12. Mata Nihal Kaur

Mata Natti (1664) also called Mata Nihal Kaur whose name before her wedding was Ananti Ji, is also referred to in chronicles as Nihalo and Mata Bassi, was the wife of Baba Gurditta (1613-38), the eldest son of Guru Hargobind (1595-1644). She was the daughter of Bhai Rama and Sukhdevi, a Khatri Sikh couple of Batala, in present-day Gurdaspur district of the Punjab. Mata Ji was the Daughter-in-law of the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind and also the mother of the seventh Sikh Guru, Guru Har Rai Ji. Mata ji responsible for the upbringing of the Seventh Guru and infused the spiritual values of the House of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. She taught the young Guru-to-be the value of compassion, love, kindness, bravery, humility, etc as was the case with all the mothers of the Gurus. Her marriage to Baba Gurditta took place on 17 April 1624. Two sons, Dhir Mall and (Guru) Har Rai, were born to her on 11 January 1627 and 18 January 1630 respectively. After the death of Guru Hargobind and the departure of Mata Nanaki for Bakala in 1644, Mata Natti was the head of the Guru's household during the times of Guru Har Rai and Guru Har Krishan. She died at Kiratpur on 29 September 1664.