singh, too served the Sikh Panth till their death. Also see: Aghar Singh, Jawahar Singh, Nigahia Singh, and Tharaj Singh.
(Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer)