Popularly known as Mai Bhago Bhag Kaur is one of the important Sikh women who played a very prominent role in Sikh history. She collected the deserters who had left Guru Sahib during the seige of Anandpur Sahib reorganized them and fought by their side at “Khidrane Di Dhab” near Mukatsar.

Family History

Mai Bhago was the granddaughter of Pare Shah who was younger brother of Bhai Langaha of village Jhabal Bhai Langaha. A Dhillon Jat he was one of the five Sikhs who accompanied Guru Arjan Dev Ji (fifth Nanak) to Lahore for martyrdom.

Family had come into contact with Guru Ayan Dev Ji and had become the Sikhs. Bhai Langaha shifted from village Jhahal and came to work at the construction of the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Pare Shah had one son Male Shah and Mai Bhago was his daughter.

Mai Bhago visited Guru Teg Bahadur Ji (ninth Nanak) twice or thrice along with her family members and became a staunch Sikh. She was also present when Guru Gobind Singh Ji became the 10th Guru at Anandpur Sahib. She was also present at the historic Vaisakhi of 1699 at Anandpur Sahib when Guru Gobind Singh Ji created the Khalsa. Her family members and many people from her village also drank “Khande di Pauhal (Amrit) and became Singhs.

Battle with Hill Rajas

In 1907 when Hill Rajas started harassing Guru Gobind Singh and declared war on Guru Sahib, this family got together and discussed the situation. The two brothers decided that the relationship with Guru is more sacred and more closer than all other relationships. Around fifty or more persons joined them on their march to Anandpur.Sahib. Mai Bhago insisted on accompanying them but her father and uncle advised her to stay back and avail the Opportunity at some later date. Looking at them many more Jathas marched to Anandpur _ Sahib. In the battle the Guru came out victorious.

After some period news started coming of an impending big attack by Hill Rajas and Moghul forces combined. This was followed by word of Guru Gobind Singh’s leaving Anandpur Sahib and going to Malwa. Then came the information of Battle of Chamkaur and Martrydom of Baba Ajit Singh and Baba Jujhar Singh, the two elder sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. These were received with great anguish and grief. Then came the cominique of brickering alive of Baba Zorwar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh; the two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

Fighting Al Khidrane Di Dhab

 Guru Gobind Singh was staying with Lakhmira and Shamira Brothers at Dina village in Malwa and it was learnt that Wazir Khah, Subedar of Sirhind was planning a big attack on Guru Sahib at village Dina.

Now Mai Bhago could not hold herself. Moved by the affection and love for the Guru and boiling with rage from inside she said to her husband “Singh ji gird up your lions, time has come to donate ourselves to Guru who had sacrificed his father and four sons for the Panth. It is impossible for us to keep sitting when two innocent lives are bricked alive.”

Her husband agreed and started preparations. Many of the Sikhs including Jathdar Mahan Singh had come back after deserting Guru Sahib at Anandpur. She on horseback went around and pricked the conscience of Sikhs. She challenged their vanity and thus collected them and reorganized them under Jathdar Mahan Singh, and marched towards Dina village in Malwa.

Guru Sahib worked out a strategy and distributed the Sikhs at different places. White sheets were spread over Berry shrubs which looked like a huge colony of tents. They met the enemy farther off from the colony, so. as to keep the full control of water so precious in that desert area. The Sikhs fought that battle so ferociously that enemy fled away by evening.

Gum Sahib walked among the dead and injured blessing them and showering his affection on them. Thus he came to Jathdar Mahan Singh who was on the verge of death. It was here that Guru Sahib tore away the note of desertion on Bhai Mahan Singh request Bhai Mahan singh breathed his last in the lap of Guru Sahib. Mai Bhago was injured and was treated and became well. She described the scene of battle to Guru Sahib.

Mai Bhago joined the of Guru Sahib in Malwa and also to Deccan. She witnessed many incidents including the meeting of Guru Sahib with Banda Bahadur. She stayed in Nander till the attack on Guru Sahib’s life.

She then moved to Bidar a place which was graced by Guru Nanak’s visit earlier. This is a town which came in prominence recently because of killing of Sikh students by Hindu mob.

Article extracted from this publication >>  May 19, 1989