A town steeped in Sikh history, royal legacy

Raikot, a small town on the outskirts of Ludhiana, holds extraordinary religious and historical significance. Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru, paid a visit to this place. Maharaja Duleep Singh, the last Sikh ruler, was kept in captivity here by the British before being exiled to Britain at the age of 15.

Raikot was founded by Rai Ahmad in 1648. Guru Gobind Singh visited the town and rested under a Tahli tree, where Gurdwara Tahliana Sahib is situated. In 1705, Rai Kalha III, the chief of Raikot, extended hospitality to Guru Gobind Singh, risking his life during the reign of Aurangzeb. In appreciation of his bravery, Guru Gobind Singh gifted Rai Kalha a Ganga Sagar (a copper urn), a sword and a wooden rehal (a book stand for the Quran).

Until 1947, the Ganga Sagar was displayed by Khan Bahadur Rai Inayat Khan. Today, the Ganga Sagar is owned by Rai Azizullah, the former MP of Pakistan and grandson of Khan Bahadur Rai Inayat Khan. He, as the current heir of the Rai family, has preserved this sacred gift with great care. “A few years ago, the Ganga Sagar was brought for display at Gurdwara Tahliana Sahib by the present heir,” said Ajaib Singh, a resident of Leel village in Raikot.

Another historical landmark in Raikot is the 200-year-old Bassian Kothi, where Maharaja Duleep Singh, the youngest son of Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the only child of Maharani Jind Kaur, was kept in captivity by the British for a night before his exile to Britain.

Bassian Kothi has since been developed into a memorial with an interpretation centre, a museum dedicated to Maharaja Duleep Singh’s life, and an amphitheater, featuring busts and statues of the last Sikh ruler.

“It is said that lime and jaggery were used in the construction of this historical building, which was built with Nanakshahi Lahori bricks. After Independence, the building was under the Canal Department of Punjab. It has also been used as a rest house. During Operation Blue Star, BSF jawans stayed in the kothi,” said an octogenarian from Raikot.

Punjab