Bhagat Puran Singh Jee

109 years ago today, a humble, shabbily dressed man, who spent his entire life serving the outcasts of society, was born. A man who had very little, and left a behind a legacy. A man whose loving dedication to his service earned him the name ‘Bhagat’, meaning ‘devotee’. A man who is so incredibly inspirational, it’s beyond words.

In his early years, he would clear the streets of Lahore. Whenever he came across a dead body, human or animal, he would immediately prepare a grave or pyre by his own hand, and give the unclaimed dead a burial or cremation as a sign of respect. He came to the aid of the abandoned. He took care of the destitute and took the sick to hospitals.

He wrote, "From my childhood, my mother had asked me to do personal service to all the creations of God. This tender and distinct feelings of virtuous tasks was ingrained in my mind. My mother had taught me to provide water to the animals, plant trees and water newly planted saplings, offer feed to the sparrows, crows and mynahs, pick up thorns from the paths, and remove the stones from cart tracks. This had embedded the Name of the Almighty in my heart.”

He never finished his basic schooling, but would spend hours browsing books in the Dyal Singh Library in Lahore and try to gain as much knowledge as he could.

He was an early environmentalist, an advocate of what we now call the ‘Green Revolution’. He was spreading awareness about environmental pollution and increasing soil erosion long before such ideas became popular. He produced pamphlets of his writings, printed them on re-used paper, and distributed them freely.

After the partition of India in 1947, Bhagat Puran Singh reached a refugee camp in Amritsar which housed over 25,000 refugees with just 5 annas (0.3 rupees) in his pocket. The government didn't make any arrangements to take care of the critically wounded refugees. Bhagat Puran Singh took the initiative - he took some chloroform and Turpentine oil and started treating the wounds of the wounded. He would often go in the nearby colonies to get food for the hungry and medicine for the ill.

Against the ugly backdrop of violence and poverty of the partition of India, he founded Pingalwara in 1947. This was a home for abandoned, terminally sick, mentally ill, and disabled people. It began with only a few rejected and neglected patients from the streets of Amritsar. Now, almost 21 years after his death, Pingalwara is still tending to the castaways of society, caring for over 1000 patients.

He was honoured for his dedication in 1979 by the Indian Government with the Padma Shri award, given for exceptional and distinguished service in any field. However, after the Indian army's attack on the Golden Temple in 1984, because of his love for humanity, he chose to return this award.

This pure, beautiful, selfless soul was Bhagat Puran Singh Jee, 1904 – 1992. He was born into a Hindu family, and chose to become a Sikh after being affected by the culture of service he witnessed in a Gurdwara. A culture of service that we have come to shamelessy neglect. May we be inspired by him.

Dhan Dhan Bhagat Puran Singh Jee. ♥

 

"Bhagat Puran Singh was no ordinary mortal but undoubtedly the most loved and revered man in the world. I once described 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. Bhagat Ji had nothing except his single-minded dedication to serve the poor and the needy. And yet he was able to help thousands of lepers, mentally and physically handicapped and the dying. His name will be written in letters of gold in the history of the world".

Pingalwara. Please support this beautiful charity.

http://www.pingalwara.net/home.html

 

Bhagat Puran Singh Jee's letter renouncing the Padam Shree award from the Indian Govt.

Bhagat Puran Singh Jee's rejection letter to the Indian Government renouncing the honour of Padam Shree (the fourth highest civilian award in India, awarded by the government) after Operation Bluestar:

 To,
The President of India,
Rashtrpati Bhavan,
Delhi.

Subject: Return of the award of Padam Shree against the in-human army action at Sri Darbar Sahib Sri Amritsar.

Shriman ji,

Sending the armed forces into Sri Darbar Sahib for military action has already produced countless painful results. As a result of this army action the Sikh world has been deeply hurt. You have seen how painful has been the effect of this army action on the Darshani Deodhi and the building of Sri Akal Takhat. Army has perpetrated acts, which you could not have known. Up to September 9, 1984, I have been investigating what I have heard from the people. I have exercised much restraint and have not rushed to conclusions. I will relate some of the happenings (that I have investigated).

1. Army-men arrested a scripture reader of Sri Darbar Sahib along with his family. The entire family was not given either food or water for the whole day. Rifle butts were administered on the scripture reader’s hands the whole day. Another scripture reader of the shrine was given the same treatment until his hands were swollen.

2. The sangat in Darbar Sahib complex consisting of women, men and children has been fired upon (and killed) as the mosquitoes are wiped out with poisonous spray.

3. The pilgrims who had been arrested in Sri Darbar Sahib and Teja Singh Samundari Hall around 12 noon on Tuesday were given water by the Sikh army-men after thirty hours on Wednesday. The children’s eyes were popping out with thirst and their mothers tried to moist their lips with sweat. When some women asked for water for the children the army-men told them that the children would grow up and kill the army-men so why should they be given water? On Tuesday the small quantity of water that was given to the children had cigarettes thrown into it. They were told that this is the prasad of their Guru. Army-men smoked cigarettes in Teja Singh Samundari Hall and kept on blowing the smoke at the Sikhs. The treatment meted out to the Sikhs in the name of army action has deeply hurt the feelings of the Sikh world. Hands of the young pilgrims, arrested from Darbar Sahib, were tied with their turbans, their hair were untied and used to cover their eyes with. They were forced to kneel down on the hot marble floor and to walk around on their knees. Hands of the boys were tied behind them and they were shot through their foreheads.

On the first of June 1984 the CRPF had commenced firing on Sri Darbar Sahib Amritsar. On the first of June before the arrival of the army, the CRPF had killed a scripture reader in attendance upon Guru Granth Sahib and the volume itself was shot at. After it was all over, the Sikh Reference Library and the Sikh Museum were set on fire out of enmity and in pursuance of predetermined action. On June 3, 1984, two Sikhs wearing yellow turbans and kirpans got off at Batala bus stand. They were asked by the army-men to take off their turbans. On their refusal to do so they were both shot dead. Another Nihang was shot at and killed near Gumtala jail because he had refused to surrender his kirpan. One Sikh in proper Sikh dress was standing on the roof of his house in an area of Amritsar called Kittas. Army-men killed him because he was wearing a yellow turban.

On the third of July a black turbaned and kirpan-wearing young Sikh of about 25 years of age was walking past the Kitchlew traffic island. The army arrived, handcuffed and arrested him although nothing incriminating was found on his person. When army-men went to arrest the President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee Sardar Gurcharan Singh Tohra from Teja Singh Samundari Hall, one of them was smoking a cigarette. When Sardar Tohra asked him not to smoke (in the holy precincts), his reply was, “shut up old-man or I will shoot you dead. Tohra said ‘I am the President of this place’ upon which the army-men became quiet.

Temple servants of Sri Darbar Sahib Mukatsar, were made to lie face downwards in the circumambulatory path around the sacred tank and beaten mercilessly. As a result of this one of them died. All those boys who had taken amrit were pulled out of their homes in the villages and were beaten severely.

I am compelled to observe that the army has displayed bankruptcy of character and has acted with hearts full of enmity and in a manner indicating that it wanted to wipe out the Sikhs. Young-men from villages have been troubled much after the army action. Apart from the truth depicted above, I have received information about such shameful incidents, to mention which is to violate the cultural norms.

After hearing of and seeing such happenings, I reject and return to you the award of Padam Shree conferred upon me.

Puran Singh Bhagat

 This is the HONOUR, LOVE and LOYALTY Bhagat Jee had for JUSTICE and for the PANTH!