PHŪL (1627-1689), ancestor of the Phūlkīāṅ dynasty, was born in 1629, the second son of Bhāī Rūp Chand and Māī Ambī. His father was killed fighting against the Bhaṭṭīs, Rājpūt converts to Islam, who were their old enemies and who had control over the Mālvā region. On the death of Phūl's father his uncle, Kālā, became his guardian. The family shifted to the village of Mehrāj, founded by Kālā's father, Mohan, in 1627 with the blessing of Gurū Hargobind. As Gurū Hargobind was staying at Gurūsar, the site of the battle of Mehrāj (16 December 1634), Kālā, accompanied by his young nephews, Sandlī and Phūl, went to pay homage. In the Gurū's presence, young Phūl started scratching his belly to indicate that he was hungry. As the legend goes, Gurū Hargobind gave his blessing saying, "He will have means not only to overcome his own hunger, but also to satisfy the hunger of many others. His horses shall drink water from the river Sutlej and the Yamunā." Phūl begot seven children. Three sons, Tilok Siṅgh, Rām Siṅgh and Raghū, and one daughter, Rāmī or Rām Kaur, were born to his first wife, Bālī, the daughter of a zamīndār of ḍhilvāṅ, in Nābhā territory. From Tilok Siṅgh descended the ruling families of Nābhā and Jīnd and from Rām Siṅgh, the house of Patiālā. To Phūl's second wife, Raj jī, were born three sons, Channū, Jhaṇḍū and Takht Mall. The descendants of Channū and Takht Mall held jagīrs in the village of Gumaṭī

         Phūl received from Rāi Bakhtiār or Kāṅgāṛ, lease of Kāmāṅvālā Theh and raised on the site a village which he called Phūl. He gained considerable influence in the area, and defeated Hyat Khān Bhaṭṭī of Bhaṭner in a battle fought near what is now Muktsar. Phūl began to be recognized as a daring and powerful local chief. He attacked the chief of Jagrāoṅ, and held him captive after a brief skirmish. He was summoned to Sirhind where he was imprisoned under the orders of the Mughal faujdār. It is said that he secured his release feigning death — an art he had learnt from one Sumerpurī faqīr who once happened to visit his place. Taking him as dead, his body was handed over to his relations.

         Phūl died at Bahādurpur in Nābhā state on 28 January 1689, and was cremated at the village of Phūl. His samādh still exists there.