KAUL, SODHI

KAUL, SODHI, or Sodhi Karival Nain (1638-1706), son of Baba Hariji and a great grandson of Baba Prithi Chand, the elder brother of Guru Arjan (1563-1606), was born at Muhammadipur village in Lahore district of the Punjab (now in Pakistan). He was educated under eminent men of letters at Amritsar where his father had been in control of the Harimandar and other Sikh shrines since 1639 as head of the Mina sect.

 

About 1664 Sodhi Kaul also spent some time at Lahore learning history, mythology and Persian. He became head of the sect after the death of his father in 1696. In 1699 control of the Amritsar shrines was taken over by Bhai Mani Singh and five other Singhs who had been sent for this purpose by Guru Gobind Singh from Anandpur. Sodhi Kaul then moved to Dhilvari Kalari, a village gifted to him by Chaudhari Kapiira of Kot Kapura in present day Faridkot district of the Punjab.

Guru Gobind Singh visited that village in December 1705 when Sodhi Kaul and his four sons received him with honour. Here, at Kaul`s suggestion, the Guru discarded the blue attire he had put on at Machhivara. One of Sodhi Kaul`s grandsons, Abhai Ram, undertook the vows of the Khalsa at the hands of Guru Gobind Singh and was renamed Abhai Singh. Baba Kaul`s last days were spent at Kotha Guru, a village founded by Prithi Chand, where he died in 1706. A shrine and a samddh in the village honour his memory.

References :

1. Balwani Singh Giani, Bnhn Kaul Snhih.
2. Santokh Siriyli, Bhai, Sri GUI Praia? Suraj Gimith. Ainrit.sar, 1927-33
3. Gian Sirigli, Giani, Ptinlh Prnkasli. Patiala, 1970 -I. Macaulinc, M.A., The Sikh Religion. Oxford, 1909