Baba Sri Chand Ji (1494-1643) was the eldest son of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and the founder of the Udasi ascetic order. He was born on 9 September 1494 at Sultanpur Lodhi, in present-day Kapurthala district of Punjab. His mother was Mata Sulakhani Ji. Revered for his lifelong devotion to spiritual practice, Baba Ji is remembered as a yogi, saint, and teacher whose influence spread across the Indian subcontinent.

Early Life and Family

Following the custom of the time, Baba Sri Chand Ji was born at his maternal grandparents' home. After Guru Nanak Dev Ji departed on his spiritual udasis (travels), Mata Sulakhani Ji brought young Sri Chand and his younger brother Lakhmi Das to Pakkhoke Randhave, on the left bank of the River Ravi.

From a very young age, Baba Ji showed deep spiritual inclinations. He mastered yogic practices early in life and remained devoted to his father and his spiritual path throughout his extraordinarily long life.

Founding of the Udasi Order

Rather than taking up a householder's life, Baba Sri Chand Ji chose the path of renunciation and founded the Udasi order - the word meaning "detached" or "indifferent" to worldly attachments. The Udasis became an itinerant, ascetic community devoted to meditation, scripture, and the dissemination of Guru Nanak Dev Ji's teachings.

Baba Ji's principal centre was established at Barath, about 8 kilometres southwest of Pathankot in Gurdaspur district. From here and many other Tap Asthans established during his travels - including Gurudwara Gadauri Sahib - the Udasi tradition spread far and wide.

Relationship with the Sikh Gurus

The successive Sikh Gurus held Baba Sri Chand Ji in the highest esteem. Throughout his long life - exceeding a century - Baba Ji remained in contact with the Gurus who followed his father. Historical accounts record a meeting with Guru Ram Das Ji, in which the Guru offered gestures of deep reverence.

When Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji's son, Baba Gurditta Ji, sought spiritual guidance, the Guru sent him to study under Baba Sri Chand Ji. Baba Gurditta Ji later became Baba Ji's chosen successor and the patriarch of the Udasi order.

Key Historical Events

Preservation of Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Ashes

After Guru Nanak Dev Ji's physical departure on 7 September 1539 at Kartarpur, a monument was raised over his resting place. When river floods later destroyed this structure, it was Baba Sri Chand Ji who recovered the urn containing the sacred ashes and reburied them near the well of Ajitta Randhava. Baba Ji constructed a mud structure to mark the site, which later grew into the revered dehri and, eventually, the town now known as Dera Baba Nanak.

Founding of Kiratpur

In 1626, at the behest of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, Baba Gurditta Ji founded the town of Kiratpur in the lower Sivalik hills. Baba Sri Chand Ji participated in the ceremonial ground-breaking for this historic settlement.

Travels and Teaching Legacy

Throughout his life, Baba Ji travelled extensively across India with his disciples, establishing Udasi centres at countless locations. The Udasis became instrumental in spreading Guru Nanak Dev Ji's philosophy to distant regions. His followers compiled and distributed Gutkas (prayer books), preached widely, and taught Sikh scripture to people of every background.

Contemporary accounts speak of Baba Ji's exceptional spiritual stature. When the Mughal Emperor Jehangir once asked his spiritual advisor Mian Mir about the greatest spiritual figures of the age, Mian Mir is said to have replied that Baba Sri Chand Ji held the highest rank among all darveshes (renunciates).

Physical Departure and Legacy

Baba Sri Chand Ji left his physical form on 13 January 1629 at Kiratpur. Udasi tradition, however, holds a beautiful alternative account - "he never died, but vanished into the forest of Chamba."

After his passing, Baba Gurditta Ji assumed leadership of the Udasi order. For more than a century after Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Udasis protected and maintained many of the most important Sikh historical shrines, including Anandpur Sahib, Hazoor Sahib, and Harmandir Sahib (Amritsar), preserving Sikh heritage through extraordinarily turbulent times.

Teachings

The teachings attributed to Baba Sri Chand Ji emphasise:

• Devotion to the One God (Ik Onkar)
• Detachment from worldly cravings
• Meditation and inner remembrance (simran)
• Service to all beings and humility
• The yogic path as a means to union with the Divine

Enduring Presence

Today, Baba Sri Chand Ji's legacy continues through the Udasi tradition and through the sacred Tap Asthans he blessed - places like Gurudwara Gadauri Sahib, where devotees still experience his divine presence. His life stands as a timeless testament to the ideals of renunciation, devotion, and the ceaseless remembrance of the Divine.