Ram Rai

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. He became an Udasi after being ex-communicated by his father. After his excommunication, he founded the Guru Ram Rai Darbar Sahib, a Darbar in Dehradun which was built in Indo-Islamic architecture style. thumb Ram Rai (right) meeting Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb (left) and displaying his supposed magical powers. A three-legged goat is depicted between them. Fresco art from Jhanda Sahib, Dehradun.

Ex-communication After Sikhs assisted the fleeing Dara Shikoh in the aftermath of the Battle of Samugarh, Aurangzeb demanded that the Sikh Guru explain his actions. 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.

Relationship to the later Sikh gurus Ram Rai's brother, Guru Har Krishan, was the eighth of the ten Sikh Gurus. 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.

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. 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. All four of his wives have samadhs (cenotaphs) located in Dehradun. 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. Gurbakhsh became a pretender to the Ramraiya guruship at the Lahore ashram and later clashed with Khalsa Sikhs.

Aurangzeb sent craftsmen to construct a mausoleum for Ram Rai. Panjab Kaur oversaw the construction work of the structure, which was completed in 1707. It was decorated in Mughal-style paintings of floral motifs and calligraphy and surrounded by Mughal gateways.