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26/ Bhai Vir Singh
especially his successive principals Norman and Mc. Kenzie,
and exposure to the liberal values of Western thought must
have been factors in shaping his own responses and ideas.
Apparently, he reacted with some vehemence to instances of
conversion of schoolboys such as Rullia Ram's about which
hemusthaveheardatschoolandMakhanSinghSodhi'swhich
took place in Rev Norman's own time. As is evident from his
writings, nothing excited his sense of persiflage more than
the sight of an anglicized or Christianized Indian.
Itwas a conscious decision onthe part of Bhai Vir Singh to
dedicate himself to serving the Singh Sabha. This became his
full-time occupation and the sole, monistic principle of his
literarycreation.His contributiontowardsmouldingthecultural
resource and ideological foundations of the movement was
immensely significant. He understood correctly the interrelationship
between culture and language and realized that
the people's tongue alone could be the vehicle of the kind of
regenerationtheywereworkingfor andthatthis was the only
means to making such a process meaningful andwidespread.
For this reason, his primary endeavour was to invigorate and
enrich the Punjabi language.
BhaiVirSinghalsoperceivedthathistoricalconsciousness
was a precedent condition to cultural development. The
resurrection of the past in handsome, glorified terms was a
favoured themewith. him. BhaiVirSinghprovidedinthismanner
the key impulses of the movement. In this sense, he stands in
a subtle relationship to that whole period in the history of the
Punjab. He is the product of the new awareness thatwas then
arising, but his was the genius that gave it the substance and
direction. His literaryproduction is essentialto understanding
that situation. It defines that period, its characteristic mood
and content.
Thestoryistold ofthevisitto AmritsarofBahaSumerSingh,
much revered for his piety and learning. He came to meet his
oldfriend Dr CharanSingh, BhaiVir Singh'sfather. BabaSumer
Singhcomplimentedhis friend onhisson'sprogress in letters,
but made no secret of his disappointment, at the same time,
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