Balvand Rai | |
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![]() Detail of a rababi (possibly Bhai Balvand Rai) from a painting of Guru Arjan (the fifth Sikh Guru) listening to music, from a series of paintings of the first nine Sikh gurus, circa 1800–1840 | |
Personal | |
Born | Balvand Doom |
Died | Lahore, Punjab |
Religion | Sikhism |
Known for |
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Relatives | Satta Doom (brother) |
Part of a series on |
Sikhism |
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Balvand Rai (fl. late 16th to early 17th century) also spelt as Balwand and Rai Balvand,[1] was a poet mystic and rabab player in the court of Guru Arjan.[2][3]
BALVAND AND SATTA. Rai Balvand and Satta the Dum were two rabab players who, according to tradition, sang kirtan for Guru Angad. After some years they became increasingly insubordinate and left the Guru's service. When they lost popularity, they were humbled. To signal their contrition they wrote the first five stanzas of Tikke di Var, composing the remaining three stanzas in the time of Guru Arjan.