MATHO MURARI

MATHO MURARI, joint name of a couple Matho and her husband, Murari, both blessed by Guru Amar Das. Murari`s real name was Prema. He was a native of the village of Khai, now in Lahore district of West Punjab (Pakistan). Orphaned in early childhood and afflicted by leprosy, Prema had to beg to make a living. Once, having heard about the compassionate nature and spiritual eminence of Guru Amar Das, he made his way to Goindval and reached the Guru`s door.

The Sikhs gave him food from Guru ka Larigar, but would not allow him, a leper, to go in and see the Guru. Yet the Guru had Prema brought to him and took him under his care. He nursed him back to health. Prema was now an attractive looking young man, and the Guru renamed him Murari. Bhai Sihari, an Uppal Khatri, gave, at the Guru`s suggestion but without the knowledge of his own wife, his daughter, Matho, in marriage to Murari. When the girl`s mother learnt about it, she came complaining to the Guru that her daughter had been married to a nameless person whose parents and caste were not known.

Guru Amar Das, in the words of Sarup Das Bhalla, Mahimd Prakash, replied: “Murari, to whom your daughter has been married, is my son and Sikh. They shall be jointly known as Matho Murari, your daughter`s name preceding that other husband.” The mother was reconciled. The Guru blessed the couple and appointed them to head a wan/; around Murari`s native Khai.

References :

1. Bhalla, Sarup Das, Mahimd Prakash. Patiala, 1971
2. Santokh Singh, Bhai, .Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth. Amritsar, 1927-35
3. Marauliffe, M. A., The Sikh Religion. Oxford, 1909