Rai Bular Bhatti

Rai Bular Bhatti (Punjabi: راۓ بُلار بهٹّى), or Rai (died c. 1515) was a Muslim noble of the Rajput Bhatti clan during the latter half of the 15th century. The Bhatti clan founded the cities of Batinda and Jaisalmir, among others. The exact date of Rai Bular's birth is not known but records kept by bards date it c. 1425, in the city of Talwandi. This city, which is situated about 42 miles (68 km) west of Lahore and 18 miles (29 km) south of the river Ravi, was later renamed Nankana Sahib. Rai Bular’s father, Rai Bhoe Bhatti, was the owner of over 100,000 acres (400 km2) of land with Talwandi as its center of commerce; Talwandi thus also came to be known as Rai Bhoe Di Talwandi (Rai Bhoe’s Talwandi).

Rai Bular was the only son among Rai Bhoe’s six children. One of Rai Bhoe's daughters was married to Daulat Khan Lodi, the Governor of the Punjab. After Rai Bhoe's death, Rai Bular became the chief of Talvandi and inherited his estate. Guru Nanak was born in this village in 1469. Rai Bular Bhatti is mentioned in several stories in the Janamsakhis, Sikh religious texts. According to the Janamsakhis, Rai Bular perceived the Divine in Guru Nanak and became his second devotee, the Guru's sister being his first. One story relates that young Nanak was arraigned before Rai Bular for allowing the cattle he was tending to damage a farmer's crop. The Rai sent for Baba Kalu, the Guru's father, and directed him to compensate the farmer for the damage. But footmen sent to estimate the loss reported that they could find no damage. Rai Bular was as much surprised as the complainant himself, who insisted that he had seen with his own eyes the whole crop ruined and the buffaloes sitting amidst it after they had heartily gorged themselves on it.

On another occasion, Guru Nanak, while out with his herd, lay down to rest under a tree in the summer afternoon and fell asleep. After a while, Rai Bular along with his servants happened to pass by. He was surprised to see a strange phenomenon. The shadows of other trees had traveled round with the sun, but not of the tree under which Nanak slept.

Returning to the town, the Rai called Kalu and said to him, "Your son is a great man. He is the honour of my town. Kalu, thou hast become exalted and I too am exalted in whose town such a one has been born." Guru Nanak reciprocated the honour and affection extended to him by Rai Bular and never failed in between his long travels to visit him, who always felt blessed to see him. When he lay dying, Guru Nanak was by his bedside.