| Group: | Ramraiya |
| Founder: | Ram Rai |
| Religions: | Sikhism |
| Regions: | Punjab • Uttarakhand (Dehradun) |
| Languages: | Punjabi |
Ramraiyas (Gurmukhi: ਰਾਮਰਾਈਆ; rāmarā'ī'ā), also referred to as Ram Raiyas, are a Sikh sect that follow Ram Rai, the excommunicated eldest son of Guru Har Rai (1630–61).[1]
Ram Rai was sent by his father as an emissary to the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi. Aurangzeb objected to a verse in the Sikh scripture (Asa ki Var) that stated, "the clay from a Musalman's grave is kneaded into potter's lump", considering it an insult to Islam. Baba Ram Rai explained that the text was miscopied and modified it, substituting "Musalman" with "Beiman" (faithless, evil) which Aurangzeb approved.[2] [3] The willingness to change a word led Guru Har Rai to bar his son from his presence, and name his younger son as his successor. Aurangzeb responded by granting Ram Rai a jagir (fief) in the Garhwal region (Uttarakhand). The area of modern Dehradun was under the rule of King Fateh Shah of Garhwal Kingdom, whom had been commanded by Aurangzeb to facilitate Ram Rai and establish himself in the wilds of the valley, where he established his Durbar in 1676, with the work on the building finally being completed by his widow, Panjab Kaur, in 1699.[4] The town later came to be known as Dehradun, after Dehra, referring to Baba Ram Rai's shrine.[5]
Many followers of Ram Rai settled with Ram Rai, they followed Guru Nanak, but Sikhs have shunned them.[2] [6] They were one of the Panj Mel, the five reprobate groups that Sikhs are expected to shun with contempt. The other four are the Minas, the Masands, the Dhirmalias, the Sir-gums (those Sikhs who accept Amrit baptism but subsequently cut their hair).[7] [8]
After the death of Ram Rai, successive mahants of the Dehradun Darbar became the leaders of the sect, whom were worshiped by its followers.
| No. | Name | Portrait | Leadership term | Reference(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ram Rai | ? – 1687 | [9] | ||
| Mahants | |||||
| 2. | Aud Das | 1687 – 1741 | [10] | ||
| 3. | Har Prasad | 1741 – 1766 | |||
| 4. | Har Sewak | 1766 – 1818 | [11] | ||
| 5. | Har Swaroop Das | 1818 – 1842 | |||
| 6. | Preetam Das | 1842 – 1854 | |||
| 7. | Narayan Das | 1854 – 1885 | |||
| 8. | Prayag Das | 1885 – 1896 | |||
| 9. | Laxman Das | 1896 – 1945 | [12] | ||
| 10. | Indiresh Charan Das | 1945 – 2000 | [13] | ||
| 11. | Davendra Das | 2000 – present | [14] | ||