# Garib Das

Saint Garibdas Ji Maharaj was a spiritual leader and reformer, born 1717 to a family of Dhankhar jats in the village Chudani, District Jhajjar, Haryana, India. A rich farmer, his spiritual journey started when "Almighty God" Kabir came to meet him and initiatiated him at the age of 10 years. After getting spiritual awareness from "Almighty God Kabir", he uttered many Banis that are collected as holy book Garib Das ki Granth. Garibdas Panth is also a Kabirpanth. Saint Garib Das Ji told through his Banis that Kabir Sahib is the supreme God in Satlok. Garibdas died in 1778 A.D., and over his remains, a memorial was established.

## Family and early life

Sant Garibdas Ji was born in 1717 A.D. in the village Chhudani, district Jhajjar, Haryana in a Dhankhar family of Jats. His father's name was Shri Balram Ji and his mother's name was Shrimati Rani Devi Ji. Village Chhudani is the maternal's village of Garib Das Ji Maharaj. His father belonged to the Dhankhar gotra of Karontha village, district Rohtak, Haryana. His father Shri Balaram Ji was married to Rani Devi, daughter of Shivlal Singh in village Chhudani. Shri Shivlal Ji had no son. Therefore, Shri Balaram Ji was kept in the house. After 12 years of marriage Sant Garib Das Ji Maharaj Ji was born in the village Chhudani. Shri Shivlal Ji had 2500 Bighas (big Bigha which is 2.75 times bigger than today's Bigha and counts for 1400 acres of land).
Shri Balaram was the heir of all that land and after him, his only son Sant Garib Das Ji inherited all that land. Garib Das Ji used to go to cow grazing with other cowherds since childhood.

## Spiritual Journey

Saint Garib Das's spiritual journey started when Kabir supposedly met him at the age of 10 years.
According to his account, after taking initiation from 'Lord Kabir', he went to Satlok with him. On the way, Kabir also showed him heaven. When they reached Satlok, he saw Kabir sitting on the throne. Garib das was shocked because Kabir was also standing alongside him. After a while, the two forms merged, and only Kabir remained, sitting on the throne. Then, Kabir sent him back to earth. After coming back to earth, he started 'revealing' these stories to the village folk
The knowledge supposedly received from 'God' was compiled in seven months in Garib das's garden of berries by sitting under a Khejri (Jand) tree, and thus 'Garib Das ki granth' (Amarbodh, Amargranth) was composed. His followers claim that Garib Das ascended to 'Satlok' in 1778 at the age of 61. A memorial, Chhatri Saheb, was erected at the village Chhudani. There is also a memorial Chhatri Sahib built in his name. He appeared again in the same body and lived for 35 years at Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. There is also a memorial to his name in Saharanpur.al.

## Kabirpanth

The sect ongoing from Saint Garib Das Ji Garibdas Panth is also a Kabirpanth. And, in the Holy Kabir Sagar chapter Kabir Bani (Bodh Sagar) and chapter Kabir Charitr Bodh, Garibdas Panth is written as the twelfth sect (Panth) of Kabirpanth and that the twelfth Panth would be "the Dawn". It is also written in the Holy Kabir Sagar that the thirteenth Panth will emerge from the twelfth Panth only when Kabir Sahib himself would come in the twelfth Panth.

## Work

The Banis uttered by him are revered by his followers as Sat Granth Sahib or Amar Granth Sahib, a holy book that is the collection of the Banis of Sant Garib Das Ji Maharaj alone. It contains about 24,000 banis.

## Philosophy

Just after Garib Das returned to Earth, he uttered numerous Banis proclaiming Kabir to be the Supreme God in Satlok.
Supposedly like Kabir, Garib Das Ji also has criticised both Hindus' and Muslims' spiritual leaders for ignorantly preaching wrong worship and knowledge in society - although the true teachings of Kabir at a matter of scholarly debate.