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Ram Rai
Ex-communicated son of Guru Har Rai From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Ram Rai (Gurmukhi: ਰਾਮ ਰਾਏ; rāma rā'ē; 1645–1687 or 1689) 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, classified as a type of Udasi.[1][2][3] He became an Udasi after being ex-communicated by his father.[4] After his excommunication, he founded the Guru Ram Rai Darbar Sahib, a Darbar in Dehradun which was built in Indo-Islamic architecture style.[5]
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Excommunication
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After Sikhs assisted the fleeing Dara Shikoh in the aftermath of the Battle of Samugarh, Aurangzeb demanded that the Sikh Guru explain his actions.[6] 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.[7][6] 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.[7][6] 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.[6] He became a favourite of Aurangzeb, purportedly due to his willingness to perform miracles for the Mughal emperor.[8]
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Relationship to the later Sikh gurus
Ram Rai's brother, Guru Har Krishan, was the eighth of the ten Sikh Gurus.[9] According to Udasi literature, Ram Rai met his younger brother, Har Krishan, in Delhi. After his younger brother's death, the Udasi writings claim that Ram Rai performed his cremation and immersed his ashes at Haridwar. After doing-so, he went to Dehradun. The Udasi tradition also claims Ram Rai was in Delhi when Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed and that Ram Rai also performed his dismembered body's cremation. Aurangzeb decided to exile Ram Rai to Dehradun to prevent a fight between Ram Rai and Guru Gobind Singh over the Sikh guruship. Ram Rai arrived in Dehradun in 1675 with Raja Fateh Shah of Garhwal, who bestowed him with seven villages in the Doon Valley. In the valley, Ram Rai established his dera (camp), which led to the founding of Dehradun. Ram Rai always remained at Dehradun and only left after Guru Gobind Singh invited him for a meeting at Paonta.[4]
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Forgiveness
According 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] Another version states that the two met on a boat in the middle of the Yamuna river to settle their differences.[4] 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]
Marriages
He had four wives, Raj Kaur (d. 1698), Maluki (d. 1701), Panjab Kaur (d. 1742), and Lal Kaur (d. 1698).[11] All four of his wives have samadhs (cenotaphs) located in Dehradun.[12]
Death
Historical 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] However, Lokesh Ohri states that Ram Rai died in 1689.[4] The motive for the murder was to capture his wealth and property.[10]
Guru Gobind Singh intervened to have Panjab Kaur take over the affairs of the dera.[4] 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[13] or Har Prasad,[11] the successor was helped by Ram Rai's widow, Panjab Kaur.[13][note 1] Gurbakhsh became a pretender to the Ramraiya guruship at the Lahore ashram and later clashed with Khalsa Sikhs.[10]
Aurangzeb sent craftsmen to construct a mausoleum for Ram Rai.[4] Panjab Kaur oversaw the construction work of the structure, which was completed in 1707.[4] It was decorated in Mughal-style paintings of floral motifs and calligraphy and surrounded by Mughal gateways.[4]
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Notes
- 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
Bibliography
External links
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