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Genealogy of Guru Nanak
Col Bhupinder Singh
Guru Nanak (1469-1539), a Bedi Khatri was the son of Kalu Mehta and Mata Tripta. He had a sister named Nanki, who was married to Jai Chand. The Guru was married to Bibi Sulakhni and had two sons, Sri Chand and Lakhmi Das. Guru Nanak was born on 15 April 1469, but for convenience sake his birthday is celebrated on full moon (Puranmashi) day in the month of Kattak (generally November). He lived up to the age of 70 years, 05 months and 07 days. A brief bio-data of the relatives of the Guru follows:
Kalian Chand, Baba (1440-1522), variously mentioned by chroniclers as Mehta Kalu, Kalu Rai, Kalu Chand, Kalian Rai and Kalian Chand, was a Bedi Khatri and the father of Guru Nanak. He was the elder of two sons of Baba Shiv Ram (b. 1418 - grandfather of Guru Nanak), son of Ram Narayan Bedi (Nanak's great grandfather) and Mata Banarasi (Nanak's grandmother) of village Patthe Vind, now the site of Gurdwara Dera Sahib, 6 miles east of Naushahra Pannuan (district Amritsar). It was in this village that Kalian Chand aka Kalu Mehta was born; the village (Patthe Vind), however, is no longer in existence. The family later shifted to village Talwandi Rai Bhoi ki (now Nankana Sahib) in present day Sheikhupura district of Pakistan, where Shiv Ram became the village patwari (revenue official); a post occupied by Baba Kalian Chand after his father's death. Baba Lalu (1444-1542) was the name of Kalian Chand's younger brother (Baba Shiv Ram's younger son and Guru Nanak's paternal uncle – chacha); he was born at Talwandi Rai Bhoi ki. Baba Kalian Chand was married to Mata Tripta in 1460 and they had two children; a daughter, Nanki, and a son, Guru Nanak. Baba Kalian Chand died in 1522 at the age of 82 years, at Kartarpur (a town founded by Guru Nanak on the right bank of River Ravi).
Mata Tripta (1446-1522), mother of Guru Nanak, was the daughter of Bhai Rama and Mai Bharai of Chahal village near Lahore. She was married to Kalian Chand in 1460 at the age of 11 years and they had two children; a daughter, Nanki and a son, Guru Nanak. Mata Tripta had a brother named Krishna. She was a simple, humble, kind and humane lady. She died in Kartarpur, at the age of 76, soon after the demise of her husband, Mehta Kalu.
Bibi Nanaki (1464-1518), daughter of Kalyan Chand (Baba Kalu) and Mata Tripta and the elder sister of Guru Nanak, was born in 1464 in her mother's home at the village Chahal (now in Pakistan Punjab, Lahore district). She was five years senior in age to her brother Nanak and the first to adore and recognize his spiritual accomplishments; she was also Nanak's first devotee. Bibi Nanaki was married in 1475 to Jai Ram. She was issueless and felt honoured and blessed when Guru Nanak came to work and stay with her at Sultanpur Lodhi. She arranged Guru Nanak's marriage and loved his two sons. Nanak too loved his sister and when he went on his udasis (preaching odysseys), he made it a point to visit Sultanpur and meet his loving sister whenever he could. On one such visit in 1518, Bibi Nanki, sensing her end approaching, detained her brother. And as she had wished, Bibi Nanki passed away at the age of 54, in the presence of her brother, Guru Nanak. Three days later, her husband, Jai Ram, also expired. Baba Nanak himself performed their obsequies.
Jai Ram (d.1518), a Uppal Khatri was brother-in law of Guru Nanak, he was married to Nanki (Guru Nanak's sister) in 1475 at Talwandi Rai Bhoi. Jai Ram was the son of Parmanand, a patwari at Sultanpur Lodhi (in present day Kapurthala district of Punjab). He had two sisters and a younger brother; their father died when they were quite young and Jai Ram took up his father's job as a patwari. Jai Ram was a trusted official at the court of Nawab Daulat Khan Lodhi (a distant kinsman of the reigning Sultan of Delhi), at Sultanpur Lodhi. He was instrumental in securing Guru Nanak a job as an accountant with the Nawab, Daulat khan Lodhi. Guru Nanak stayed with them (Jai Ram and Nanaki) for several years at Sultanpur. Jai Ram though much senior to Guru Nanak in age, respected the latter for his piety and considered himself blessed for being related to him. Guru Nanak was present at Sultanpur Lodhi in 1518 when Jai Ram died, just three days after the death of his wife, Nanki. The couple was childless.
Mata Sulakhani (1473-1546), wife of Guru Nanak, was the daughter of Chando Rani and Mul Chand, a Chona Khatri of Batala, who was a patwari at the village of Pakkhoke Randhawa (Dera Baba Nanak) in Gurdaspur district of Punjab. The distance between Dera Baba Nanak and Batala is 12 Kms. At 14 years of age, Sulakhani was married to Guru Nanak, who was then 18 years old; the marriage took place at Batala on 24 September 1487. The couple was blessed with two sons – Baba Sri Chand (b. 1494) and Baba Lakhmi Das (b. 1497). They remained married for 60 years. Sulakhani survived Nanak by 6 years and passed away at Kartarpur in 1546, at the age of 73.
Guru Nanak's in-laws were never happy with him; the chronicles narrate an interesting episode. At the time of his marriage, Guru Nanak wanted a simple marriage devoid of dowry, ceremonies, customs and rituals. His father-in-law (Mul Chand Chona), however, was livid and adamant; he was opposed to a non-traditional marriage; ultimately he asked Nanak to convince the Brahmins. For the discussion, Guru Nanak was intentionally seated next to a weak mud wall that could have fallen, if pushed or under its own weight and moreover, since it was raining that day, the wall could have collapsed on Guru Nanak at any moment. Sulakhani cautioned Nanak of the danger by sending a warning through a messenger. Nanak smiled and replied that the wall would not fall for centuries. Portion of this wall (kandh) is still intact, shielded in glass, within the Kandh Sahib Gurdwara. Guru Nanak trounced the Brahmins in the discussions and the marriage took place as he desired.
Baba Sri Chand (1494-1629), founder of the ascetic sect of Udasis was born on Bhadon sudi 9, 1551 Bk (8 September 1494) at Sultanpur Lodhi, Kapurthala district, Punjab. He was the elder son of Guru Nanak and Bibi Sulakhani. When Guru Nanak left home on his travels to distant lands, Bibi Sulakhani took him and his younger brother Laxmi Das, to her parent's home at Pakkhoke Randhawa (Dera Baba Nanak). As Sri Chand grew up, he was attracted towards spiritualism and developed indifference to worldly affairs. At the age of eleven he left for Kashmir where he studied Sanskrit texts under Pandit Purushottam Kaul and later studied and practiced yoga under Avinasha Muni. As an adult he became an ascetic and lived his life as a celibate recluse. When Guru Nanak finally returned from his travels and settled down at Kartarpur in 1522, Sri Chand rejoined the family.
Guru Nanak passed away at Kartarpur on 7 September 1539 and his Muslim devotees built a monument on the site where his ashes were buried. With the passage of time, the memorial was washed away by floods in River Ravi, Sri Chand had the urn, containing the ashes salvaged and taken to Pakkhoke Randhawa, were they were reburied, close to the well of Ajitta Randhawa (a devotee of the late Guru). The place came to be revered as Dera or samadh (mausoleum) of Guru Nanak. The present town of Dera Baba Nanak grew up around the samadh. Despite different views and ideology, Baba Sri Chand had great respect for his father. It is believed that he composed a hymn (aarti) in praise of Guru Nanak.
Baba Sri Chand made the headquarters of the Udasi sect in Barath, 8 km southwest of Pathankot in Gurdaspur (Punjab). His ideology of renunciation and celibacy was opposed to his father's teachings and Sikh philosophy. Despite opposing views, all Gurus revered Baba Sri Chand and held him in high esteem by virtue of his holy descent, old age and piety. It is said that when he visited Guru Ram Das and remarked about his long beard, the Guru immediately got up and started wiping Baba Sri Chand's feet with his beard, this action of the Guru humbled him. Guru Arjan met Baba Sri Chand at Barath in 1655, to obtain Guru Nanak's hymns for inclusion in the Adi Granth. It is believed that in 1619, Baba Sri Chand used his influence to persuade Emperor Jahangir to release Guru Hargobind from imprisonment in Gwalior Fort.
Hereunder are some incidents of Baba Sri Chand's association with the Sikh faith. Baba Mohan, eldest son of Guru Amar Das followed in the footsteps of Baba Sri Chand and led a life of celibacy. In 1526, when at the behest of Guru Hargobind, his eldest son, Baba Gurditta proceed to found the town of Kiratpur in the lower Sivalik hills, he had the ground broken by Baba Sri Chand. With the approval of Guru Hargobind, Baba Gurditta succeed Baba Sri Chand as head of the Udasi sect after his death (it may be noted that Baba Gurditta's elder son Har Rai became the seventh Guru of the Sikhs). Ram Rai, son of Guru Har Rai joined the Udasi sect. Baba Sri Chand also attended the cremation rites of Baba Buddha, who had anointed five Gurus (second to sixth). Baba Buddha died on 16 November 1631 A.D. at Jhanda Ram Chand. Baba Sri Chand protected and maintained the historical shrines of Anandpur Sahib, Hazur sahib and Amritsar sahib for over a hundred years after Guru Gobind Singh's death.
Many miricles are attributed to Baba Sri Chand, but they have no place in Guru Nanak's philosophy and the Sikh religion. Baba Sri Chand had a very long life span, he lived for well over a century; he travelled the length and breadth of India with his disciples and had many followers. He died at Kiratpur on Magh sudi 1, 1685 Bk (13 January 15629). Before that he had appointed Baba Gurditta to succeed him as head of the Udasi sect.
Baba Lakhmi Das, also called Lakhmi Chand (1497-1555), the younger son of Guru Nanak and Mata Sulakhani, was born at Sultanpur Lodhi, Kapurthala district, Punjab on 19 Phagun 1553 Bk (12 February 1497). He was three years younger than his elder brother Baba Sri Chand, but unlike his elder brother, Lakhmi Das got married to Dhanvanti and led a householder's life. He had a son, named Dharam Das. Baba Lakhmi Das settled down at Dera Baba Nanak. He died at 58 years of age, at Kartarpur (on Ravi) on 13 Baisakh 1612 Bk (9 April 1555).
Dharam Das, son of Baba Lakhmi Das and grandson of Guru Nanak was married to the daughter of Diwan Uttam Das and Bibi Lajwanti and had two sons Manak Das and Mehr Das. The Bedi families of Punjab claim their descent from him.
A mention of some of the later descendants of the Guru is as follows:
Baba Kabali Mall was the eighth in line of descendants of Guru Nanak and seventh descendant of Guru Nanak's son Lakhmi Das. His son Sukhbasi Ram Bedi (circa 1758 – circa 1848), an Udasi saint wrote Guru Nanak Bans Prakash, a versified biography of Guru Nanak with considerable detail about his descendants (pp. 212, The Encyclopedia of Sikhism - Volume 2).
Baba Gurupat, known to be a descendant of Guru Nanak. He visited Sindh during Sikh times with a letter from Maharaja Ranjit Singh to the local chief, Mir Sohrab Khan. Baba Gurupat established many Jagiasi tikanas or seats in Sindh. His last will, dated 29 July 1857, bears the signatures of many a Sindhi Jagiasi and Udasi saints. Jagiasi is a religious sect cognate with the Udasi section of the Nanakpanthis of Sindh. jagiasi denotes one desirous of knowledge. Following the example of the founder of the sect, Baba Sri Chand, the elder son of Guru Nanak, the Udiasis do not marry. The Jagiasis on the other hand follow the example of the younger son of Guru Nanak, Lakhmi Chand (1497-1555), who was a householder, and take to family life. The sect flourished especially during the days of Baba Gurupat.
Two of the charismatic personalities of later period in the lineage were Sahib Singh Bedi and Sir Khem Singh Bedi.
Sahib Singh Bedi (1756-1834), a contemporary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was tenth in direct descent from Guru Nanak. He was a selfless man and by virtue of his descent from the holy Guru and his age, he enjoyed the status of father of the Sikhs. He was always wont to appear as a saviour when the Sikhs were in a crisis and threatened with disruption. The venerable Sahib Singh Bedi united the Sikhs when there were differences between them and stopped them from being misled by the enemy when he was trying to sow seeds of discord among them. Such was the prestige of the man that the Sardars obeyed without demur; they readily and implicitly lay down their swords at his feet and agreed to abide by his decision.
Baba Sir Khem Singh Bedi (1832-1905), was one of the founders of Singh Sabha movement in the seventies of the twentieth century.
From the article above, it will be noted that all the males in Guru Nanak's family were educated and most of them were patwaris. Today, Bedis of Punjab are mostly concentrated in Dera Baba Nanak (Gurdaspur district) and Una (Hoshiarpur District).
In the end, to summarize and for ease of assimilation, it will be worthwhile to list the names of the family of Guru Nanak in a correct perspective. The list is as follows:
Ram Narayan Bedi - great grandfather
Baba Shiv Ram (b. 1418) - grandfather
Mata Banarasi – grandmother
Baba Kalian Chand or Mehta Kalu (1440-1522) – father
Baba Lalu (1444-1542) – paternal uncle (Chacha)
Mata Tripta (1446 - 1522) - mother
Bhai Rama – maternal grandfather
Mai Bharai – maternal grandmother
Krishna – maternal uncle (mama)
Bibi Nanaki (1464-1518) – sister
Jai Ram Uppal (d.1518) – brother-in-law
Mata Sulakhani (1473-1546) – wife
Mul Chand Chona – father-in-law
Chando Rani – mother-in-law
Baba Sri Chand (1494-1629) – elder son
Baba Lakhmi Das (1497-1555) – younger son
Dharam Das or Dharam Chand – grandson
Some prominent later descendants
Sukhbasi Ram Bedi (circa 1758 – circa 1848), an Udasi saint, who wrote Guru Nanak Bans Prakash, a versified biography of Guru Nanak with considerable detail about his descendants.
Baba Gurupat, a descendant of Guru Nanak, who spread the Jagiasi Movement.
Sahib Singh Bedi (1756-1834), tenth in direct descent from Guru Nanak, he was a selfless man and by virtue of his descent from the holy Guru, his age and piety, he enjoyed the status of father of the Sikhs.
Baba Sir Khem Singh Bedi (1832-1905), one of the founders of Singh Sabha movement.
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References:
1. The Encyclopedia of Sikhism, Harbans Singh (Editor-in Chief)
2. Guru Nanak and His Family (an article in 2 parts by Dr. Sukhbir Singh Kapoor) in March and April issues of The Sikh Review
3. A History of the Sikhs, Khushwant Singh
4. Sikh Shrines in India – Mehar Singh
5. The Sikh Religion – M. A. Macauliffe
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