The Law of Primogeniture Governing the Sodhis of Guru Har Sahai
The Sodhi family of Guru Har Sahai traditionally adhered to the Law of Primogeniture, under which inheritance passed strictly to the eldest male heir. This practice was not merely customary; it was formally codified in the Punjab Government Gazette of July 1909, which recognised the Sodhis as a primogeniture-governed lineage. While portions of land were occasionally allotted to relatives for their use during the lifetime of the incumbent head of the family, such grants were usufructuary only—they automatically reverted to the next recognised head upon the death of the previous one.A Rare Break in the Line of Primogeniture
A highly unusual sequence of events disrupted this long-standing system. Bishen Singh, the then head of the family, had three sons from his first wife, but all of them died in childhood. Believing he had no surviving male heirs, and advancing in age, he began allotting portions of land to his brothers for their maintenance. However, circumstances changed. Bishen Singh remarried, and from this marriage two sons survived—Jaswant Singh and Karam Singh. When Bishen Singh died in 1910, both sons were still below ten years of age. In accordance with colonial administrative policy, the estate was placed under the Court of Wards, which assumed stewardship until the young heirs reached majority and were found competent to manage the estate. During this period, the land earlier allotted to Bishen Singh’s brothers was divided between the two surviving sons—Jaswant Singh and Karam Singh—once they came of age. This division, though exceptional, became the practical resolution of a situation in which the previously allocated land could not revert seamlessly to a single heir due to the unusual lapse in succession planning. This episode stands out as a rare deviation from the otherwise rigid policy of primogeniture governing the Sodhi family, shaped by unexpected deaths, remarriage, and the intervention of the Court of Wards.