The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors, Volume 2

IN Matte di Sarai, a village about six miles from Muktsar in the Firozpur district of the Panjab, once lived a trader called Pheru. He subsequently removed to the village of Harike, where he found a better opening for commerce. His wife’s maiden name was Ramo, but after her marriage she was called Daya Kaur. She is described as a lady of gentle disposition, charitable, and religious. Four hours before day on the nth of Baisakh in the Sambat year 1561 (A.D. 1504) a son was born to them. He received the name Lahina. In due time he wedded a lady called Khivi, a native of Matte di Sarai. His father grew weary of Harike, and with his own family and Lahina’ s returned to Matte di Sarai and lived there. Lahina’s wife there gave birth to a daughter called Amro and to two sons who were named Dasu and Datu.

When Matte di Sarai was sacked by the Mughals and Baloches, Pheru and Lahina’s families went to live in Khadur, now a famous Sikh town in the Tarn Tar an sub-collectorate of the Amritsar district. While dwelling there Lahina organized a yearly pilgrimage of devout Hindus to Jawalamukhi, a place sacred to Durga in the lower Himalayas, where fire issues from the mountains.