Bhai Sangat Pheru from the village Aanbwaari near Lahore, started the business of selling local products as a hawker from a young age. When he heard the praises of Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji he decided to move to Kiratpur. When he reached Kiratpur he started selling ghee, carrying the pot on his head. He started going daily to the Darbar of Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji to pay homage to Guru Ji. Guru Sahib started buying ghee from him for Langar so his business flourished.
Bhai Bhagatu at this time was in charge of agriculture of Guru Ji’s land, which he was tilling with other Sikhs. One day Bhai Bhagatu was serving meals to the labourers who had been reaping the crop of wheat; Bhai Sangat was passing by with the pot of ghee on his head. The labourers said “Bhai Bhagatu, we have been doing hard work, please provide us with some ghee with these dry rotis”
Bhai Bhagatu asked Bhai Sangat to provide one chhatank (two ounces) of ghee for each labourer. Bhai Sangat gave one chhatank of ghee to each of the labourers from his pot, Bhai Bhagatu said “please take the price for the ghee from Guru Ji.”
After this Bhai Sangat reached his house and put the pot of ghee in his room, the next day when he was going to go to the market to sell his ghee. He looked into the pot and saw the ghee was at the same level as he had brought it from a nearby village. He was amazed to see this; he had given the labourers more than one seer (one kilo) but his pot was now full to the brim. He was now determined to give up his business and serve Guru Ji.
He carried the pot of ghee on his head to the Langar and placed in the kitchen. He then requested Guru Ji that he wanted to led his life in Guru Ji’s service. Guru Ji blessed him and said “We change your name from today, as you have got the gift of Naam as a Pheriwala (hawker), therefore we name you Bhai Pheru. We appoint you in charge of the Langar, you must be careful that no one remains hungry.”
Bhai Pheru was serving in the kitchen day and night, one day some Sikhs came late form Langar. In the kitchen there was some stale rotis and some fresh rotis were being made. Bhai Pheru served some stale rotis to some Sikhs and fresh rotis to the rest of the Sikhs. One Sikh noticed this discrimination and said “Bhai Pheru, you have made the Langar blind of one eye by making this discrimination.”
Bhai Pheru said “my dear Gursikh, today I have made mistake but in the future I will act cautiously. I may lose my one eye but I will not make the Langar blind of one eye (i.e. he will not discriminate again).” These words became true and he lost the sight of this eyes.
When Guru Ji came to know Bhai Pheru had become blind in one eye he went straight to Bhai Pheru and presented him a Gutka and a Saropa. Guru Ji said “I am pleased with your Seva, now I appoint you Masand of Nikka Desh. Now go there and preach Sikhi. You will not face any shortage for anything. Hands will be yours and pocket will be of the Guru, spend according to your desire”
Bhai Pheru went to Nikka Desh and set up Langar which ran 24 hours a day, he made the village Miaan Ki Maur as his headquarters.