Lakhpat Rai | |
|---|---|
| Diwan of Lahore | |
| In office 1726–1747 | |
| Preceded by | unknown |
| Succeeded by | Kaura Mal |
| Personal details | |
| Died | 1746 Punjab, Mughal Empire |
| Children | Harbhaj Rai Dalpat Rai |
| Relatives | Jaspat Rai (brother), Dalpat Rai (son) |
| Known for | Involvement in the Chhota Ghallughara |
Lakhpat Rai was the Diwan (chief minister) of Lahore for Yahya Khan Bahadur, the Subahdar of Subahs of Lahore and Multan, from 1726 until his death on March 21, 1747.[1][2] He is best known for his role in a large scale massacre of Sikhs in 1746 called the Chhota Ghallughara, in which an estimated 7,000 Sikhs were killed.[3][4] However, Purnima Dhavan gives a smaller figure of 400 Sikhs being killed in the massacre.[5]
Lakhpat Rai and his brother Jaspat Rai belonged to a Khatri family from Kalanaur.[1][6] Lakhpat Rai constructed the Suka Talab in Lahore, which was situated near the Gurdwara Shikargarh Patshahi Chhevin.[7] Jaspat Rai was killed by the Sikhs in a raid. In order to take revenge of his brother's death, Lakhpat Rai convinced Yahya Khan, the Mughal governor, to take action against Sikhs.[6] As per Rattan Singh Bhangu's Panth Prakash, Lakhpat Rai personally supervised the operation and specifically sought out copies of the Guru Granth Sahib in-order to destroy them.[8] During the Chhota Ghallughara campaign, Lakhpat Rai's son Harbhaj Rai was killed by the Sikhs.[9][10] Lakhpat Rai was later killed by the Sikhs.[1] According to Surjit Singh Gandhi, he was killed in 1748.[1] His son, Dalpat Rai, sought asylum in Jammu and settled there.[11]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Seetal, Sohan Singh (1971). Rise of the Sikh Power and Maharaja Ranjeet Singh. Dhanpat Rai. p. 221.
- ↑ Nijjar, B. S. "CHHOṬĀ GHALLŪGHĀRĀ". Encyclopedia of Sikhism (Online Edition). Patiala: Punjabi University. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ A Popular Dictionary of Sikhism: Sikh Religion and Philosophy, p.86, Routledge, W. Owen Cole, Piara Singh Sambhi, 2005
- ↑ Singha, H. S (2000). The encyclopedia of Sikhism (over 1000 entries). Hemkunt Press. p. 110. ISBN 978-81-7010-301-1. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
- ↑ Dhavan, Purnima (2 November 2011). When Sparrows Became Hawks: The Making of the Sikh Warrior Tradition, 1699-1799. Oxford University Press. p. 91. ISBN 9780199877171.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Dhavan, Purnima (2 November 2011). When Sparrows Became Hawks: The Making of the Sikh Warrior Tradition, 1699-1799. Oxford University Press. p. 91. ISBN 9780199877171.
- ↑ Butalia, Tarunjit Singh (April 2025). Sikh Historical Shrines in Pakistan: Lahore District (PDF) (1st ed.). Jeevay Sanjha Punjab. p. 11.
- ↑ Mann, Gurinder Singh (2016). Sri Gur Panth Prakash: Its Text, Context, and Significance (PDF). New York: Global Institute for Sikh Studies. p. 34.
... and Bhangu mentions Lakhpat Rai, a Hindu Rajput working for the Afghan administration, making efforts to destroy the manuscripts of the Guru Granth.
- ↑ Sodhi, Harjinder; Ganeshpur, Jagjit Singh (14 May 2019). "Aja ghalūghārā divasa'tē: Sikha itihāsa dā ahima sākā chōṭā ghalūghārā" ਅੱਜ ਘੱਲੂਘਾਰਾ ਦਿਵਸ 'ਤੇ : ਸਿੱਖ ਇਤਿਹਾਸ ਦਾ ਅਹਿਮ ਸਾਕਾ ਛੋਟਾ ਘੱਲੂਘਾਰਾ [On Ghalughara Day: The Significant Episode of "Chhota Ghalughara"]. Punjabi Jagran (in ਪੰਜਾਬੀ). Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ "Chōṭā ghalūghārā sarōta: Pajāba kōśa–jilada pahilī, bhāśā vibhāga pajāba" ਛੋਟਾ ਘੱਲੂਘਾਰਾ ਸਰੋਤ : ਪੰਜਾਬ ਕੋਸ਼–ਜਿਲਦ ਪਹਿਲੀ, ਭਾਸ਼ਾ ਵਿਭਾਗ ਪੰਜਾਬ [Chhota Ghallughara (The Minor Holocaust); Source: Punjab Kosh – Volume 1, Language Department Punjab]. Punjabipedia (in ਪੰਜਾਬੀ). Patiala: Punjabi University. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ Seth, Mira. "1: Background". Dogra Wall Paintings in Jammu and Kashmir (illustrated ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 2–3. ISBN 9780195615494.