Mehta Kalu

Mehta Kalu, formally Kalyan Das, (1440–1522) was the father of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism.[1][2][3]

Mehta Kalu
ਮਹਿਤਾ ਕਾਲੂ
ਕਲਿਆਣ ਚੰਦ ਦਾਸ ਬੇਦੀ
Guru Nanak visiting his parents, Mehta Kalu and Mata Tripta, after returning home from an Udasi (travels). Mardana's in the foreground playing the rabab.
Born
Kalyan Chand Das Bedi

4 May 1440
Dehra Sahib Lohar, Tarn Taran, Punjab
Died24 December 1522
Kartarpur Sahib or Talwandi, Lodi Empire (Present day Pakistan)
SpouseMata Tripta
ChildrenGuru Nanak
Bebe Nanaki
Parents
  • Shiv Ram Bedi (father)
  • Mata Banarasi (mother)
RelativesLal Chand (brother)
Janamsakhi painting Mehta Kalu holding baby Nanak.

Names

Various names are used to refer to Guru Nanak's father, some of which are: 'Mehta Kalu', 'Kalu Rai', 'Kalu Chand', 'Kalian Rai', and 'Kalian Chand'.[3]

Biography

Early life

Kalu was born in 1440 as 'Kalyan Das' to Shiv Ram Bedi (b. 1418) and Mata Banarasi in a Hindu Khatri family of the Bedi gotra.[3] Kalu's paternal grandfather was Ram Narayan Bedi.[note 1][3] Mehta Kalu was born in the village of Patthe Vind (now extinct, was formerly located at the present-day site of Gurdwara Dera Sahib, approximately six miles east of Naushahra Pannuan).[3]

Mehta Kalu's family later moved to the village of Rai-Bhoi-Di-Talwandi (now Nankana Sahib) where Shiv Ram Bedi found employment as the village patwari (revenue official).[3] Kalu was the eldest of two sons, his younger brother was named Baba Lalu (1444–1542).[3] Lalu was born in Talwandi rather than in Patthe Vind.[3] Kalu would take over the role of village patwari from his father after his father died.[3]

Thus, he served as the patwari (accountant) of crop revenue for the village of Talwandi in the employment of the zamindar (landlord), Rai Bular Bhatti.[4][5]

Marriage

He married a girl named Tripta in 1460.[3] Two offspring were born from the couple, a daughter named Nanaki and a son named Nanak.[3]

Death

Kalu died at the age of 82 at Kartarpur, a locality that had been established by his son.[3]

Notes
  1. Mehta Kalu's grandfather's name is alternatively spelt as 'Ram Narain'.

References
  1. "Guru Nanak Sahib, Guru Nanak Ji, First Sikh Guru, First Guru Of Sikhs, Sahib Shri Guru Nanak Ji, India". Sgpc.net. Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
  2. "Mehta Kalu". punjabipedia.org (in Punjabi). Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  3. Singh, Bhupinder (October–December 2019). "Genealogy of Guru Nanak". Abstracts of Sikh Studies. Institute of Sikh Studies, Chandigarh. 21 (4).
  4. Macauliffe, Max Arthur (1909). "Introduction, Chapter VI". The Sikh Religion, its gurus, sacred writings and authors. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. lxx. Guru Nanak's father was Kalu of the Bedi section of the Khatri caste. He was by profession a village accountant, but added the practice of agriculture to this vocation. Kalu's father was Shiv Ram and his mother Banarasi. Kalu had one brother called Lalu, of whom little is known besides his name. page view, reading view
  5. "The Bhatti's of Guru Nanak's Order". Nankana.com. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2009.


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