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Bibi Roop Kaur

Ishna

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May 9, 2006
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Bibi Roop Kaur Ji was Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji's daughter. She was quite a historian, who compiled a 559 page pothi which is kept at Kiratpur.

Apparently the pothi contains banis, as well as some sakhis / stories / anecdotes mainly about her father, but also about Guru Amar Das and Guru Arjan Sahib Jis. Snippets of these sakhis are found here: https://sikhherstory.omeka.net/items/show/7

I am interested to find out if the bani in the pothi is what Bibi Ji recorded her father saying, or if it is her own "bani"?

Has anyone here had the privilege of seeing the pothi in the flesh? Is it located in a Gurdwara or museum in Kiratpur?

Any assistance greatly appreciated.
 

Ishna

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I've become fascinated by the existence of this pothi, and its obscurity. Why is it hidden away in Kiratpur Sahib, and where in Kiratpur Sahib it is? Is it at Gurdwara Patal Puri? (And do Sikhs really take ashes of the dead there?) Or has it been added to a museum or library? Does some family own it, instead?

Could this be one of the gems of female contributions to Sikhi?

If not, why not? How could it be that a daughter of the Guru, dutifully studying from her father, would produce writings of no significant value to the panth?

When I go to India, I know where I'm going, and what I'm doing. I need clarification on the language it's written in so I can start studying. Something of such potential value needs to be investigated and preserved, stat!

Gurufateh!
 
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Ishna

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MacAuliffe does not mention any children by Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji other than Ram Rai and Guru Harkrishan Sahib Ji.

There is no mention of a daughter, not references to a pothi being written by any female in his court.
 

Ishna

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In the book History of Sikh Gurus Retold Volume II (1606-1708 C.E.) \ Surjit Singh Gandhi (copyright 2007 but I can't see the publishing date), the author calls Guru Har Rai Sahib's daughter "Sarup Kaur". The details of who Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji's wife or wives were is blurry. This source cites Kesar Singh Chhibber as being an 18th century chronicler who claims Guru Ji married a woman called Kot Kalyani also known as "Sunita", and also married her maid-servant Punjab Kaur. To Punjab Kaur was born Ram Rai and Sarup Kaur. To Kot Kalyani was born Guru Har Krishan Ji.

But the author claims this is incorrect and says Punjab Kaur was, in fact Ram Rai's wife.

Continuing on, the author says that:

"The Bhat Vahis and Panda Vahis of Hardwar and other place which give partly factual and partly hearsay stories, also give Sulakhni as the only wife of Guru Har Rai. Sarup Kaur is believed to be four years younger than Ram Rai while Harkrishan was nine years younger than Ram Rai. Ram Rai was born in the year 1647 C.E. and the year of birth of Sarup Kaur is given in some Gurparnali as 1652 C.E." [page 591]​

Page 605 of the same book mentions her again in the chapter about Guru Harkrishan Sahib Ji:

"The Guru left Kiratpur sometime in the second week of February, 1664. His first stoppage was at Dalyapur^15 near Banur. He met his dear sister, Sarup Kaur, who was to see her apostle brother for the last time. He proceeded further and as he reached Panjokhara,..."​

Note 15 says:

"Bibi Sarup Kaur's husband had settled here after the death of Guru Har Rai."​

No mention of a pothi being written.
 

Ishna

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In the same book there are references to "Bibi Roop Kaur".

Page 624:

"... Guru Tegh Bahadur went about his work in the normal way. Ten days later his succession (August 21, 1664)^21, he accompanied by Dwarka Das, Diwan Durga Mal and Jaggan wet to Kiratpur to codole with Bibi Roop Kaur over the deaths of her father Guru Har Rai and her brother Guru Harkrishan.​
 

Ishna

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In the book Faith & Philosophy of Sikhism / Sardar Harjeet Singh, 2009, on page 106 we finally find a reference to Bibi Roop Kaur Ji and a manuscript. I don't think its the pothi I'm looking for, though.

The preceding paragraphs give three examples of Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji's tremendous respect for bani, despite apparently never writing any of his own.

"Culture states that a manuscript volume of the bani preserved at Gurdwara Manji Sahib in Kiratpur was given by the Guru to his daughter Rup Kaur on the occasion of her marriage. Thus, while Sikh culture emphasizes the deep respect given to the bani by Guru Har Rai, it does not actually endorse the suggestion that he composed any of his own."​
 

Ishna

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May 9, 2006
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The Sikh Courier International, Volumes 38-42
Sikh Cultural Society of Great Britain, 1998

"Furthermore literary contribution is also important. Mata Sundari and Mata Sahib Devan contributed in the editing of the works of the Tenth Guru. Apart from all that, Bibi Roop Kaur the daughter of Guru Har Raiji, compiled thirty two gospels at one place and emerged as the first woman editor in the Guru family. This compilation of gospels is known as the Gospels of Bibi Roop Kaur. She..."​

Google won't let me read any more of the book. *pouts*

EDIT: But this website has the full text muahahaha. It says it is an extract from "The Role and Status of Women in Sikhism" by courtesy of Dr. Mohinder Kaur Gill.

"This compilation of gospels is known as the "Gospels of Bibi Roop Kaur." She is not only the first editor of the literature of Gurus, she is in fact the first editor of Punjabi also."​
 
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Ishna

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May 9, 2006
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Apparently Bibi Ji was married to Bhai Paira Mall, residene of Pasrur (district Sialkot) on November 4, 1662. Then they moved to a village called Kot Kalyanpur (near Keeratpur Sahib) and had a son Amar Chand (Singh).

The Sikh Reference Book, Harajindara Singha Dilagira, Sikh Educational Trust for Sikh University Centre, Denmark, 1997
 
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Ishna

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May 9, 2006
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History of Punjabi Literature / Surindar Singh Kohli, 1993

Google is only allowing snippets, so I've got:

"..of Guru Angad Dev are included in Guru ke Munh dian Sakhian, which were written by Bibi Roop Kaur, the daughter of Guru Har Rai."

If any Sikhs have this book, I would be in your debt if you can share the relevant pages with me, which appear to be pages 75-77 in the version linked above...

It even has an extract of Bibi Ji's book, but again, I am only privy to the snippet Google is teasing me with:
 

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