https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Bhai_KanhaiyaBhai Kanhaiya - Revision history2026-07-31T17:59:35ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Bhai_Kanhaiya&diff=451901&oldid=prevJoanneMoffit at 10:39, 24 November 20252025-11-24T10:39:31Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|Sikh saint and founder of the Sewapanthis}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}<br />
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{{Infobox religious biography<br />
| religion = [[Sikhism]]<br />
| name = Kanhaiya<br />
| honorific prefix = Bhai<br />
| sect = [[Sewapanthi]]<br />
| image = Fresco depicting Bhai Kanhaiya seated on a terrace leaning against a bolster from Sri Khat Wari Darbar, Shikarpur, Sindh.jpg<br />
| caption = Fresco depicting Bhai Kanhaiya seated on a terrace leaning against a bolster from Sri Khat Wari Darbar, Shikarpur, Sindh<br />
| office1 = Leader of the [[Sewapanthi]] sect<br />
| predecessor1 = ''none'' (founder)<br />
| teacher = [[Nanua Bairagi]]<br />
| successor1 = Bhai Sewa Ram<br />
| parents = Mata Sundri Ji and Sri Nathu Ram Ji<br />
}}<br />
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'''Bhai Kanhaiya''' (1648–1718; also spelt as '''Bhai Ghanaiya<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Dilagīra |first=Harajindara Siṅgha |title=The Sikh Reference Book |publisher=Sikh Educational Trust for Sikh University Centre, Denmark |year=1997 |isbn=0-9695964-2-1 |edition=1st |location=Edmonton, Alb., Canada |pages=602 |oclc=37769917 |quote=SEWA PANTHI : - This term is used sometimes for the associates of Bhai Ghanaiya Singh, the leader of the Sikh Red-Cross . Literally : Sewa Panthi is person whose life is devoted to the services (of the Sikh nation).}}</ref>'''), known as '''Khat Waro Bao''' and '''Khaatwala Baba''' in [[Sindh]],<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Singh |first=Inderjeet |date=24 January 2018 |title=Sikhi & Sindhis |work=SikhNet |url=https://www.sikhnet.com/news/sikhi-sindhis}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite book |last=Sharma |first=T. R. |title=Maharaja Ranjit Singh: Ruler and Warrior |publisher=Publication Bureau, Panjab University |year=2005 |isbn=9788185322353 |pages=99}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite book |title=Proceedings - Punjab History Conference, Volume 27, Part 1 |publisher=Department of Punjab Historical Studies, Punjabi University |year=1991 |isbn=9788173802201 |pages=63}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite book |last=Malkani |first=K. R. |title=The Sindh Story |publisher=Allied |year=1984 |pages=152}}</ref> born to Mata Sundari ji and father Sri Nathu Ram's home village Saudra district Sialkot now in Pakistan, was a [[Sikh]] disciple of [[Guru Tegh Bahadur]] and was requested to establish the [[Sewapanthi]] or Addanshahi order of the Sikhs by [[Guru Gobind Singh]]. He was known for pouring water for all the wounded members of the battlefield no matter whether they were Sikhs or fighting against the Sikhs.<ref>{{cite book|author=Ranjit Singh|title=Golden Crystal|date=2013|publisher=Unistar Books|location=Chandigarh|isbn=9789351130482|page=180}}</ref><br />
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During his youth he also spent a lot of time in the company of [[Nanua Bairagi]], who belonged to a [[Saini]] agriculture family<ref name=":1">{{cite book|author=Bhagata Siṅgha Hīrā|title=Bhai Kanhaiya, Beacon-light of Humanitarian Service & the Apostle of Peace|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4A0eAAAAMAAJ|year=1988|publisher=Sewa Jyoti Publications|chapter=Ch. 6. A Contact with Bhakt Nanua|page=19 |quote=Bhai Kanhaiya would have hardly stepped in his teens that he, fortuitously, came across saint Nanua, an eminent gnostic and a heavenly-minded man. His company and precepts had lasting effect on his delicate mind.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Bhagata Siṅgha Hīrā|title=Bhai Kanhaiya, Beacon-light of Humanitarian Service & the Apostle of Peace|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4A0eAAAAMAAJ|year=1988|publisher=Sewa Jyoti Publications|chapter=Ch. 6. A Contact with Bhakt Nanua|page=22|quote=Bhai Kanhaiya passed his early days in his company. He listened to his sermons with keen interest, enjoyed his charming communions with eagerness and moulded his character accordingly. His devotion to Nanua advanced every day. As a true devotee he adopted his every advice.}}</ref> and was also a disciple and comrade of last three Sikh gurus. Nanua Bairagi was a renowned poet-mystic of Punjab<ref name="Nanua hymn">{{cite book|quote=Nanua Bhagat is a renowned ascetic and mystic and a Punjabi poet of the classical school|title=Rose-garden of the Punjab: English renderings from Punjabi folk poetry|page= 106|author= Gurbachan Singh Talib|publisher=Punjabi University|year= 1973}}</ref> and he left a deep imprint on Bhai Kanhaiya's spiritual and humanitarian outlook in his formative years.<ref>''"Bhai Kanhaiya would have hardly stepped in his teens that he, fortuitously, came across saint Nanua, an eminent gnostic and a heavenly-minded man. His company and precepts had lasting effect on his delicate mind."'' Bhai Kanhaiya, Beacon-light of Humanitarian Service & the Apostle of Peace, Chapter 6- A Contact with Bhakt Nanua, p. 19, Bhagata Singha Hīrā, Published by Sewa Jyoti Publications, 1988</ref><br />
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== Biography ==<br />
[[File:Fresco depicting Bhai Khanaiya meeting Guru Gobind Singh from Sri Khat Wari Darbar, Shikarpur, Sindh.jpg|thumb|Fresco depicting Bhai Khanaiya meeting [[Guru Gobind Singh]] from Sri Khat Wari Darbar, Shikarpur, Sindh]]<br />
Bhai Kanhaiya was born in 1648<ref name=":0" /> in the Dhamman [[Khatri]] community of Sodhara, to Mata Sundari ji and father Sri Nathu Ram's near [[Wazirabad]] in the [[Sialkot]] region (now in Pakistan), and his father was a wealthy broker. He was known to have a habit of giving to the poor from a very young age. <br />
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In his youth, Kanhaiya met a man named Nauna Bairagi, who was a [[Sikhs|Sikh]] of the 9th Sikh Guru, [[Guru Tegh Bahadur]].<ref name=":1" /> Their connection allowed Kanhaiya to meet the Guru, and he converted to Sikhism.<ref>Hīrā, B. S.. Ch. 6, “A Contact with Bhakt Nanua. Bhai Kanhaiya”, Beacon-light of Humanitarian Service & the Apostle of Peace. Sewa Jyoti Publications, 22-23.1988</ref> Kanhaiya stayed and continued to serve the Sangat (community). Kanhaiya was assigned as Guru's water bearer and later in [[Langar (Sikhism)|Langar]] (community kitchen). He also looked after Guru Sahib's [[Working animal|steeds]]. After the death of the 9th Guru, the 10th Guru, [[Guru Gobind Singh]], had [[Guru Gaddi|ascended]] and Kanhaiya began to follow him. Kanhaiya was visiting [[Anandpur Sahib|Anandpur]] in May 1704 when the city was attacked by a combination of [[Hill States of India|Rajput troops]] and their [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] partners. Bhai Kanhaiya was frequently seen carrying a goatskin water pocket and serving water to anyone who was thirsty.<ref name=":2">Burra, Srinivas. "Collective Engagement and Selective Endorsement: India’s Ambivalent Attitude Towards Laws of Armed Conflict." ''Locating India in the Contemporary International Legal Order'' (2018): 51-65.</ref> He performed this [[Sevā|sewa]] (magnanimous administration) with adoration.<ref name=":3">Jammu, Dilpreet Singh. "Compassion in Sikhism: A scriptural, traditional and historical perspective." ''Compassion in the'' 4 (2016): 266-274.</ref> This irritated the Sikh warriors on the battlefield, who complained to the Guru. The Guru then asked Kanhaiya, "These Sikhs are saying that you go and feed water to the enemy and they recover". Kanhaiya replied, saying, "Yes, my Guru, what they say is true, however, there were no Mughals or Sikhs on the battlefield. All I saw were people."<ref name=":3" /><br />
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The answer satisfied the Guru.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /> He provided with Bhai Kanhaiya with medical aid,<ref name=":3" /> and later on his mission came to be known as the [[Sewapanthi|Sewa Panthi Sampradaye]].<ref name=":0" /><br />
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=== In Sindh ===<br />
He was sent by the Guru to Sindh in-order to propagate the Sikh religion amongst the locals of the region.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /><ref name=":7" /> He is locally known as ''Khat Waro Bao'' or ''Khaatwala Baba'' in Sindh as he would preach whilst seated on a bed.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /><ref name=":7" /> The Khat Wari Darbar in [[Shikarpur, Sindh|Shikarpur]] is a Sindhi temple dedicated to him.<ref name=":4" /> After his passing, he was succeeded as head of the Sewapanthi sect by Bhai Sewa Ram.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Harbans |title=The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism |date=1992–1998 |publisher=Punjabi University |isbn=0-8364-2883-8 |volume=3, M-R |location=Patiala |pages=299 |oclc=29703420 |quote=PARCHl BHAl SEVA RAM is a biographical sketch, in Punjabi verse, of Bhai Seva Ram who led the Sevapanthi sect after the death of its founder Bhai Kanhaiya, a disciple of Guru Gobind Singh}}</ref> His successor would continue preaching and proselytizing Sikhism in Sindh.<ref name=":4" /><br />
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== Legacy ==<br />
[[File:Bhai Kanhaiya 1998 stamp of India.jpg|thumb|Bhai Kanhaiya on a 1998 stamp of India]]<br />
SGPC under president Prof Kirpal Singh Badungar first time celebrated the birth anniversary of Bhai Kanhaiya ji on September 20, 2017. In this context, the Punjab government under chief minister Capt. Amrinder Singh too celebrated his birthday on September 20, 2017 as the Manav Sewa Diwas.<br />
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==See also==<br />
*[[Sevā]]<br />
*[[Sewapanthi]]<br />
*[[Nanua Bairagi]], mentor of Bhai Kanhaiya<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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==Further reading==<br />
*{{cite book | author=Lal Chand| title=Sri Sant Rattan Mala| publisher=Patiala| year=1955 | id=ISBN }}<br />
*{{cite book | author=Gurmukh Singh| title=Sevapanthian di Panjahl Sdhit nun Den| publisher=Patiala| year=1986 | id=ISBN }}<br />
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== External links ==<br />
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{{Sikhism}}<br />
{{Guru Gobind Singh}}<br />
{{Authority control}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kanhaiya, Bhai}}<br />
[[Category:Punjabi Sikhs]]<br />
[[Category:1648 births]]<br />
[[Category:1718 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Sikh saints]]</div>JoanneMoffit