Sadhukari or Sadhukaddi is the name of the language used by various Saints (sants) and holy people in northern India before the birth of the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak. The word 'Sadhu-kari' has two nodes - 'Sadhu' which means 'holy man' (or holy person) and 'Kari' here means 'artistry' or 'mastery'. This language seems to have evolved from various similar "dialects" which, with minor modifications, had been used by the holy Saints all over northern India for many hundreds of years prior to the birth of the founder of Sikhi, Guru Nanak. * See also Sadhukaddi and Brij Bhasha