The legend goes that Rai Bular Bhatti was the follower of Baba Nanak, in fact, after Bebe Nanaki, he is considered to be the second most devoted disciple of Baba Nanak, and then Bhai Mardana Ji came into Baba Nanak’s life. But how exactly did he become his follower?
The chronicle says that Rai Bular was the chief of Talwandi Sahib village where Baba Nanak was born; Mehta Kalu Ji, Baba Nanak’s father and the Patwari of Talwandi Sahib, was working under Rai Bular Ji at the time. Rai Bular Ji played a vital role; it was him who told Mehta Kalu Ji to teach Baba Nanak the Persian language so that he could secure a government job. Bular Ji urged Daulat Khan Lodhi to appoint Baba Nanak for a government job in Sultanpur Lodhi, even the alliance of Bebe Nanaki (Baba Nanak’s sister) with the Patwari of Sultanpur Lodhi was fixed by Rai Bular Ji.
The chronicle says that once Rai Bular Ji was on his way to somewhere, he saw Baba Nanak sleeping under the tree; Rai Bhullar Ji was pleasantly surprised to notice a strange phenomenon. The shadows of the other trees had travelled around with the sun, but not of the tree under which Nanak slept. Moreover, a snake lay near Baba Nanak and seemed to be blocking the sunlight so that his sleep wasn’t affected. This made him Baba Nanak’s devotee for life. Even when Rai Bular Ji was on his death bed, Baba Nanak Ji paid him a visit, and he donated over 18,500 acres of agricultural land to Baba Nanak as his last wish.