Rao Bhatti

Rao Bhatti (also known as Raja Bhatti) was an ancient Hindu monarch during the 3rd century. He was the principal common ancestor of the Bhati/Bhatti Rajput clan present in modern-day Pakistan and India. Bhatti and his descendants claim direct descent from the Hindu mythological Yaduvanshi lineage of the Lunar dynasty. He is also the common ancestor of many notable individuals and families.

Ancestry
Bhatti and his ancestors claimed direct descent from Yadu, the legendary king of the Hindu Yaduvanshi lineage, a branch of the Lunar dynasty in Hindu mythology. Shalivahana, Bhatti's ancestor and a semi-legendary emperor, was according to some historians, the first of the Yaduvanshi Rajputs to settle in Punjab. According to some historical accounts, in 78 CE, Shalivahna defeated the Indo-Scythians in a battle near modern-day Multan, and in commemoration, he adopted the title 'Sakari', which meant 'foe of the Scythians'.

Biography
Bhatti was born in the Punjab region of what is now Sialkot, during the 3rd century. His early life, according to historical sources, was in Punjab. Bhatti was a monarch and the leader of a Yaduvanshi Yadu Rajput clan, which was named after Yadu, the mythological king in Hinduism. During his rule in the 3rd century, Bhatti conquered and annexed territories from 14 princes in Punjab, including the area of what is now modern-day Lahore. He is also credited with establishing the modern city of Bathinda, Punjab, after he captured the area in the 3rd century. However, Bhatti and his clan were later driven out of Punjab by invaders from Ghazni, in modern-day Afghanistan, and resettled in oasis areas in the Thar Desert.

Legacy
During Bhatti's rule, and in recognition of his achievements, the patronymic of his clan, which had previously been named Yadu after the same mythological king in Hinduism, was changed to Bhati. The Bhati Rajput clan was then named after him. Many of Bhatti's descendants achieved notability. His descendant in the 12th century, Jaisal Singh, became the founder and Rawal of the Kingdom of Jaisalmer. Through his 17th-century descendant, Phul Sidhu, who was also a direct descendant of Jaisal Singh, he is the direct ancestor of the Phulkian dynasty royal families of Patiala, Nabha, Jind, and Faridkot, and their descendants. Through some of his descendants that were members of the Patiala royal family, Bhatti is also the direct ancestor of many members of the Khanna family.