Guru ke Mehal- Mata Khevi Ji

Important Dates

Birth: Village Sanghar – 1506. Mata Khivi Ji is born to Karan Devi and her husband Devi Chand of the Katri Clan.

Marriage: 1519. Khivi (aged 13 years) marries Bhai Lehna (aged 15 years) son of Mata Daya Kaur and Bhai Pheru Mal.

Children: Bhai Dasu 1524, Bibi Amro 1532, Bibi Anokhi in 1535 and Bhai Datu in 1537 all born at Khadur Sahib.

Inauguration (Guruship) of Lehna: Kartarpur Sahib – September 18, 1539. Nanak appoints Mata Khivi's husband Bhai Lehna his successor, and names him Guru Angad Dev. At about age of 32/33, Mata Ji carries on with the organization Langar. She personally takes over distribution of Langar.

Inauguration of Guru Amar Das: Khadur Sahib – April 16, 1552. Guru Angad Dev appoints Guru Amar Das his successor. Round the age of 45/46, Mata Khivi continues her Seva in the Langar working with Guru Ji to develop Pangat and Sangat.

Inauguration of Guru Raam Das: Goindwal Sahib – September, 1574. Guru Amar Das appoints his son-in-law Bhai Jetha as fourth guru and names him Guru Ram Das. At about age 67/68, Mata Khivi continues to oversee the provision of Langar.

Inauguration of Guru Arjun Dev: Goindwal Sahib – September, 1581. Guru Ram Das appoints his son Arjun Dev as his successor. At about age 74/75, Mata Khivi manages the Guru's Langar alongside Guru Arjun Dev for the remainder of her life.

Leaves this world: Khadur - 1582. Mata Khivi leaves this world age of 75.

Early life/ Family

Mata Khivi was born in 1506 to Bibi Karan Devi and Bhai Devi Chand Khatri, in a small town called Sanghar which is now located in the province of Sindh in Pakistan. Her father was a shopkeeper and moneylender, and had plenty of the finest attributes such as generosity, friendly spirit and other such attributes which Mata Ji inherited. Bhai Devi Chand was a popular man in his neighbourhood. Mata Ji was married in 1519 at the age of 13. Mata Ji was married to Bhai Lehna ji for 20 years before he became Guru in 1539. Mata Ji had 4 children Bhai Dasu was born in 1524 at Khadur Sahib, Bibi Amro was born in 1532 at Khadur Sahib, Bibi Anokhi in 1535 and Bhai Datu in 1537 both at Khadur Sahib.

Life/ Contact with Sikhi

Mata Ji was doing well for herself; she was the wife of the town’s richest man and enjoyed a great deal of respect. Her life was content, and luxuries. Mata Ji then came under the in influence of Mai Bhirai, who told her about Sikhi and Guru Nanak Dev Ji, at the around the same time Mata Ji’s husband Bhai Lehna Ji heard Bhai Jodha singing Bani. Bhai Lehna Ji was a seeker of truth, his curiosity was aroused.

In 1532, shortly after the birth of his first daughter Bibi Amro, Bhai Lehna set out for his annual pilgrimage, on the way he broke from his route and went to Kartarpur were on seeing and hearing Guru Nanak Dev Ji, he begged to be allowed to stay and become his disciple. Bhai Lehna Ji had found the truth he was seeking, he recevied Charan Amrit and Naam and became a true Sikh serving Guru Nanak day and night with great love.
Bhai Lehna Ji’s Guru taught the equality of women and advocated a normal family, after some time in the Seva of Guru Ji, he was sent back to Khadur Sahib to see his family and spreading Sikhi in the area.

Mata Ji learnt from her husband about Sikhi and embraced it wholeheartedly. Guru Nanak Dev Ji is said to have visited Khadur Sahib twice after hearing good reports on Bhai Lehna Ji preaching of Sikhi. It is said that it was on Guru Nanak Dev Ji first visit that Mata Ji received Charan Amrit and Naam. Mata Ji began to recite Bani day and night.

The women in the village taunted her, saying that her husband was becoming an important holy man, and would, therefore, soon forsake her. Mata Ji knew she had nothing to worry about, during his time Mata Ji gave birth to two more children, Bibi Anokhi in 1535 and Bhai Datu in 1537.

Bhai Lehna Ji becomes Guru Angad Dev Ji

When Mata Ji’s husband became Guru, her life became very busy. People were coming to her house to see Guru Ji. She had always had a busy social life. Mata Ji took it upon herself to manage the Langar, she used the best ingredients available and treated everyone with utmost courtesy and respect. Mata Ji used to get up early for her Amritvela and Jap Naam and recite Gurbani after which she would attend the kitchen in the Langar.

She did not boost about her husband becoming Guru, in fact her grew more humble. The atmosphere created in the Langar was one of love for all. Mata Ji was not only fond of her own children, she loved all children in the community she helped her husband in teaching them the Gurmukhi script. Mata Ji advised and encouraged her own children to serve the Sikhs and helped them in learning Gurbani by heart, due to Mata Ji’s encouragement and help her daughters, Bibi Amro and Bibi Anokhi learnt by heart the lengthy Banis.



Guru Angad Dev Ji’s Joti Jot

When Guru Angad Dev Ji passed Guru Jot into Baba Amar Das, Bhai Datu , Mata Ji’s younger son was disappointed,. Encouraged by some of his friends, he tried to declare himself the rightful heir. He took his following and they sang hymns by themselves, Mata Ji was upset about this. When Bhai Datu developed awful headaches, Mata Ji persuade him the only way to cure the headache is to go back to the rightful Guru and beg his forgiveness. Bhai Datu agreed, Mata Ji then took her son to Guru Amar Das Ji, when Guru Ji heard Mata Ji was coming he came out to meet her half way. Bhai Datu begged forgiveness from Guru Ji, who then forgave him. Bhai Datu’s headaches disappeared and Sikhi was spared another division, thanks to Mata's intervention.

Mata Ji continued to manage the Langar during Guru Amar Das Ji’s time, and did Seva until Guru Arjun Dev Ji’s time, the Langar became known as "Khivi ka Langar". Mata Ji has the distinction of being the only one of the Guru’s wives to be mentioned by name in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji:

ਬਲਵੰਡ ਖੀਵੀ ਨੇਕ ਜਨ ਜਿਸੁ ਬਹੁਤੀ ਛਾਉ ਪਤ੍ਰਾਲੀ ॥
Balwand says that Khivi, the Guru's wife, is a noble woman, who gives soothing, leafy shade to all.

Contributed by "A Singh" (A Gupt Singh)