The Sodhi family can trace their lineage back to the fourth Sikh guru, Guru Ram Das, who was himself a Sodhi. After him, all the gurus were also Sodhis. In fact, Guru Gobind Singh was also known as Sodhi Sultan. Although, Guru Gobind Singh ordained that after him, the “Guru” would be Guru Granth Sahib, people continued to revere the Anandpur Sahib Sodhis as ‘Guru Ghar”. They, being the direct descendants of the gurus, held a special place in people’s hearts. They continued to have a stronghold in Anandpur Sahib ruling it like kings. In fact, the whole of Anandpur belonged to them. They were “The Sarkar”—Wadhi, Doosri, Teesri, and Chauthi, each with a fortified palace, commune, and congregation of followers, reflecting the dynamic socio-political structure. The Sarkars also maintained a militia of their own, consisting of infantry, cavalry, and elephants. They looked after the day-to-day administration of Anandpur, holding court in all grandeur and glory. They lived an opulent life with inherited martial spirit and royal interests like hunting, horse riding etc.

This has continued down to the present Sodhi generation. Harkirat Singh Sodhi, a direct descendant of the Sodhi family, established the Sri Anandpur Sahib Foundation to further promote and preserve the city’s cultural heritage. The heritage properties in Sri Anandpur Sahib carry a storied lineage tracing back through the centuries from the 4th guru of the Sikhs to Sodhi Harkirat Singh, the visionary founder of the Sri Anandpur Sahib Foundation.

Today, the foundation pledges to uphold education, sewa, and sports, to improve medical facilities, serve langar, and infrastructure, ensuring that future generations can appreciate the rich history and cultural significance of Sri Anandpur Sahib.