Bhikhi, Punjab

Bhikhi is located at 30.07°N 75.53°E / 30.07; 75.53.[1] It has an average elevation of 219 metres (718 feet).

The village was settled by Chahal Jatts.

Desu a Chahal Jatt was a minor chief of Bhiki village of Bathinda area, when Guru Tegh Bahadur ji the ninth Sikh Guru visited that village travelling through the Malwa region of Punjab in 1672-73. As he came to see him, the Guru asked him why he carried a walking stick in his quiver. Desu replied that although he was a Hindu by birth, he had become a follower of Sultan Sakhi Sarwar, a Pir and carried the stick as an emblem of that faith.

The Guru gave Desu five arrows from his quiver and said that if he kept these with him and blessed him to worship only Waheguru Satnam, his family will be all right, his command on village will go on. Desu discarded the Sultani stick. Desu`s wife upset about her husband becoming a Sikh broke and burnt the arrows given by the guru and Desu started following Sakhi Sultan again When Guru Sahib came to know this he was disheartened to know this, Desu's relative who had become Sikhs went to Desu to advise him to ask for mercy from Guru Sahib. But again Desu's wife did not agree and allow him go to Guru Sahib. This brought a curse on his house and his son and grandson were killed at the hands of his enemies and his direct line came to an end they all died one by one. Local people and Banias of the village served Guru Sahib ji with great devotion.

In the northern part of the village Bhiki stands the historic Gurdwara Patshahi Nauvin in memory of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji who visited this village. The Local Sikhs of the area and people from other religions come to pay there respect to the Gurdwara.

As of 2001 India census,[2] Bhikhi had a population of 15,078. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Bhikhi has an average literacy rate of 53%, lower than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 57% and female literacy of 48%. 14% of the population is under 6 years of age. At the point of view of education a student of National college Bhikhi, Nisha Rani Mittal has written a book of computer which has been published by Kalyani Publishers.