BenjaminWoodard at 22:28, 21 February 2026

2026-02-21T22:28:01Z

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{{short description|Sikh warrior woman (1670–1720)}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Mai Bhago
| image = Mai Bhago in-battle, from a mural depicting the Battle of Muktsar (also known as the 'Battle of Khidrana') from Gurdwara Baba Atal Rai, circa 19th century (cropped).jpg
| caption = Mai Bhago in-battle, from a mural depicting the Battle of Muktsar (also known as the 'Battle of Khidrana') from Gurdwara Baba Atal Rai, circa 19th century (no longer extant)
| father = Bhai Malo Shah
| issue =
| birth_date = 1670
| birth_place = [[Chabhal Kalan]], [[Punjab]]
| death_date = 1720
| death_place = [[Nanded]], [[Maharastra]]
| religion = [[Sikhism]]
| spouse = Bhai Nidhan Singh of Patti
}}
'''Mai Bhago ''' also known as '''Mata Bhag Kaur''', was a [[Sikh]] woman who led Sikh soldiers against the [[Mughals]] in 1705. She was an exceptionally skilled warrior on the battlefield and is revered as a warrior saint in Sikhism. She was known for rallying the 40 Sikhs (''Chali Mukte'') who abandoned [[Guru Gobind Singh]] at the siege of [[Anandpur Sahib]] and bringing them back to fight.

==Biography==
===Early life===
[[File:Gurdwara Mata Bhag Kaur.jpg|thumb|Gurdwara Mai Bhago]]
Mai Bhago was born into Jat family,<ref name="Thornton">{{cite book |last=Thornton |first=S. A. |editor-last=Smith |editor-first=Bonnie G. |editor-link=Bonnie G. Smith |title=The Oxford Encyclopedia of Women in World History |volume=1 |year=2008 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-514890-9 |page=226 |entry-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EFI7tr9XK6EC&pg=PA226 |entry=BHAGO, MAI |quote=BHAGO, MAI (fl. 1699–1708), ... Hers was a family of the Dhillon clan of the ''jat'' ...}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Smith |first=Bonnie G. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EFI7tr9XK6EC&pg=PA226 |title=The Oxford Encyclopedia of Women in World History |date=2008 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-514890-9 |page=226 |language=en |ol=18292976M |quote=BHAGO, MAI (1699-1708), Sikh soldier and bodyguard for Guru Gobind Singh. Mai Bhago was bom the daughter of Malo Shah in Jhabal village in what is now the Amritsar district of Punjab. Hers was a family of the Dhillon clan of the Jats |ol-access=free}}</ref><ref name="Gayer">{{cite book |last=Gayer |first=Laurent |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qEb8DwAAQBAJ |title=Politique et religions en Asie du Sud: le sécularisme dans tous ses états? |publisher=Éditions de l’École des hautes études en sciences sociales |year=2012 |isbn=978-2-7132-2323-5 |editor1-last=Jaffrelot |editor1-first=Christophe |editor1-link=Christophe Jaffrelot |page=287 |language=French |chapter=Des « Princesses » chez les « Lions ». Parcours de vie de recrues féminines dans la Guérilla Sikhe (1984-1995) |doi=10.4000/books.editionsehess.22356 |quote=Mai Bhago, une Jat du clan Dhillon, s'illustra au début du XVIIIe siècle en combattant les armées mogholes pour le compte de Gourou Gobind Singh. |editor2-last=Mohammad-Arif |editor2-first=Aminah |trans-quote=Mai Bhago, a Jat of the Dhillon clan, distinguished herself at the beginning of the 18th century by fighting the Mughal armies on behalf of Guru Gobind Singh.}}</ref> her family's ancestral village of [[Chabhal Kalan]], in a sikh family at Jhabal Kalan, in the present-day [[Tarn Taran district|Tarn Taran]] district of the [[Punjab region|Punjab]] .<ref>{{Cite web |title=Search Gurbani : Gurbani Research Website |url=https://www.searchgurbani.com/ |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=www.searchgurbani.com |language=en}}</ref> Mai Bhago was a staunch Sikh by birth and had her upbringing in a devout Sikh family. Mai Bhago's father, Malo Shah, was enrolled in [[Guru Hargobind]]'s army<ref>{{cite book|last1=Smith|first1=Bonnie|title=The Oxford encyclopedia of Women in World History, Volume 4|date=2008|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780195148909|page=[https://archive.org/details/oxfordencycloped0000unse_k2h2/page/226 226]|url=https://archive.org/details/oxfordencycloped0000unse_k2h2/page/226}}</ref> and like her father Mai Bhago learned ''[[Gatka|Shaster vidya]]'' (training in arms). Mai Bhago was the granddaughter of Bhai Pero Shah who was younger brother of the famous [[Jhabal Kalan#The Jhabal Brothers|Bhai Langah]] the chief of 84 villages who had converted to [[Sikhism]] during the time of [[Guru Arjan Dev]] (1563–1606), the fifth [[Sikh Guru]].<ref name="SAO">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=osnkLKPMWykC&pg=PA144 |title=Sikhism Origin and Development|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Distributors |page=152|author=Dalbir Singh Dhillon|year=1988 | access-date=30 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Sagoo|first=Harbans|title=Banda Singh Bahadur and Sikh Sovereignty|year=2001|publisher=Deep & Deep Publications|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MIL4xwcCmxkC|isbn=9788176293006}}</ref> She had two brothers Dilbagh Singh and Bhag Singh.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Nihang|first1=Nidar|last2=Singh|first2=Parmjit|title=In the Master's Presence: the Sikh's of Hazoor Sahib|date=2008|publisher=Kashi House|location=London|isbn=9780956016829|page=54}}</ref> When she was young her parents took her to Anandpur Sahib to do ''[[darshana|darshan]]'' (glimpse) of [[Guru Gobind Singh]]. She married Bhai Nidhan Singh of [[Patti, Punjab|Patti]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Arneja|first1=Simran|title=Ik Onkar One God|publisher=Simran Kaur Arneja|isbn=9788184650938|page=102|date=2009}}</ref>

===Mughal confrontation===
In attempt to capture the Guru the large Mughal army led by [[Wazir Khan (Sirhind)|Wazir Khan]] (of Sirhind) under the orders of [[Aurangzeb|Emperor Aurangzeb]] proceeded to [[Anandpur Sahib]] alongside the Mughal Armies of Lahore and Kashmir.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Shaw|first1=Jeffrey|last2=Demy|first2=Timothy|title=War and Religion: an Encyclopedia of Faith and Conflict|date=2017|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=9781610695176|page=576}}</ref>

====Disbandment of the Chali Mukte (40 "liberated" Sikhs)====
On around 1704<ref>{{cite book|last1=Fenech|first1=Louis|title=The Sikh Zafar-namah of Guru Gobind Singh: A Discursive Blade in the Heart of The Mughal Empire|date=2013|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New York|isbn=9780199931453|page=18}}</ref> the Mughal hill chiefs had surrounded Anandpur Sahib and were demanding it be evacuated stopping provisions for food and the siege lasting a few months.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Singh|first1=Teja|last2=Jaggi|first2=Rattan|title=Essays in Sikhism|date=1988|publisher=Languages Department Punjab|page=57}}</ref> They announced that any Sikh who would say that "he/she is not anymore a Sikh of Guru Gobind" would be left untouched while others would be "done to death". A group of 40 Sikhs (''Chali Mukte''),<ref>{{cite book|last1=Singh|first1=Harbans|title=The Encyclopedia of Sikhism|date=2005|publisher=Hemkunt Press|location=New Delhi|isbn=9788170103011|page=42|edition= Second}}</ref> led by Mahan Singh Rataul, told Guru Gobind Singh that they were not his Sikhs anymore. The Guru told them that they would have to write a document that said "We are not your Sikhs anymore" and sign it. All forty Sikhs (except one: 'Bedava') wrote their names on this document, and left Guru Gobind Singh.

====Mai Bhago's retaliation====
Mai Bhago was distressed to hear that some of the Sikhs of her neighbourhood, who had gone to Anandpur to fight for Guru Gobind Singh, had deserted him under adverse conditions. She criticised them openly; hearing her taunts, these Sikhs were ashamed of their betrayal.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Kohli|first1=M. S.|title=Miracles of Ardaas: Incredible Adventures and Survivals|date=2003|publisher=Indus Publishing|isbn=9788173871528|page=168}}</ref> Mai Bhago rallied the deserters, and persuaded them to meet with the Guru and apologize to him. She set off with them (and some other Sikhs) to seek out the Guru, who were traveling across the [[Malwa (Punjab)|Malwa]].

====Unfolding events at Anandpur Sahib====
=====The Guru leaving Anandpur fort=====
A messenger arrived with an oath signed by Aurangzeb on a copy of the Quran, assuring the Guru that if he came out of the fort, permanent peace would be negotiated on honourable terms. The oath of the Emperor was further supported by an oath signed by all the Generals of the Mughal army and the Hill Chiefs.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Singh |first1=Harjinder |title=Brave Shaheeds of Chamkaur Sahib |publisher=Akaal Publishers |page=1}}</ref> Guru Gobind Singh did not trust these assurances,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Anand |first1=T K |title=Essence of Sikhism – 7 |date=2005 |publisher=Vikas Publishing House |location=New Delhi |isbn=9788125919483 |page=37}}</ref> but to show the real face of the Mughals, the Guru nevertheless decided to leave the fort.

=====Separation of the Guru's family=====
Meanwhile, Guru Gobind Singh evacuated the fort of Anandpur. His children had already been separated in the retreat by the betraying Mughal army and the Hill Chiefs. The two youngest ones, [[Zorawar Singh (Sikhism)|Sahibzada Zorawar Singh]] and [[Fateh Singh (Sikhism)|Sahibzada Fateh Singh]], had gone along with their grandmother [[Mata Gujari|Mata Gujari Kaur]] (mother of Guru Gobind Singh Ji) while the elder two, Sahibzada [[Ajit Singh (Sikhism)|Ajit Singh]] and [[Jujhar Singh|Sahibzada Jhujhar Singh]], had gone with their father. At the [[battle of Chamkaur]], the Guru's elder sons were killed and attained martyrdom. The Guru left Chamkaur on the order of the [[Panj Pyare]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Singh |first1=Pushpendra |title=The Hawk Hunters |date=2015 |publisher=Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd |location=Mumbai |isbn=9789352013395}}</ref> Guru Gobind Singh's forces travelled day and night through the jungles of the [[Malva]] region with the imperial Mughal forces of Aurangzeb in constant pursuit.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Randhir |first1=G. S. |title=Sikh Shrines in India |date=2016 |publisher=Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting |location=New Delhi |isbn=9788123022604}}</ref>

====Battle of Muktsar at Khidrana====
[[File:Detail from a painting showing Mai Bhago in the Battle of Muktsar, Sikh school, Punjab Plains, late 19th century.jpg|thumb|Detail from a painting showing Mai Bhago in the Battle of Muktsar, Sikh school, Punjab Plains, late 19th century]]
{{Main|Battle of Muktsar}}

The Guru had reached the village of [[Khidrana]], when Mai Bhago and the men reached khidrana. She led stopped near the ''dhab'', or pool, of Khidrana, the only source of water in the area<ref>{{cite book |last1=Grover |first1=Parminder Singh |last2=Singh |first2=Davinderjit |title=Discover Punjab: Attractions of Punjab |publisher=Golden Point |location=Ludhiana}}</ref> which was overtaken by the Mughal imperial army pursuing the Guru.

Mai Bhago and her men attacked the pursuing Mughals' army of 10,000 soldiers. Mai Bhago & the 40 liberated ones eventually forced the imperial Mughal army to retreat. while the Guru's forces showered arrows onto the Mughals from nearby high ground. When Guru Gobind Singh visited the battlefield, he found all dead except Mai Bhago and the previous leader of the deserters, Mahan Singh. Mahan Singh, who had been seriously wounded, died as the Guru took him into his lap.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Kohli|first1=M. S.|title=Miracles of Ardaas: Incredible Adventures and Survivals|date=2003|publisher=Indus Publishing|isbn=9788173871528|page=169}}</ref> All forty of the Sikhs who came to redeem themselves died as well as Mai Bhago's brothers and husband<ref>{{cite book|last1=Nihang|first1=Nidar|last2=Singh|first2=Parmjit|title=In the Master's Presence: the Sikh's of Hazoor Sahib|date=2008|publisher=Kashi House|location=London|isbn=9780956016829|page=54}}</ref> and attained martyrdom in this pitched battle. Some sources say Mai Bhago's children were martyred there too.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Singh |first1=Bikram |title=Prasang Mai Bhago |date=1950 |publisher=Hall Malazhem |location=Jodhpur |page=47 |edition= First}}</ref>

Guru Gobind Singh blessed those forty dead as the ''Chali Mukte'', Forty Liberated Ones. He took into his care Mai Bhago, who had suffered serious injury<ref>{{cite book|last1=Fenech|first1=Louis E.|last2=McLeod|first2=W. H.|title=Historical Dictionary of Sikhism|date=2014|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|location=Maryland|isbn=9781442236011|page=65|edition= Third}}</ref> in the battle.

===Mai Bhago Kaur residing with the Guru===
Mai Bhago stayed with Guru Gobind Singh at [[Talwandi Sabo]].<ref>{{cite journal |journal=Journal of Sikh Studies, Department of Guru Nanak Studies, Guru Nanak Dev University |date=2004 |volume= 28 |issue=1 |page=75}}</ref> She may have adopted the garb of a [[Nihang]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Nihang|first1=Nidar|last2=Singh|first2=Parmjit|title=In the Master's Presence: the Sikh's of Hazoor Sahib|date=2008|publisher=Kashi House|location=London|isbn=9780956016829|page=54}}</ref> When the Guru went to [[Hazur Sahib]] she became one of ten other bodyguards of the Guru arming herself with a large lance (weighing about 102 pounds)<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Calcutta Review |journal=University of Calcutta |date=1881 |volume= 72-73 |page=75}}</ref> and musket<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Journal of Sikh Studies, Department of Guru Nanak Studies, Guru Nanak Dev University|date=2004|volume=28|issue=1|page=75}}</ref> and did so in male attire.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Kennick|first1=Victoria|last2=Sharma|first2=Arvind|title=Spiritual Masters of the World's Religions|date=2012|publisher=SUNY Press|isbn=9781438444994|page=150}}</ref>

===Mai Bhag Kaur at Janwada===
After the death of Guru Gobind Singh Ji at Nanded in 1708, Mai Bhag Kaur retired further south. She settled down at Janwada, 11 km from Bidar in Karnataka, setting up her ''[[Dera (organization)|dera]]'' where she immersed in meditation and taught ''Gurmat'' (The Guru's way) living a long life.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Pall|first1=S.J.S.|title=Masters & the Word Divine (Questions and Answers)|date=August 1999|publisher=B. Chattar Singh Jiwan Singh|location=Amritsar|isbn=9788176013123|page=219|edition= First}}</ref> Her hut in Janwada has now been converted into a place of worship and learning, [[Gurdwara]] Tap Asthan Mai Bhago. At Nanded, too, a hall within the compound of Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Sahib marking the site of her former residence is known as Bunga Mai Bhago.

==Legacy==
[[File:Mai Bhago -SikhHeritageMuseum.jpg|thumb|20th century painting of Mai Bhago]]
Mohan Singh, ''Jathedar'' of Hazur Sahib, in 1788 built a ''Bunga'' ([[fortified tower]]) in the memory of Mai Bhag Kaur.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Nihang|first1=Nidar|last2=Singh|first2=Parmjit|title=In the Master's Presence: the Sikh's of Hazoor Sahib|date=2008|publisher=Kashi House|location=London|isbn=9780956016829|page=54}}</ref> The weapons of Mai Bhago are kept in the Hazur Sahib Gurudwara complex at Abchalnagar Nanded, India.[[File:Statue of Mai Bhago.jpg|thumb|Statue of Mai Bhago in Shahidi park, New Delhi]]Modern artwork of Mai Bhago often depict her wearing a turban in-battle.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |title=Young Sikhs in a Global World: Negotiating Traditions, Identities and Authorities |date=Mar 9, 2016 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781134790883 |editor-last=Jacobsen |editor-first=Knut A. |edition=reprint |quote=Another central image having received legendary status online is Mai Bhago, both within Sikh art and online narrative (Bedi, 2008). She has her own Facebook album (with nearly 1,500 "Likes") and is consistently portrayed as having donned a turban while on the battlefield (Facebook, n.d.). Despite little definitive historical knowledge about Mai Bhago, she has become the ''beau ideal'' of Sikh women, for some, the ultimate female warrior ideal; she remains that most legitimizing historical figure and model for contemporary turban-wearing Sikh women. |editor-last2=Myrvold |editor-first2=Kristina}}</ref> She has become the idealized woman for Sikh women.<ref name=":0" />

== See also ==

* [[Women in Sikhism]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.sikh-heritage.co.uk/warriors/mai%20bhago/maibhago.htm "Mai Bhago", URL accessed 08/30/06]
*{{cite web|url=http://www.sikh-history.com/sikhhist/warriors/bhago.html|title=Great Sikh Warriors|publisher=sikh-history.com|access-date=23 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160320221721/http://www.sikh-history.com/sikhhist/warriors/bhago.html|archive-date=20 March 2016|url-status=dead}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhango, Mai}}
[[Category:17th-century births]]
[[Category:18th-century deaths]]
[[Category:Female military personnel]]
[[Category:Female Sikh warriors]]
[[Category:Sikh saints]]
[[Category:Women in 17th-century warfare]]
[[Category:Women in 18th-century warfare]]
[[Category:18th-century Indian people]]
[[Category:People from Amritsar district]]
[[Category:People from Tarn Taran district]]
[[Category:17th-century Indian women]]
[[Category:17th-century Indian people]]
[[Category:18th-century Indian women]]
[[Category:Sikh generals]]
[[Category:Indian female generals]]

Mai Bhago - Revision history

BenjaminWoodard at 22:28, 21 February 2026