On November 11, 1675, Guru Tegh Bahadur's head was cut off in public in Chandani Chowk, on the orders of Aurungzeb. It is said that such a dust storm ensued just after the event that nothing could be seen and everything was in dark. It was then, when Guru's disciple Bhai Jaita, a Rengreta Sikh, saw his chance and took away the head of the great martyr and escaped to Anandpur Sahib in Punjab where it was cremated with proper ceremony. Almost at the same time, Bhai Lakhi Shah Banjara and his son, Bhai Naghaiya, got hold of the Guru's body and placed it in a ox-driven cart under the cotton bales and escaped to their village, Raisina. This place later came to be known as Rakab Ganj as most of the residents were employed in manufacturing straps for the cavalry of Mughal Army. In saving the body of their peer from the hands of the enemy, they cremated the holy body by burning their own house and put his ashes in a gagar (urn) and buried it on the spot. A mosque was later built there.
In 1783, Sardar Bhagel Singh along with 30,000 Sikh warriors claimed this spot as their own sacred place. Muslims contested this claim and it was decided that Sikhs would reconstruct the mosque on their expense in case the urn containing the ashes of the respected Guru was not found buried beneath.