HARIJI, SODHI

HARIJI, SODHI (d. 1696), a great grandson of Guru Ram Das (1534-81) and head of the schismatic Mma sect from 1640 to 1696, was the second son of Baba Manohar Das, better known as Sodhl Miharban (1581-1640), the author of Sachkhand Polhi, janam. sakhi or life story of Guru Nanak. The exact date of Hariji`s birth is not known, but indirect evidence available would place it in the second decade of the seventeenth century. After Guru Hargobind left Amritsar in 1635 and took up abode at Kiratpur in the Sivaliks, the control of the sacred shrines in the town fell into the hands of tins line of the family with Hariji retaining charge of them for several decades`.

As Sikh chronicles record, it was masands appointed by Hariji who had Guru Tegh Bahadur`s entry barred into the Harimandar, the sanctum sanctorum, at the time of his visit to Amritsar in 1664. Hariji, like his father Sodhi Miharban, was a prolific writer. His known works are: Sukhmam Sahansarndmd (Paramdrath), a commentary in prose on Sukhmani Sahansarndmd, a poetic composition by his father; Goshlidn MiharvdnJi Kidn, a biography of his father written in the style of a janam sakhi and Pothi Hariji containing anecdotes relating to Guru Nanak which later formed the middle part of what is known as MiharbdnvdU Janam Sdkhi, the other two parts being Sachkhand Pothi by Sodhi Miharban and Chaturbhuj Pothi ascribed to Sodhi Chaturbhuj, younger brother of Hariji. These three parts were published in two volumes by Khalsa College, Amritsar, in 1963.

The Pothi Hariji portion comprising 62 goshtis or discourses is contained in volume II. Another work ascribed to Hariji is Shabad Salok Sodhi Hariji Ke (Dhidu Bihangam Kd), a manuscript of which is in the Dr Ganda Singh collection at Punjabi University Library, Patiala. According to Seva Singh, Shahid Bilds Bhai Mani Singh. Sodhi Hariji died on 17 April 1696. Two years later, on a request from the sangat of Amritsar, Guru Gobind Singh assumed control of the Harimandar and other local shrines and appointed Bhai Man! Singh to manage them.

References :

1. Kirpal Singh, Janam Sakhl Pmmpard. Patiala, 1969
2. Seva Singh, Shahid Hilas (Bhai Mani Singh). Ed. Giani Garja Singh. Ludhiana, 1961
3. Ahlnwalia, Gurinohaii Singh, Sodhl Hari Ji : Jivon Ie Rftclmn. Patiala, 1985