Bhai Balu Hasna

Bhai
Balu Hasna
Personal life
BornBalu
(1564-11-13)13 November 1564
Srinagar, Kashmir Sultanate (Present-day Jammu and Kashmir, India)
Died2 December 1660(1660-12-02) (aged 96)
Peshawar, Kabul Subah, Mughal Empire (Present-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan)
Parent(s)Pt. Hardatt (father)
Mai Prabha (mother)
Religious life
ReligionSikhism
SectUdasi
Religious career
Based inPothohar

Bhai Balu Hasna (13 November 1564 – 2 December 1660), also known as Hamsa or Hasa,[1] was a Sikh preacher and leader of a branch of the Udasi sampradaya active in the 17th century.[2][3] He was the younger brother of Bhai Almast.[4] He was one of the four Adi-Udasis.[3][5] His missionary centre was active in Kartarpur, Pothohar, and Peshawar.[1][6]

Early life

Balu Hasna was born as Balu on 13 November 1564 to a Gaur Brahmin family of Srinagar (Kashmir) to Pandit Hardatt and Mai Prabha.[6][7]

Career

Initially named Balu, he travelled with his elder brother Alu, also known as Bhai Almast, to receive teachings from Guru Arjan in Amritsar in 1604. Balu devoted himself to serving the Guru, and later accompanied Guru Hargobind, who have him the appellation Hasna, meaning the laughing one, due to Balu being of a cheerful and smiling nature and disposition. At the request of Guru Hargobind, Bhai Balu Hasna joined Baba Gurditta, the Guru's eldest son and spiritual successor of Baba Sri Chand, the founder of the Udasi sect. Baba Gurditta instructed him to spread Sikhism in the Pothohar region. Balu Hasna continued this mission until his death in Peshawar on 2 December 1660.[6]

Balu Hasna is believed to have written a Mātrā which claims Guru Nanak gave enlightenment to Sri Chand.[8][9]

Legacy

His successors continued the missionary work of Hasna's centre in western and southern Punjab, North-West Frontier Province, and Sindh. According to sources, two persons associated with Hasna's centre, Bhai Lal Das Daryai and Bhai Jado Rai, accompanied Guru Gobind Singh to the Deccan. Lal Das underwent the Pahul and was renamed Prahilad Singh, who authored a rehitnama (code of conduct).[6] Udho Das, also associated with Hasna's centre, served Mata Panjab Kaur, the widow of Ram Rai at Dehradun after her death in April 1741, and succeeded her, constructing a samadhi honouring Bhai Balu Hasna at Dehradun.[6][10][11] A shrine dedicated to Balu Hasna, known as Gurdwara Manhala Baba Balu Hasna, was also located in Manhala village in Lahore district but is no longer extant.[12]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Kapoor, Satish K. (7 November 2020). "The Udasi Tradition". eSamskirit (originally published in the Bhavan’s Journal, 15 May 2014 issue). Retrieved 11 April 2026.
  2. ^ Singh, Harbans (1992–1998). The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism. Vol. 4. Patiala: Punjabi University, Patiala. p. 377. ISBN 0-8364-2883-8. OCLC 29703420.
  3. ^ a b Grewal, Jagtar Singh (1998). The Sikhs of the Punjab (revised ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 117.
  4. ^ Gandhi, Surjit Singh (2007). "Sikh Religious Orders - Udasis". History of Sikh Gurus Retold. Vol. II: 1606-1708 C.E. Atlantic Publishers & Distributors. pp. 983–984. ISBN 9788126908585.
  5. ^ Kaur, Madanjit. "UDĀSĪ". Encyclopedia of Sikhism (Online Edition). Punjabi University, Patiala. Retrieved 12 April 2026.
  6. ^ a b c d e Padam, Piara Singh. "BĀLŪ HASṆĀ (1564-1660)". Encyclopedia of Sikhism (Online Edition). Retrieved 13 April 2026.
  7. ^ Padam, Piara Singh. "ALMAST, BHĀĪ (1553-1643)". Encyclopedia of Sikhism. Punjabi University, Patiala. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
  8. ^ Kaur, Madanjit. "UDĀSĪ". Encyclopedia of Sikhism (Online Edition). Punjabi University, Patiala. Retrieved 12 April 2026.
  9. ^ Gandhi, Surjit Singh (2007). "Sikh Religious Orders - Udasis". History of Sikh Gurus Retold. Vol. II: 1606-1708 C.E. Atlantic Publishers & Distributors. pp. 979–983. ISBN 9788126908585.
  10. ^ Singh, Bhupender (2022-12-23). BABA NANAK SHAH FAKIR. Blue Rose Publishers. ISBN 978-93-5704-660-2.
  11. ^ Dilagīra, Harajindara Siṅgha (1997). The Sikh Reference Book. Sikh Educational Trust for Sikh University Centre, Denmark. ISBN 978-0-9695964-2-4.
  12. ^ Butalia, Tarunjit Singh (April 2025). Sikh Historical Shrines in Pakistan: Lahore District (PDF) (1st ed.). Jeevay Sanjha Punjab. p. 12.
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