Bhai Mardana [1459 – 1534] was the first follower and life-long companion of Guru Nanak Dev, the first Sikh Guru, and played the Rabab, a stringed instrument. He was with Guru Nanak in all of his journeys across India and Asia. Mardana was a Muslim, born to a Mirasi couple, Badra and Lakkho, of Rai Bhoi di Talwandi, now Nankana Sahib of Pakistan.

Mardana was named by his parents as Marjana meaning, is going to die, as all his previous siblings had died and he was sure to die also. But Guru Nanak as a young boy, went to his parents and told them that so long as he stayed with him, he would not die, and so renamed him as Mardana, meaning will never die. One hymn of Mardana is included in the Guru Granth Sahib on Page 553.