Bibi Nanaki ji (1464-1518) was the elder sister of Guru
Nanak and the daughter of Kalyan Chand Mehta (Mehta
Kalu) and Mata Tripta. She was born in 1464 in her mother's home
at the village of Chahal, now in Lahore
district of Pakistan Punjab. The Guru's love for his sister is referred to in most
touching terms in some of the Sakhis. A sister's love for her brother is a perennial theme of
Punjabi
folklore. There are many stories of Nanaki's deep and devoted affection for her
brother, Nanak.
Bibi Nanaki was five years older then Guru
Nanak; she was the first to recognize his spiritual eminence and to become
his devotee. She is often credited as becoming the first Sikh. She protected
Nanak from their father's wrath, when repeatedly he disappointed and angered
him. She was with him throughout the early years of his childhood.
Bibi Nanaki adored her brother, Nanak, and felt herself blessed when he came to join the Nawab's service and stayed with her at Sultanpur. Childless, she loved Guru Nanak's sons, Sri Chand and Lakhmi Das, as if they were her own. Guru Nanak reciprocated her affection and after he had quit the Nawab's service to go out to preach his message, he did not fail to visit Sultanpur and meet with his sister between trips.
Once as
he visited her in 1518, Bibi Nanaki sensing her end near, detained him a short
while. Soon, she departed this life, as she had wished, in the presence of her
brother — Guru
Nanak Dev ji. Three days later, her husband, Bhai
Jai Ram Ji, also passed away. Guru
Nanak performed their obsequies. There is no doubt that, perhaps, the first
Gur Sikh was none other than Bibi Nanaki and second Gursikh was
Rai Bular, the ruler of Talwandi.
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