Mata Khivi is traditionally credited with developing the institution of langar.
Mata Khivi was the wife of Guru Angad, the second Sikh Guru. Historical Sikh tradition remembers her as an important organizer of the community kitchen at Khadur Sahib. She helped make langar welcoming, orderly, and available to people regardless of social status.
Langar is the free communal meal served at gurdwaras. Its practice expresses equality, hospitality, and service. People generally sit together to eat, an arrangement that challenges caste-based separation and emphasizes shared human dignity.
Mata Khivi should not be confused with later prominent Sikh women such as Mata Sahib Kaur, associated with the Khalsa, or Mata Gujri, the mother of Guru Gobind Singh. The Guru Granth Sahib specifically praises Mata Khivi’s service and generosity, making her one of the earliest women prominently remembered in Sikh scripture and tradition.