Malik Bhago

One day, when Malik Bhago, an important government official of the city, provided food for all religous holy men he invited Guru Nanak Sahib too.

Guru Nanak declined the invitation of Malik Bhago. On being summoned through official command a second time, Guru Nanak Sahib took Bhai Lalo with him and went to Malik Bhago's house. With great anger Malik Bhago said to Guru Nanak, 'You are dishonoring Kshatriyas by eating dry chapati's in the house of a carpenter. My feast offers you delicious food. Why do you refuse to eat it?'

Guru Nanak Sahib took Malik Bhago's buttered bread in his left hand and Bhai Lalo's plain bread in his right hand. When Guru Nanak squeezed his left hand, with the Malik Bhago's buttered bread, everyone saw blood trickling from it. When Guru Nanak squeezed his right hand, the people saw drops of milk dripping from it.

Malik Bhago became silent.

Guru Nanak explained that Malik's income was earned by sucking the blood of the poor people whereas the income of this carpenter had the milk earned by his hard labour. "The wealth gathered by cruelty towards the poor is like draining their blood. Malik Bhago you invited me to partake blood, leaving the food that is as pure as milk. How could I accept it?" said Guru Ji.

"This was the reason behind my rejection of your rich food and that was why I preferred the simple bread earned through hard labour," said the Guru.

Bhai Lalo, was the symbol of honesty and hardwork. So according to Guru Nanak Sahib, it's better to earn a little money with honesty than to amass a huge wealth by devious and crooked means.

Lalo's house, where Guru Nanak Sahib Ji had stayed, was made into a Gurdwara and called Gurdwara Khuhi Bhai Lalo (the well of Lalo). The well's top (modernized) is still intact and has drinking water.

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  Gurdwara Khuhi Bhai Lalo

  (approximate location) Eminabad, Gujranwala, Punjab, Pakistan.

  Associated with Sri Guru Nanak Sahib Ji, Bhai Lalo Ji.

  Guru Nanak stayed with Bhai Lalo on several occasions. Bhai Lalo's house became a dharmsala and was later developed into Gurdwara which was named after a khuhi (narrow well) which existed even when the old house had crumbled.

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