Mehta Kalu
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Mehta Kalu, formally Kalyan Chand, (1440–1522) was the father of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism.[1][2][3]
Names
Various names are used to refer to Guru Nanak's father, some of which are: 'Mehta Kalu', 'Kalu Rai', 'Kalu Chand', 'Kalian Rai', and 'Kalian Chand'.[3]
Biography
Early life
Kalu was born in 1440 as 'Kalyan Das' to Shiv Ram Bedi (b. 1418) and Mata Banarasi in a Hindu Khatri family of the Bedi gotra.[3] Kalu's paternal grandfather was Ram Narayan Bedi.Template:Efn[3] Mehta Kalu was born in the village of Patthe Vind (now extinct, was formerly located at the present-day site of Gurdwara Dera Sahib, approximately six miles east of Naushahra Pannuan).[3]
Mehta Kalu's family later moved to the village of Rai-Bhoi-Di-Talwandi (now Nankana Sahib) where Shiv Ram Bedi found employment as the village patwari (revenue official).[3] Kalu was the eldest of two sons, his younger brother was named Baba Lalu (1444–1542).[3] Lalu was born in Talwandi rather than in Patthe Vind.[3] Kalu would take over the role of village patwari from his father after his father died.[3]
Thus, he served as the patwari (accountant) of crop revenue for the village of Talwandi in the employment of the zamindar (landlord), Rai Bular Bhatti.[4][5]
Marriage
He married a girl named Tripta in 1460.[3] Two offspring were born from the couple, a daughter named Nanaki and a son named Nanak.[3]
Death
Kalu died at the age of 82 at Kartarpur, a locality that had been established by his son.[3]