Mata Tripta

Mata Tripta (1446–1522; Punjabi: ਮਾਤਾ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਾ; mātā tripatā) was the mother of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism.^[1]

Mata Tripta Ji
(ਮਾਤਾ) ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਾ
Mural art depiction of Mata Tripta holding a newborn Nanak
Born	Tripta Jhangar 1446
Died	December 1522
Spouse	Mehta Kalu
Children	Guru Nanak (son) Bebe Nanaki (daughter)
Parents	Ram Shri Jhangar (father) Mata Bhirai (mother)
Relatives	Baba Krishan (brother)

Biography

Early life

Mata Tripta was born in 1446 to a father named Bhai Raam, a Jhangar Khatri^[2] from the village of Chaliawala (or Chahal), near Lahore, and her mother was Mata Bhirai.^{[note 1][1][3]} She was born in a Hindu family.^[4] She had a brother named Krishan.^{[note 2]} She is said to have possessed a kind-hearted and soft-spoken disposition.^[5] She is further described as being a "simple, humble, kind and humane lady".^[1]

Marriage

In 1460, she was wedded to Mehta Kalu.^[1]

She gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Nanaki in 1464. Due to the birth of a girl child as the first-born and the resultant disappointment of her husband, Mata Tripta started becoming more fervently religious in-order to please the deities in hopes for a son.^[6] Mata Tripta gave birth to Guru Nanak Dev on 23 November 1469, in the village of Rai Bhoi Di Talwandi, some thirty five miles west of Lahore in the Sheikhupura district of Punjab, Delhi Sultanate (modern day Punjab, Pakistan). The name of the town was changed to Nankana Sahib in honour of the Guru.

Death

Mata Tripta died in Kartarpur at the age of 76 shortly after the death of her husband Kalu.^[1]

Notes

1. Her father's name is alternatively spelt as 'Bhai Rama'. Her mother's name is alternatively spelt as 'Mai Bharai'.
2. Her brother's name is alternatively spelt as 'Krishna'.

References

1. Singh, Bhupinder (October–December 2019). "Genealogy of Guru Nanak". Abstracts of Sikh Studies. 21 (4). Institute of Sikh Studies, Chandigarh.
2. McLeod, W.H. (1968). Guru Nanak and the Sikh Religion. Oxford: Clarendon Press. pp. 102–103.
3. "TRIPTĀ MĀTĀ". eos.learnpunjabi.org. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
4. "Sikhism's Origins: The Life of Guru Nanak". religionfacts.com. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
5. Bal, Sarjit Singh (1969). Life of Guru Nanak (1st ed.). Publication Bureau of Panjab University Chandigarh. p. 17. The brunt of Kalu's biting tongue had to be borne mostly by his comely wife, Tripta. Daughter of one Rama of Chaliawala in the Majha country situated between the rivers Ravi and Beas, she was a complete contrast to her husband and was "gifted with a sympathetic, generous nature, mild and gentle and extremely soft- spoken". She was devoted to her husband in spite of his faults and "patiently put up with his outbursts of temper and made a point of never crossing him in any way." It was this attitude of self-abnegation and self-effacement of the mild-mannered Tripta that ensured, more or less, a smooth domestic life, though occasional quarrels continued taking place.
6. Parmar, Nirapjit (2010). Reconstructing Gender Identities From Sikh Literature 1500 - 1920. Department of History - Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar. p. 154. In 1464, Mehta Kalu and Tripta were blessed with a daughter, who was born in the house of her maternal grand-parents which was a common practice and hence was named, Nanaki. The birth of a daughter is said to have disappointed Kalu who became even more rude in his dealings with his wife. Therefore, like typical Hindu women of the age, Tripta started following strict religious regimens so that the Gods may be pleased and bless her with a son. The Gods granted her wish and after five long years, on the third day of the light half of the month of Baisakh, of A.D. 1469, was born her illustrious son, Guru Nanak.