Bhai Vir Singh.pdf - Vidhia.com

92 / Bhai Vir Singh
Bhai Vir Singh is one of the greatest poet-saints of the
Punjab. Ramdas is not so much concerned in this article
about his poetic talent which is indeed of a very high
order, as his personality as a saint. Ramdas had the
privilege ofhavinghis darshan onfour different occasions.
On all these occasions Ramdas found him so filled with
purity and peace that his contact proved to be most
inspiring and illuminating. For Ramdas he was an ideal
friend, host and well-wisher during his wanderings in
Kashmir and the Punjab. The last time Ramdas met him
was in Bombay in 1952, after several years. This thrilling
contact is still fresh inRamdas's memory. We sat together
on a sofa, clasping each other's hands and exchanging
looks andwords that gave rise to rare waves of ecstasyin
the hearts of both. The feeling evoked by the parting
embrace, when Ramdas took leave of him, does not lend
itself to any description. 1
Dhani Ram Chatrik (1876-1954), who became famous as
a poet, was a small boy when he met Bhai Vir Singh at his
press. He was not familiar with any of the trades in printing.
BhaiVir Singhtrained him inGurmukhi calligraphy andstarted
giving him Punjabi books to transcribe. Gradually he worked
his way through and, when the Khalsa Samachar was
launched, he started contributing to it a weekly column of
verse. Bhai Vir Singh encouraged his literary interests. In time
to come, Dhani Ram Chatrik made a name for himself both as
poetandprinter. Theirregard for eachothergrewastime went
by. When in 1950 a felicitation volume was presented to him
to honourhis 74thbirthday, Bhai Vir Singh composed a couplet
which adorned the first page of the volume. He played upon
the words "Dhani" (meaning wealthy) and "Ram" occurring
in his name:
1. Harbans Singh, ed. Bhai Vir Singh Abhinandan Granth, p. 35. Swami
Ramdas never used the ''1'' and always spoke of himself in the third
person.
Page 100 of 108