DAULAT KHAN LODHI, NAWAB

DAULAT KHAN LODHI, NAWAB, an Afghan noble, was, during the last quarter of the fifteenth century, governor of Jalandhar Doab with Sultanpur, a town in present day Kapurthala district, as his capital. One of his officials, Jai Ram, was married to Guru Nanak`s sister, Nanaki.Jai Ram secured young Nanak employment as keeper of the Nawab`s granaries and stores at Sultanpur. Nanak applied himself to his duties diligently, and impressed everyone with his gentleness and openhanded generosity.

Yet there were some who felt jealous of his growing repute. Complaints were carried to the Nawab that Nanak was squandering his stocks ; but checks made on two different occasions found the stores full and accounts correct.Some time later accusations were laid before the Nawab about what was described as an heretical pronouncement made by Guru Nanak.The reference was to the Guru`s pronouncement: “There is no Hindu and there is no Musalman.”The Nawab dismissed the complaint saying that Nanak was a faqir whose words they did not easily understand.

On the insistence of the Qazi, Guru Nanak was summoned to the court. As reports P^iratanJanam Sakhi, the Nawab finally said, Qazi, Nanak hath arrived at the truth. Any further questioning will be futile.” Likewise, Daulat Khan refused to intervene when Guru Nanak`s father in law, Mul Chand, petitioned him to stop his son in law from leaving his home and family and launching upon his journeys abroad.

Nawab Daulat Khan later became the governor of the entire Punjab with Lahore as his capital. He however fell out with Ibrahim Lodhi, the emperor of Delhi, and, conspiring with the latter`s uncle, `Alam Khan, invited Babar, the ruler of Afghanistan, to attack India. As Babar led his armies into the country, Daulat Khan realized that he had come more like a conqueror and new master than like an ally, and turned against him, but he was no match for Babar and suffered a defeat at his hands. Babar stayed to establish his rule in India, whereas Daulat Khan died in obscurity.

References :

1. Vir Singh, Bhai, ed., Puratan Janam Sakhi. Amritsar, 1982
2. McLeod, W.H., Early Sikh Tradition. Oxford, 1980
3. Harbans Singh, Guru Nanak and Origins of the Sikh Faith. Bombay, 1969