Bhai Vir Singh.pdf - Vidhia.com

Father of Modern Punjabi Literature / 91
poetryanditwasbythefavour ofthatkindlyeye. His dulcet
prophetic 'Words touched automatically the source of my
own Punjabi vocabulary. The faults of what is learnt are
all personal. the merits the gifts of the giver. What! am is
butanhumble being, a beggarwalkingfrom doorto door,
but the fire in my eyes is his; so is the shining, burning
jewelwithin my heart. l
In Dehra Dun where Bhai Vir Singh visited frequently
another galaxy of companions and friends came into being.
This consisted of Dr Balbir Singh, Puran Singh and Khudadad.
Through them, a Maharashtrian scholar and scientist
Gopalarao, who was working as a chemist with Puran Singh
at the Forest Research Institute, was introduced to Bhai Vir
Singh. He was bewitched at first sight and followed him to
Amritsar giving up a senior position in the Research Institute
to become a lecturerinthe ChemistryDepartmentattheKhalsa
College. His advantageherewasthecompanyofBhaiVir Singh.
Gopalarao was acting as principal ofthe Khalsa College when
hewastakenillwithtyphoid anddied. BhaiVir Singhwasone
ofthefirst friends ofthefamily to beinformed of thetragedy. He
reached the Khalsa College immediately, tried to comfort the
bewailingwidowandarrangedfor hertospendthe nightwith
hisfamilyinthecity. He hadSukhmaniSahib 2 readcontinuously
through the night bythe side of the dead body.
Gopalarao hadonseveraloccasionstakenwithhimSwami
Ramdas, a well-known sannyasi, to see Bhai Vir Singh.
Together they once visited him in Kashmir. Another time they
both celebrated GuIU Gobind Singh's birthday in his home in
Amritsar. SwamiRamdas hadprolonged discussions withhim
and was deeply impressed by his poetic and spiritual
eminence. He paid his tribute to Bhai Vir Singh on his 80th
birthday in these words:
1. Puran Singh, Khule Lekh (punjabi), 2nd edition, 1952,. Introduction,
p.iii.
2. See Niranjan Singh, Jiwan Vikas (Punjabi), Navyug Publishers, Delhi,
1970, pp. 147-48.
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