|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Living Saint: Bhagat Puran Singh
The Indian civilization, like other societies, has in it the ability to reduce into invisibility anyone it does not want to deal with. This is especially true about those who lack, for whatever reason, the family support to tackle their infirmities, whether those of old age or disabilities physical or mental. Bhagatji, as he was popularly known, went about in simple, much-used robes. He was rich beyond belief. His wealth was the compassion that he extended to all who needed it. He was also an insatiable reader, and the first time this reviewer met Bhagatji, he handed him over a bunch of pamphlets to read. There were some single-sheet injunctions about living a good compassionate life, as well as a booklet on ecology. This was in the early 1980s, when global warming was not yet fashionable and conservation efforts were not widely recognised. The printing was rather bad, the paper flimsy at best, but the message was strong. Much of the material was obviously excerpted, but it was new to those who read it, and if he liked something, Bhagat Puran Singh would love to share it. Even then he was a legend, and meeting him was really uplifting. Finding an appropriate narrative form for a fictionalised biography is always a tricky business, but Harish Dhillon has managed it with élan, even though one wishes that the book was better produced and had photographs, especially since there are a large number of pictures of Bhagatji, who liked being clicked. The author has sensitively brought out the details of his subject's early life, the bond that he shared with his mother, and the reasons for his decision to remain celibate. Bhagatji emerges as a well-read man with great communication skills, who influences hundreds of thousands of minds through the dissemination of the pamphlets, often printed on recycled paper. He told the sewadars of the Golden Temple to conserve water while washing the premises, he avoided all mechanised transportation because of pollution and he had a vision that he translated into a magnificent reality. Meeting Bhagatji was an experience that always left an indelible impact. As Khushwant Singh says: "Bhagat Puran Singh was no ordinary mortal, but undoubtedly the most loved and revered man in northern India. I had once descried him as the bearded Mother Teresa of Punjab. Mother Teresa had the backing of the powerful Roman Catholic Church, the English press and innumerable foundations to give her money. Bhagatji had nothing except a single-minded dedication to serve the poor and needy, and yet he was able to help thousands of lepers, mentally and physically challenged and dying. His name will be written in letters of gold in the pages of the history of the Punjab." Dhillon goes on to explain how the institution of Pingalwara had retained its non-denominational humanistic identity. How Bhagatji managed to get support of the Sikhs and even the SGPC, then headed by Master Tara Singh, even as he declined its direct financial aid, is interesting in that is shows the clarity of his thoughts and a shrewd assessment of the situation. Bhagatji has been written about earlier; there are even two book in English on him, but Harish Dhillon's felicity brings to the fore a story that needed to be told well. It should help in making the younger generations aware of the life and work of Bhagat Puran Singh, who showed this society how even those who had been reduced to non-persons had to be treated with dignity. |
B