KHEDA, BHAI

KHEDA, BHAI, a Brahman resident of Khem Karan, in present day Amritsar district, was a devout Sikh of the time of Guru Amar Das. According to Sarup Das Bhalla, Mahimd Prakash, Kheda was initially a staunch worshipper of the goddess Durga and regularly went on pilgrimage to Javalamukhi. Once, on his way to the temple, he broke journey at Goindval to wait on Guru Amar Das. However, as he learnt about the Guru`s injunction that visitors must partake of food in the community kitchen before seeing him, he, proud of his caste, refused to comply and resumed his journey without seeing the Guru.

But soon after, says the chronicler, the goddess appeared to him in a vision and admonished him for turning away from Guru Amar Das. Kheda retraced his steps to Goindval, ate in the Guru ka Larigar and proceeded to bow at the Guru`s feet. He became a disciple and earned the Guru`s blessing by his devotion. The Guru appointed him head of a manjior preaching district. His successors built in his memory a shrine at Khem Karan which was destroyed in the Indo Pakistan war of 1965.

References :

1. Mani Singh, Bhai, Sihhan di Rbugat Mdla. Amrilsar, 1955
2. Bhalla, Sarup Das, Maluma Prakash. Pat-iala, 1971
3. Santukh Singh, Bhai, Sri Cur Pruldp Suraj Gian.Amritsar, 1927-33
4. Macauliftc, Max Arthur, `I`he Sikli Religion. Oxford,