Haqiqat Rai

Haqiqat Rai (1720–1734) was an 18th-century boy from Sialkot, who was executed in Lahore during the time of Zakariya Khan.

Life

Haqiqat Rai di Var

According to Akkra's ballad, Haqiqat was born into a Hindu Khatri family of Sialkot; his father was Baghmal. Some of his Muslim classmates had ridiculed Hindu deities to which a fifteen-year old Haqiqat retorted by insulting Islam — this was reported to the Maulvi.

A case was accordingly filed before the ''qazi'', who asked him to choose between converting to Islam or being put to death. Despite persuasions, Haqiqat refused and was beheaded in Lahore during Zakariya Khan's governorship.

Char Bagh-i Punjab

Ganesh Das (in Char Bagh-i Punjab, ''Char Bagh''-i ''Punjab'') agrees with Akkra about Haqiqat's antecedents. But specifics concerning the rest of narrative vary.

He accuses a ''mullah'' of having cried wolf about blasphemy, after his son was defeated by an intellectually superior Haqiqat on a religion-themed discussion. Irate Muslim inhabitants of the city refused to accept apology of their Hindu brethren (including Haqiqat's parents) in the town and insisted that he either convert or be put to death. On no easy resolution, the ''mullah'' bribed city officials and approached the office of Governor Zakariya Khan at Lahore.

Portrayed as a man of liberal demeanor, Khan had outright rejected the charges as fabricated upon cross-examination of witnesses despite the ''mullah'' bringing a large crowd of supporters, in anticipation. However, he was held to ransom by the conservatives — ''ulema'', ''qazi'', and ''Mufti —'' who supported the ''mullah'' and opposed the interference of an administrative official in religious matters. Khan conceded to their demands and suggested that Haqiqat convert to Islam in lieu of ''mansabdaari'' status and other privileges.

On Haqiqat's prompt rejection of this offer, the Mufti pronounced a verdict of death-sentence but it was stalled for a day upon his father's wish to convince him about accepting Khan's suggestion. Despite, Haqiqat remained steadfast and waxed long about the virtues of Hinduism and vices of Islam; the following day, Khan had him handed to the clerics in the open court. He was immobilized in waist-deep soil and stoned, until a soldier beheaded him of piety; the severed head continued to chant '' Ram Nam''. Haqiqat was cremated — pursuant to Hindu rites — in the garden of one Diwan Kirpa Ram Chopra and a samadhi was installed, which became a spot of veneration for local Hindus.

Prachin Panth Prakash

Ratan Singh Bhangu held that Haqiqat Rai was mistakenly held to be a Sikh by Zakariya Khan — during a tenure marked with extreme animosity against Khalsa — and consequently murdered in 1734 C.E.

Popular culture

Haqiqat's legacy has been claimed by Hindus as well as Sikhs. In 1782/84, a Sikh poet named Aggra (aka Agra or Aggar Singh) wrote a Punjabi ''vaar'' (ballad) titled ''Haqiqat Rai di Var'' espousing him as a Hindu martyr. Maharaja Ranjit Singh particularly revered Haqiqat Rai as a Sikh martyr.

In the first decade of the twentieth century (1905–10), three Bengali writers popularized the legend of Haqiqat Rai's martyrdom through their essays. The three accounts differ greatly. The Arya Samaj organized a play ''Dharmaveer Haqiqat Rai'', advocating deep loyalty to Hinduism. It also printed copies of the legend, and distributed them free of cost or at a nominal price of 2 paisa.

Before the partition of India in 1947, Hindus and Sikhs used to gather at his samadhi in Lahore, during the Basant Panchami Festival. His samadhi in Sialkot was also a place of worship. In 2004, Nawa-i-Waqt, a Pakistani daily opposed Basant Panchami celebrations in Pakistan, arguing that the festival celebrated Haqiqat Rai's insult of Muhammad.

Another samadhi dedicated to Haqiqat Rai is located in Boeli of Baba Bhandari (Hoshiarpur district), where people gather and pay obeisance to Haqiqat Rai during Basant Panchami. In Gurdaspur district, a shrine dedicated to him is located at Batala.Gurdaspur: Tourist Places
/ref> The town also has a samadhi dedicated to Sati Lakshmi Devi, said to be the wife of Haqiqat Rai.

Many cities in India have localities named after Haqiqat Rai, mostly the ones where the partition refugees settled; for example, Haqiqat Nagar in Delhi. An ISBT located in Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi, India is also named after him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rai, Haqiqat
Year of birth unknown
Year of death unknown
18th-century executions by the Mughal Empire
Executed children
Punjabi Hindus
Hindu martyrs
Indian Hindus
People executed for refusing to convert to Islam