SURAJ MALL, son of Guru Hargobind, was born to Mata Maha Devi Marvahi, at Amritsar on 9 June 1617. He was married on 23 April 1629 to Khem Kaur daughter of Bhai Prem Chand of Kartarpur, in present day Jalandhar district of the Punjab. A son, Dip Chand, was born to them in 1633. Suraj Mall`s death followed that of his mother, Mata Marvahi, in 1645. Dip Chand had two sons, Gulab Rai (b. 1660) and Shyam Chand (b. 1662), who received the rites of Khalsa and became Gulab Singh and Shyam Singh, respectively. The Sodhis of Anandpur are descendants of the latter.
References :
1. Gurbilas Patshahi Chhevm. Patiala, 1970
2. Clihibbar, Kesar Singh, Bansavalinama Dasan Patshahian Ka (ed. Ratan Singh Jaggi). Chandigarh, 1972
3. Santokh Singh, Bhai, Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth. Amritsar, 1927-35
4. Macauliffe, Max Arthur, The Sikh Religion. Oxford, 1909
The legacy of Suraj Mall in Sikh tradition is a fascinating tapestry interwoven with devotion, family lineage, and the enduring propagation of Sikh values. Suraj Mall is recognized as a key figure in the early days of Sikhism, being born in Amritsar on 9 June 1617 to Mata Maha Devi Marvahi. His life is traditionally associated with the sacred lineage that connects the personal history of the Gurus to the ongoing spiritual and cultural evolution of the community.
Suraj Mall’s story deepens with his family narrative. He married Mata Hari ji in the region of present-day Jalandhar, and their union bore fruit with the birth of their son, Dip Chand, in 1633. Dip Chand, in turn, became the bridge between generations as he fathered two sons—Gulab Rai (born in 1660) and Shyam Chand (born in 1662). Both grandsons embraced the Sikh way by receiving the rites of Khalsa, later becoming known as Gulab Singh and Shyam Singh. Notably, the lineage of Shyam Chand is recognized to have given rise to the Sodhis of Anandpur, a family whose descendants have played a pivotal role in preserving and advancing Sikh spiritual and cultural traditions.
This genealogical thread is more than a mere record of births and names—it encapsulates the intermingling of familial duty with spiritual service. Through his descendants, the early seeds planted during the time of Guru Hargobind found fertile ground, eventually influencing various aspects of Sikh communal life. Their legacy contributes to the narrative that spiritual heritage in Sikhism is passed not only through scripture and discourse but also through the living example of family lines dedicated to upholding the community’s core values of devotion, service, and equality.
