SAHIB DEVAN, by tradition mother of the Khalsa, was the daughter of Bhai Har Bhagvan alias Ramu, a Bassi Khatri, and his wife, Jas Devi, a devout Sikh couple of Rohtas, in Jehlum district (now in Pakistan). Her parents had from the beginning dedicated her to the service of Guru Gobind Singh. They took her along as they came to Anandpur on the occasion of the Baisakhi festival of 1700, and disclosed to the Guru their heart`s wish to give away their daughter in marriage to him. The Guru, who already had two wives and was the father of four sons, refused the offer.
But when Bhai Har Bhagvan insisted that their daughter had been brought up as a prospective spouse of the Guru and would not countenance marriage with anyone else, he agreed , but made it explicit that she would remain virgin all her life. The nuptials took place at Anandpur on 15 April 1700. Guru Gobind Singh proclaimed Mata Sahib Devan to be the mother of the Khalsa. Ever since the custom has been that, at the time of initiation, the novitiates declare themselves to be the sons and daughters of Guru Gobind Singh and Mata Sahib Devan.
During the fateful night of 56 December 1705, after Anandpur had been evacuated, the Guru`s withdrawing column was attacked on the bank of the rivulet Sarsa.In the confusion that followed, the Guru`s family and disciples got scattered, and Mata Sahib Devan and Mata Sundari were escorted by Bhai Mani Singh to Delhi.They rejoined the Guru at Talvandi Sabo for some time during 1706 and were sent back to Delhi before Guru Gobind Singh set out on his journey through the desert of Rajasthan on his way to meet Emperor Aurangzib in the South. But on learning of the emperor`s death, he changed his course and went to Agra via Delhi to meet the new emperor, Bahadur Shah, whom he accompanied to Rajasthan and onward to the Deccan in 1708.
This time Mata Sahib Devan accompanied Guru Gobind Singh to Nanded, but again, shortly before his assassination in early October 1708, she was persuaded to return to Delhi and stay with Mata Sundari.She brought with her from Nanded five weapons said to have originally belonged to Guru Hargobind. From Delhi she, jointly with Mata Sundari, supervised the affairs of the community as is evident from some of the hukamnamas issued to sangats in her name.The exact date of Mata Sahib Devan`s death is not known, but it is believed that she passed away some time before Mata Sundari who died in 1747.
The available hukamnamas issued by Mata Sahib Devan bear dates between 1726 and 1734 indicating that she must have expired some time between 1734 and 1747. The memorial in her honour stands close to the one commemorating Mata Sundari in the premises of Gurdwara Bala Sahib, New Delhi. The weapons said to have been brought by her from Nanded are preserved as sacred relics in Gurdwara Rikabgahj in Parliament Street, New Delhi.
References :
1. Kuir Singh, Gurbilas Patshahi 10. Patiala 1968
2. Chhibbar, Kesar Singh, Bansavalinama Dasan Patshahian Ka. Chandigarh, 1972
3. Santokh Singh, Bhai, Sri GUI` Pratap Suraj Granth. Amritsar, 1927-35
4. Gian Singh, Giani, Twarikh Guru Khalsa [Reprint]. Patiala, 1970
5. Macauliffe, Max Arthur, The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors. Oxford, 1909
Mata Sahib Devan—more widely remembered as Mata Sahib Kaur—holds an exalted place as the spiritual mother of the Khalsa and a guiding force in Sikh history. Born into a devout milieu in Rohtas and later uniting with Guru Gobind Singh, she became an emblem of grace, compassion, and unwavering conviction at a time when the Sikh community faced existential challenges. Her life and actions are interwoven with one of the pivotal moments in Sikh history—the birth of the Khalsa in 1699 at Anandpur Sahib—where her maternal instincts and spiritual sensitivity profoundly shaped the destiny of a community committed to justice, equality, and religious freedom .
At the historic Vaisakhi gathering, as Guru Gobind Singh prepared the Amrit (the sacred nectar) for the initiation of the first Khalsa, Mata Sahib Kaur’s role transcended that of a supportive consort. In a symbolic yet transformative gesture, she offered Indian sweets to be mixed into the Amrit. This act was laden with profound meaning: just as the physical sweetness served to temper the potent, life-altering nectar, it also metaphorically infused the soon-to-be-initiated warriors with qualities of compassion, humility, and inner softness—virtues deemed essential to balance the necessary martial courage with spiritual fortitude. The sweetened Amrit, now symbolically enriched, became a covenant imbued with the nurturing power of the feminine, ensuring that bravery was harmoniously aligned with the principles of mercy and ethical rectitude .
Beyond the dramatic inception of the Khalsa, Mata Sahib Kaur’s legacy is seen in the sustained influence she exerted to guide and preserve the values of Sikhism through turbulent times. Her role extended into the organizational and spiritual realms, as she helped provide the continuity and structure needed for the Khalsa Panth to survive severe external pressures and internal challenges. In accounts chronicled over generations, she is remembered not only for her immediate contribution during the inception ceremony but also for her later work in nurturing the community, offering counsel, and ensuring that the ethical and spiritual frameworks laid down by Guru Gobind Singh endured into subsequent eras. Her life became a testament to the power of compassionate leadership and has inspired modern reinventions of feminine strength within the Sikh tradition .
Today, Mata Sahib Kaur’s memory is celebrated as a pivotal reminder that the creation of a vibrant, resilient community—one that is as fierce in its commitment to justice as it is gentle in its embrace of compassion—relies on the integration of both martial and nurturing virtues. Her remarkable blend of spiritual insight and maternal care continues to resonate with centuries of Sikh practice, providing a model for leadership that transcends gender and time. Her influence is not confined to the pages of history but lives on in the hearts of Sikhs worldwide, encouraging them to embody the balance of strength tempered by tenderness, a legacy that remains vital in an ever-changing world .
