At Kiratpur Guru Har Gobind ji held Darbar twice a day, the number of Sikhs was increasing day by day. One day Guru ji called Bhai Jhanda and said "Tell the Sikhs that whoever collects dry sticks from the jungle for the Langar would be blessed." When Bhai Jhanda heard this advise, he himself went to the jungle and spent the whole day collecting dry sticks. The next day he brought the bundles of sticks and stored them in the Langar. When Guru ji saw him he said "Bhai Jhanda, I have asked you to advise the Sikhs to bring the sticks but you have been bringing these sticks yourself ." Bhai Jhanda humbly said "My Lord, let me first become a Sikh."
JHANDA, BHAI (1580-1661), a prominent Sikh of Guru Har Rai`s time, was a grandson of Bhai Bhana, the youngest son of the venerable Bhai Buddha. He was born to Bhai Bhana`s younger son, Sarvan and his wife Aiyari, in 1580. At the age of 16, he was married to Bibi Sulakkhani. Even during the lifetime of his grandfather, he displayed interest in managing the family estate which he extended considerably. It is said that he had in that area twentyfive villages, the land revenue of which accrued to him. He also had a jagir given him by Emperor Shah Jahari.
He became a wealthy and influential man, yet he maintained his reputation as a pious and humble Sikh of the Guru. He made frequent visits to Amritsar and, later to Kiratpur to wait upon him. When his father, Bhai Sarvan, joined Guru Hargobind`s train, he summoned his son to Kiratpur. There Bhai Jhanda devoted himself wholeheartedly to the service of the Guru and his Sikhs, who came from far and near to see him. He brought firewood from the forests for the Guru ka Langar. He was especially known for his spirit of humility and obedience. It is recorded by a contemporary chronicler, Zulfiqar Ardistam, the author of Dabistani Mazahib, that once Guru Hargobind, while having a stroll in the garden at Kiratpur, told Bhai Jhanda to stand and wait for him at the entrance.
The Guru after some time left through another exit. Jhanda, in the absence of any further instructions, kept standing at the garden gate until the Guru, informed on the fourth day of what had happened, recalled him. After his father`s death in 1651, Bhai Jhanda took his place in the Guru`s train. He himself died at his village, Jhanda Ramdas, in early 1661. It is said that Guru Har Rai himself attended his funeral and appointed his son, Bhai Gurditta, to take his place at Kiratpur.
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