MOHAN, BABA

MOHAN, BABA (b. 1536), the elder son of Guru Amar Das, was born to Mata Mansa Devi at Basarke Gillan, near Amrtisar, in 1536. He was of a taciturn disposition and most of the time kept to his room in Goindval absorbed in study and contemplation. He had in his possession manuscript collections of the Gurus` hymns inherited from his father. When Guru Arjan (1563-1606) undertook the compilation of the (Guru) Granth Sahib, he sent Bhal Gurdas and then Bhai Buddha to borrow these from him, but Baba Mohan refused each time to part with them. Finally, Guru Arjan himself went to Goindval.

He sat in the street below Baba Mohan`s attic serenading him on his tambura, a string instrument. Mohan was disarmed to hear the hymn and came downstairs with the pothis (books) which he made over to the Guru. These volumes are still extant and are known as Goindvdl Pothis. Gurdwara Chubara Baba Mohan JI in Goindval perpetuates Baba Mohan`s memory. Among the relics preserved in the Chubara Sahib complex is the palanquin in which the pothis were carried to Amritsar and then brought back to Goindval.

References :

1. Bhalla, Sarup Das, Mahima Prakash. Patiala, 1971
2. Santokh Singh, Bhai, Sri Cur Pratap Suraj Granth. Amritsar, 1927-35
3. Jaggi, Ratan Singh, ed., Bansavalinama. Chandigarh, 1972
4. Gian Singh, Giani, Twarikh Guru Khalsa [Reprint]. Patiala, 1970
5. Macauliffe, Max Arthur, The Sikh Religion. Oxford, 1909