Lakhpat Rai
Mughal official (died 1747)
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Lakhpat Rai was the Diwan (chief minister) of Lahore for Yahya Khan Bahadur, the Subahdar of Subahs of Lahore and Multan, from 1726 until his death on March 21, 1747.[1][2] He is best known for his role in a large scale massacre of Sikhs in 1746 called the Chhota Ghallughara, in which an estimated 7,000 Sikhs were killed.[3][4] However, Purnima Dhavan gives a smaller figure of 400 Sikhs being killed in the massacre.[5]
Lakhpat Rai | |
|---|---|
| Diwan of Lahore | |
| In office 1726–1747 | |
| Preceded by | unknown |
| Succeeded by | Kaura Mal |
| Personal details | |
| Died | 1746 Punjab, Mughal Empire |
| Children | Harbhaj Rai Dalpat Rai |
| Relatives | Jaspat Rai (brother), Dalpat Rai (son) |
Known for | Involvement in the Chhota Ghallughara |
Lakhpat Rai and his brother Jaspat Rai belonged to a Khatri family from Kalanaur.[1][6] Lakhpat Rai constructed the Suka Talab in Lahore, which was situated near the Gurdwara Shikargarh Patshahi Chhevin.[7] Jaspat Rai was killed by the Sikhs in a raid. In order to take revenge of his brother's death, Lakhpat Rai convinced Yahya Khan, the Mughal governor, to take action against Sikhs.[6] As per Rattan Singh Bhangu's Panth Prakash, Lakhpat Rai personally supervised the operation and specifically sought out copies of the Guru Granth Sahib in-order to destroy them.[8] During the Chhota Ghallughara campaign, Lakhpat Rai's son Harbhaj Rai was killed by the Sikhs.[9][10] Lakhpat Rai was later killed by the Sikhs.[1] According to Surjit Singh Gandhi, he was killed in 1748.[1] His son, Dalpat Rai, sought asylum in Jammu and settled there.[11]