Women of Sikhi: Meet the women who were force behind Sikh Gurus but their stories of courage & role in preaching Sikhism remained ignored

(From left to right) Mata Khivi (Artist: Daljit Singh); Mata Nanaki (Artist: Jaskaran Singh); Mata Sulakhni (Artist: Darsh Chetty); Mai Bhago (Artist: Fathima Hakkim); Kaula (Artist: Harseerat Kaur); Bibi Bhani (Artist: Simran Kaur)

However, the modern-day world is still largely unaware of some lesser-known women’s role in preaching Sikhism far and wide.

Though the valour, courage and wisdom of ten Sikh Gurus have been known worldwide, it remains a sad reality that the sagas of women who were the force behind them are hardly talked about.

The UK-based organisation ‘Mahala9’ has made an effort in this direction. It creates artworks to connect with heritage, in association with the charity group ‘Realise One’.

Together they have released a calendar for 2023 titled ‘Women of Sikhi’, which features 12 such Sikh women whose stories of courage, determination and dedication have been largely ignored for long. These women had played a pivotal role in the lives of ten Sikh Gurus and had shown exemplified courage in testing times.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Gurpreet Singh Sidhu, a Walsall-based Sikh community leader and a trustee of ‘Realise One’, said, “The whole idea behind the calendar ‘Women of Sikhi’ was to remind the world that women played an equal part in our glorious Sikh history. Whenever we talk about it, women’s names are not taken as prominently and frequently as men’s. Why is that so? History cannot be discriminatory based on gender, especially when Sri Guru Granth Sahib has given the highest regard to women and called them supreme. We have tried to put profiles of such women, which the world must know. All artworks used in the world were commissioned exclusively for the calendar.”

Here are their profiles (with excerpts from calendar):

Bibi Amro

Bibi Amro was the daughter of the second Sikh master Guru Angad Dev and Mata Khivi. Amro’s talent was such that she could memorise vast amounts of Sikh scripture. It is believed that her husband’s uncle Amar Das, who later succeeded Guru Angad Dev as the third guru, would occasionally visit his brother, and it was on one such visit that he heard the sweet voice of Bibi Amro singing Gurbani. He was so impressed that he became a devout Sikh and a disciple of Guru Angad Dev. Later he appointed Bibi Amro as the head of one of the 22 manjis formed to preach Sikhism. Bibi Amro was responsible for all aspects of administration and was influential in the choice of Amritsar as the spiritual home for Sikhs.

Deep Kaur

Deep Kaur had earned fame on a trip from her village to see Guru Gobind Singh at Anandpur Sahib. She was believed to have shown exemplary courage when four miscreants tried to harass and rob her. Showing her self-defence skills, she defeated all four with a sword.

She got separated from her group and was encircled by four local thugs, who threw her to the ground to rob her. She grabbed a sword and quickly chopped one down before striking down the other three. When the other group came to help her, they saw Deep Kaur sitting on top of one of the corpses, with the other three around her. When they reached Anandpur Sahib, she received great praise from Guru Gobind Singh, who encouraged other women in the congregation also to adorn such bravery.

Bebe Nanaki

Bebe Nanaki, considered to be the first Sikh, was the elder sister of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak. She was the first to recognise Nanak’s presence, prowess and profound perspectives. She exemplified the essence of sewa (serving the poor), a cornerstone of Sikhism. She remained a constant support in Nanak’s life throughout. She would offer Nanak a job at her husband’s shop, open up her own home for Nank and his wife, and later gifted him the rabab (a musical instrument), which Bhai Mardana went on to play while accompanying Nanak on his travels to preach Sikhism. She also played a significant role in raising Nanak’s son Baba Sri Chand.

Mata Sahib Deva aka Sahib Kaur

Known as the ‘Mother of the Khalsa panth’, she was the wife of the tenth Sikh master Guru Gobind Singh, who had laid the foundation of the Khalsa panth at Anandpur Sahib in 1699. Also known as the empress of the Sikh community, she would direct the Khalsa on socio-political matters whilst heading humanitarian endeavours. Addressing the community of Khalsa as her children, she would perform daily worship to the weapons of Guru Gobind Singh. A modern take on her name adds the honorific ‘Kaur’, which is the name given to women after they are baptised into the Khalsa panth. However, all of the hukamnama (proclamations) she penned show that she signed her name as Sahib Deva.

Bibi Mumtaz

Bibi Mumtaz, the daughter of a Muslim named Nihang Khan, had unconditionally served Bhai Bachittar Singh, the famed horseman, during his last few days after the great Battle of Anandpur Sahib [1704]. He was critically wounded in the battle. Nihang Khan, a devotee of Guru Gobind Singh, gave him shelter. When enemy soldiers confronted Nihang Khan and accused him of harbouring enemies, he still sheltered Bachittar Singh under the guise that he was Bibi Mumtaz’s husband. Soon after Bachittar died, Bibi Mumtaz took Nihang Khan’s words as truth – that she was married to the deceased soldier. She spent the rest of her life as his widow. The Gurdwara Yaadgar Bibi Mumtaaz Sahib now stands at Ropar of Punjab in her memory.

The brave women of Lahore who refused to convert

Thousands of women of Lahore braved the extreme barbarism of Mir Mannu, then Governor of Lahore (1748-1753), who sought to eradicate all Sikhs from his province. Sikh men were beheaded, and the women and children were sent to a labour camp, where women were expected to grind over 40 pounds of grain each day.

Freedom was offered to them if they converted to Islam, but not a single woman converted and kept singing Gurbani. Mannu escalated his barbarism by ordering children to be slain before their mothers. The lifeless bodies of infants, toddlers and children were ripped apart, with the limbs strung into garlands placed around the grieving mothers’ necks. Yet they held steadfast to their identity and refused to denounce their faith.

Mata Khivi

Mata Khivi was the wife of the second master Guru Angad Dev, and the mother of Bibi Amro. She was the force behind expansion of langar sewa (community kitchen) far and wide. She was also considered a key figurehead for the early Sikh community and holds the auspicious honour of being the only Sikh woman directly mentioned in Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

The holy scripture describes her as “Khivi, the virtuous wife [of Guru Angad], whose [caring nature] provides such dense shade to all. She serves bounty of Guru’s Langar, the kheer- the rice pudding and ghee- delicious like ambrosial nectar.” (Ang 967, Raag Ramkali, written by Sata & Balwand).

Mata Nanaki

Mata Nanaki was the wife of the sixth Sikh master Guru Hargobind, the founder of Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs in Amritsar. She was a constant force of support for the Sikh community. Mata Nanaki lived long to see and serve five Sikh Gurus – from Guru Arjan Dev to Guru Gobind Singh. She saw the expansion of the Sikh community in Amritsar during Guru Hargobind’s time. She was a community leader during this period, travelling eastwards with her son Guru Tegh Bahadur (who later became the ninth Guru). Mata Nanaki would help raise the young Gobind Singh (son of Guru Tegh Bahadur, who later became the tenth guru) when Guru Tegh Bahadur travelled with his wife Mata Gujari to preach Sikhism. Mata Nanaki was the constant force of support and guidance for the latter half of the Sikh period.

Mata Sulakhni

Mata Sulakhni was the wife of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak. She was a pillar of support for the foundation of the early Sikh community. While she and Guru Nanak were still in their teens, they moved in with his sister Bebe Nanaki and her husband, Jairam, in Sultanpur. Here, Mata Sulakhni gave birth to two sons, Sri Chand and Lakhmi Das. Mata Sulakhni held the highest regard for Bebe Nanaki and raised both sons with her support. Whilst Guru Nanak travelled worldwide, Mata Sulakhni cared for congregations back home in Punjab.

Mai Bhago

She was a distinguished woman Sikh warrior who led Guru Gobind Singh’s army against the Mughals. She was an exceptionally skilled warrior who had forced the Mughal army to retreat. In 1704, Mughals surrounded Guru Gobind Singh in Anandpur Sahib, stating any of his men could leave on the condition that they declared themselves as no longer a Sikhs of the Guru.

As many as 40 Sikhs agreed to leave. Mai Bhago was enraged when she heard of their desertion and confronted them. Her ferociousness made them realise their mistake, and they agreed to return to the battlefield. On their journey, they intercepted a Mughal army. Mai Bhago and the 40 men fought the Mughals on horseback with a spear in hand and forced them to retreat. All of the men died except for the seriously injured Mai Bhago. She went on to spend the rest of her life as a Nihangani, serving within the guru’s army.

Kaula aka Mata Kaulan

A devoted disciple of Guru Hargobind, there are different versions available related to her in Sikh history. According to one version, she was the adopted daughter of a Muslim priest Rustam Khan and later became the student of Sufi saint Mian Mir. She lived a repressed lifestyle under her father’s watch.

According to the other version, she was kidnapped by Rustam Khan, who raised her as a Muslim but she was the daughter of a Hindu couple. She found solace in Gurbani and became a true disciple of Guru Hargobind after catching a glimpse of him. Eventually, the guru, upon consultation with Mian Mir, rescued Kaula from her Lahore home, and she started living in Amritsar near Harmandir Sahib. An incredibly enlightened disciple, Gurdwara Mata Kaulan Sahib stands in her memory near the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Bibi Bhani

Bibi Bhani was the daughter of the third Sikh master Guru Amar Das. Her husband Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh master, died at the young age of 47 and held the title for just six years. She attained great spiritual enlightenment and her teachings guided her youngest son Guru Arjan Dev to obtain the title and he succeeded his father as the fifth Sikh master.

The shabad “Poota Mata Ki Aasees” (loosely translated as, “O son, this is your mother’s blessing that you may never forget the God”) was written by Guru Arjan Dev (in the words of her mother) as a tribute to the guidance he received from her when he attained the title at the age of 18.