Bibi Rajni

In the era of Guru Ram Das, one cannot leave out Rajni, youngest daughter of Rai Duni Chand, revenue collector (kardar) of Patti. (The story has all the myth, magic and miracles of a genuine Sakhi, but is nevertheless a charming story). Rajni was a Sikh, a disciple of the Guru. One day she was sitting with her sisters admiring some new clothing they all had received from their father. The girls were ecstatic and exclaiming how good their father was to them. Rajni observed that all gifts are ultimately from God. Their father was merely an instrument of God's greatness. Unfortunately for her, her father overheard her comment and became very angry.

It was not the first time that she incurred her father's wrath because of her extreme piety. The infuriated father, believing her to be an ungrateful wretch, married her to a leper with a taunt that he would see how her God would help her lead a normal life. The leper was severely disfigured and a foul smell came from his body. The poor girl had accepted her fate ungrudgingly and worked hard to maintain herself and her crippled husband. She kept repeating the name of God, and was certain that he was testing her with this turn of events. She was forced to beg for a living. Still she bathed and fed her leper husband, never losing faith.

One day, Bibi Rajni reached the site of a pool on her way to a neighbouring village. Placing the basket containing her husband by the side of the pool, she had gone off on an errand, most probably to look for food. In the meantime, her crippled husband had seen a black crow dip into the water of the pool and come out white. Amazed at this miracle, the man crawled up to the edge of the pool and managed a dip. He found himself completely cured. When his wife returned, she was amazed to find her husband in good health. He was handsome and whole. At first, she was alarmed and suspected that he might be a different person. He had, however, kept one finger with leprosy marks un-dipped. He showed her the diseased finger as proof of his identity. The couple thanked God, and went to the Guru to seek his blessings.

The pool was the future site of Sri Harmandir Sahib. The medicinal properties of the water were said to have come trom Basil (Tulsi), which grew in abundance on its banks. Guru Amar Das used to pick the herb there to make poultices for an infected toe that plagued Guru Angad. The legendary importance of the site highlights the medicinal properties of the waters of the pool, Rajni's leper husband was cured in.

The message of ths Sakhi is that if you keep faith in God then one day all rewards are paid. Bibi Rajni had always kept the faith in Guru and God, being happy with whatever she had and thus was rewarded at the end.

Article taken from the book "Champion of Women" by Alice Basarke.

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  Amrit Sarovar

  The first time Harmandir Sahib's Amrit Sarovar was discovered.

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  Amritsar

  Amritsar, short for Amrit Sarovar, was established by Guru Ram Das at the time of the story of the Dukh Bhanjani Beri and Bibi Rajni.

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  Gurdwara Sri Bibi Rajni

  Patti, Tarn Taran, Punjab, India

  Associated with Bibi Rajni Ji.

  This Gurdwara is situated at the place where Bibi Rajni Ji used to reside with her parents and four sisters.

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  Historic Place Of Dukh Bhanjani Beri

  Amritsar City, Punjab 143006, India.

  Associated with Guru Nanak Sahib Ji, Guru Ram Das Ji, Bibi Rajni Ji.

  This tree, under which a leper was sitting, came to be known as Dukh Bhanjani Beri as it is said to relieve the pains of people.

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