DARGAH MALL, DIWAN

DARGAH MALL, DIWAN (d. 1695), son of Dvarka Das Chhibbar, was, according to Shahid Bilas Bhai Mani Singh, and Guru kian Sakhian, a diwan or minister in the time of Guru Hargobind and his successors and managed, as such, their households. He was the great grand father of Kesar Singh Chhibbar, the author of Bansavalinama. He was in attendance upon Guru Har Rai when summons arrived from Aurangzib asking the Guru to meet him in Delhi. The Guru sent instead his son, Ram Rai, to call on the emperor. Diwan Dargah Mall was deputed to escort him to the imperial capital.

It was Diwan Dargah Mall who wrote to Guru Har Rai from Delhi informing him about Baba Ram Rai`s arbitrary distortion, in Aurangzib`s court, of one of Guru Nanak`s hymns in the Guru Granth Sahib. He was also in the train of Guru Har Rai`s successor, Guru Har Krishan, who too had been summoned to Delhi by the emperor. After the sudden death of Guru Har Krishan, Diwan Dargah Mall travelled with Mata Sulakkhani, the mother of the late Guru, to Bakala carrying the emblems of succession for the investiture of Guru Tegh Bahadur. As says Bansavalinama, Guru Tegh Bahadur bestowed on Dargah Mall a robe of honour and asked him to continue as diwan, but the latter excused himself on the grounds of old age, and recommended to him his nephew, Mati Das, for the position.

He, however, did not leave the Guru`s presence. According to Guru kian Sakhian, Dargah Mall was among those who accompanied the Guru on his journey through the eastern parts in 1665-70. He was present at the accession ceremony for Guru Gobind Singh on the eve of Guru Tegh Bahadur`s departure, in 1675, from Anandpur to make the supreme sacrifice. Diwan Mati Das and his brother Bhai Sati Das, also accompanied Guru Tegh Bahadur to Delhi and embraced martyrdom on 11 November 1675. The duties of the diwan of the holy household thus fell once again on the shoulders of Dargah Mall. On the next Baisakhi day, 29 March 1676, however, he was finally relieved and his son, Dharam Chand, was appointed diwan in his place. Dargah Mall continued to stay at Anandpur where he died on 10 February 1695.

References :

1. Chibbar, Kesar Singh, Bansavalinama Dasari Patshahian Ka. Chandigarh, 1972
2. Garja Singh, Giani, ed., SAahid Bi`/as. Ludhiana, 1961
3. Padam, Piara Singh, and Giani Garja Singh, eds., Guru kian Sakhian. Patiala, 1986
4. Trilochan Singh, Guru Tegh Bahadur: Prophet and Martyr. Delhi, 1967
5. Harbans Singh, Guru Tegh Bahadur. Delhi, 1982