Bhai Phero

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Bhai Phero's birth name was Sangtia. As an adult he was a trader of ghee (clarified butter). Once when he was carrying his oil skins full of ghee to Kartarpur, one of the followers of Guru Har Rai Ji purchased the ghee from him and asked him to collect the money on the following day. Sangtia Ji emptied his oil skins. On waking the next morning he was amazed to find his empty 'oil skins' were again full of ghee, as they had been the day before. Witnessing a miracle such as this he went to the Guru's Darbar asking to become a Sikh, a follower of Guru Har Rai Ji.

Initiating Santia as a Sikh, the Guru gifted him with a new name, calling him "Bhai Phero". He soon became very popular in the Sangat at Kartarpur. Guru Dev Ji then appointed him as the Masand (collector/representative of the Guru, men who were often sent to teach Sikhi and establish Guru ka Langars) for the Nakka area.

Soon when it was discovered that many of the Guru's Masands had taken to diverting a portion of the Dasvand funds for their own purposes, a thorough investigation was ordered.

When it was found that only Bhai Phero had maintained his account honestly and scrupulously Guru Ji prayed for the continuation of his langar. After many years of selfless service to his Sangat Bhai Phero died in the area of Nakka. Later a samadh (Shrine) was built there in his memory. Soon a town grew up around the samadh which also took the name of 'the one honest Masand' Bhai Phero.