Bhai Banno Vali Birh

In 1604 Guru Arjan Sahib completed the compilation and the dictation of Sri Aad Granth Sahib to Bhai Gurdas the scribe. Guru Sahib then sent Bhai Banno to Lahore to have the Pothi Sahib bound.

On the journey to Lahore Bhai Banno stopped at his village Khara Mangat, where he had a copy of the Pothi made.
Both Pothis were bound and presented to Guru Sahib.

There are two traditions regarding the Pothis, one states that Guru Sahib accepted the Pothi scribed by Bhai Gurdas and termed the Pothi copied by Bhai Banno as 'Khari Bir' or 'bitter' as Bhai Banno had included unauthorised material

(Meera Bai verses, Bhagat Surdas verses, Ratanmala,Salok - Jit Dar Lakh Mohamda and Haqiqat Raja Shivnabh Ki) thereby making the pothi not suitable for reading in Sangat.

The other tradition says Guru Sahib accepted both Birs, terming Bhai Banno's birh the 'Khari Birh' (Khari after Bhai Banno's village Khara Mangat) - this tradition claims that Guru Sahib had wanted there to be only one birh - which Sangat would seek out and gain 'Mukti'

- but as Bhai Banno had created a copy - this would start a tradition where copies would be available to all and all who sought their darshan would gain 'mukhti'.

The Bhai Banno Bir was enthroned at Khara Mangat (Now in Pakistan, Mangat. Tehsil Phalia (district Mandi Bahauddin)). Maharaja Ranjit Singh built a magnificent Gurdwara at Mangat, it is an architectural echo of Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar.

It gives an idea of what Darbar Sahib may have looked like before the gold plating, covered in spectacular frescoes.
At partition, the Bhai Banno Gurdwara was attacked, having large resources because of the Jagir given by Ranjit Singh, it was successfully defended.

However the descendants of Bhai Banno were eventually forced to leave by the army, carrying the Bhai Banno vali Bir they moved to Kanpur, UP India, where the Banno Vali Bir is enthroned today. The Bhai Banno Gurdwara, Mangat was abandoned,

today it is in a very poor state, covered in graffiti but still beautiful. You can still see the frescoes, Nanak Shahi bricks are exposed but in glorious testament to the skill and devotion of those who built such a wonderful building, it is still standing and stunning.

Picture 1: Bhai Banno Gurdwara, Mangat. Tehsil Phalia (district Mandi Bahauddin) Pakistan

Picture 2: Bhai Banno Vali Birh, kept at Gurdwara Bhai Banno Sahib, Kanpur UP.

You can see the Nisaan of Guru Arjan Sahib on the right 'Ang'. The puratan painting on the right is of Guru Sahib and Bhai Banno

Picture 3: Bhai Banno Vali Birh, Nisaan of Guru Arjan Sahib.

Picture 4: Gurdwara Bhai Banno, Mangat. Photographed in 1933 by Bhai Dhanna Singh Chahil.

Picture 5, 6 & 7: Gurdwara Bhai Banno, Mangat, as it is today. In pic.5 On the left is the unclothed iron Nishan Sahib. You can see the Gurdwara is an echo of Darbar Sahib, Amritsar. A central parkash asthan surrounded by an arched parkarma and upper storey gallery

with a domed pavilion on the roof. The walls inside and out are profusely decorated with floral and figurative frescoes (Pictures from Amardeep Singh.Lost Heritage 2016)

Picture 8: The Beautiful Darbar Hall

Picture 9: Shabad inscribed above the central arch seen in picture 8. 'Parmesar Ditta Banna' and 'Dhur Ki Bani' (from Sorath M5 Ang 627) allude to the special significance of the Gurdwara housing 'Bhai Banno Vali Birh'

Picture 10: Illuminated illustration by Miha Singh of Kashmir from a saroop of Aad Granth Sahib prepared for Sodhi Bhan Singh Haranpur. c.1840 (National Museum. N.Delhi).

We can see Bhai Banno and Bhai Gurdas standing by their respective 'birhs' and Guru Arjan Dev Ji is pointing to the birh scribed by Bhai Gurdas as the accepted birh.

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