Mata Bhani

Bibi Bhani (19 January 1535– 9 April 1598) was daughter of Guru Amar Das, the third Sikh Guru and wife of Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru and the mother of Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru.

Biography:

She was born on 19 January 1535 (21 Magh 1591 Bk) at Basarke Gillan, a village near Amritsar. Her mother name was Mansa Devi .She was the younger daughter of the third Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Amar Das . She had two brothers named Bhai Mohan ji and Bhai Mohri ji and an older sister named Bibi Dani ji, who was married to a pious Sikh named Bhai Rama. She was married on 18 February 1554 to Bhai Jetha (whose name was later changed to Guru Ram Das), a Sodhi Khatri from Lahore. [Bhai Jetha] was a most devoted Sikh of Guru Amar Das. He was a dedicated Sikh and enjoyed serving the Guru and his Sangat. Bhai Jetha later moved to Goindval which was an upcoming Sikh town and carried out voluntary service (Sewa) in the construction of the Baoli Sahib (sacred well).

Guru Amar Das was very impressed with the Sewa performed by Bhai Jetha and so a marriage was arranged between Bibi Bhani, his daughter and a dedicated devotee, Bhai Jehta. After marriage, the couple remained in Goindval serving the Guru and the congregation (Sangat). Later, on the near completion of construction of the Gurdwara at Goindval, Bhai Jetha was deputed by the Guru to go and establish a habitation at present-day Amritsar. This place was also later caller Ramdasar. Here, on a piece of land gifted, according to one version, by Emperor Akbar to Bibi Bhani at theetime of his visit to Guru Amar Das.

An Incident :

One day, the Guru Amar das ji was bathing, sitting on a stool . Suddenly the foot of the stool started breaking down when Bibi bhani ji saw this, she went there and kept her hand under the stool so that her father would not get hurt. When Guru Amar Das ji finished bathing, he saw that his daughter’s hand was hurt.

Guru ji was very impressed by her and told her to ask for a boon from him. At that time, Bibi bhani ji said in Punjabi that " guru parampara sade vansh vich hi chaldi rahe ," meaning that may this tradition carry on in our family. And the boon was fulfilled. The husband of Bibi bhani, Guru Ram Das ji became the fourth guru and his son, Guru Arjan Dev ji became the fifth guru and this boon continued.

Three sons, Prith Chand (1558), Mahadev (1560) and (Guru) Arjan Dev (1563) were born to her. Mata Bhani died at Goindval on 9 April 1598.