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| Source Credit - pingalwara.org |
His entire life revolved around altruism. This selfless man roamed the streets of Amritsar for over a decade collecting donations for the poor.
His Background
Bhagat puran singh was born in Rajewal Ludhiana, Punjab. He was, originally, named Ramji Das as he was born into a Hindu family. Later on, he converted to sewapanthi Sikhi and hence took the name Bhagat Puran Singh. This sect of Sikhi taught one to act selflessly for their fellow men and hence, their name.
In the early 1940’s he began visiting Guruduwara Dehra Sahib and offering water to visitors. It was during this time that he took into his care a four year old child with leprosy, who was forsaken in front of the Guruduwara.
The book, Garland around my neck, recounts how Puran Singh physically carried the child, later named Piara Singh, on his back for over a decade.
He spent a great amount of time doing humanitarian work inside and outside Guruduwara Dehra sahib in Amritsar. Throughout the years Puran Singh carried Piara Singh on his back, he remained a constant source of inspiration to Puran Singh.
His Educational Qualifications
After the early death of his father, his mother moved to lahore to work as a domestic help in the house of a doctor in part to pay for her son’s education. She encouraged him to pursue a matric level of education which would have allowed him to obtain a government job.
Despite his mother’s efforts, Bhagat Singh ended up failing tenth grade and hence, was called back to lahore to attend a local school. But Bhagat Singh remained interested in school and spent much time reading in Dyal Singh Library.
Despite his lack of interest in schooling, Bhagat Puran Singh was a profound writer. He was well-versed in English and Punjabi. Some of his most distinguished works in the field of literature are Education of Man, Righteousness alone exalts a nation, Plant or Perish, The Way and The Increasing Population.
His Greatest Contribution
Pingalwara
After the partition in 1947, while the entire north-west was lying in ruins, Bhagat Puran Singh, along with Des Raj Bindra,founded the Pingalwara Sangathan. Though this organisation was officially recognised in 1958. This organisation helped more than 25000 refugees, along with 1200 differently abled people.
The beginning of Pingalwara was not easy on the founder. He was not only homeless but also had no provisions for food, clothing and medicine. He had to keep his inmates in shanties built on road berms.
Today this organisation is run by Dr. Inderjit Kaur as its Patron-President. In today's time the Pingalwara Sangathan has seven branches consisting of more than 1700 inmates. In addition to this the Pingalwara also runs 5 schools, along with several medical care facilities.
All these services are provided free of cost to all those who knock on the doors of the Pingalwara. This organisation depends solely on donations and volunteers to sustain its activities.
A Great Environmentalist
Other than his well-known contributions in establishing the charitable organisation, Pingalwara, for the poor and differently abled, he was also an environmentalist.
He carried out several campaigns, organised talks and lectures on environmental issues and promoted planting trees along with encouraging sustainable practices. He published several books like Plant or perish, The Increasing Population to raise awareness about ecological challenges.
The topic of environment was very dear to Bhagat Puran Singh and hence, he advocated for its better future throughout his life. He distributed free pamphlets, discussing environmental issues, throughout the Pingalwara Society. He organised tree planting drives to promote the welfare of the environment.
His Media Depictions
In 2015, Bhagat Puran Singh’s life and contributions were depicted in the movie Eh Janam Tumhare Lekhe (This life is dedicated to you(God)). This movie was directed by Harjit Singh and produced by the All India Pingalwara Charitable Society, starring Pavan Malhotra.
His Honours and Awards
In 1981, Bhagat ji was honoured with Padma Shri award by the Government of India for his exceptional and distinguished humanitarian work. In 1984, he returned his award to the Government of India after the Indian army’s attack on the Golden Temple. He was one of many who decided to do so.
It is also believed that he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for his Humanitarian work.
Final Thoughts
Indisputably, Bhagat ji is one of the most admirable reformists of our society. He gave home to tens of thousands of poor and differently abled people while he himself slept the streets of Amritsar.
Bhagat Puran Singh came to be known as the saint and saviour of tens of thousands of needy people. His indestructible determination to establish the Pingalwara gave food, medicine, education and most importantly a home to many.
Though Bhagat ji passed away on the 5th of August in 1992, his legacy, The Pingalwara, continues to rescue and aid the poor and differently abled to this today.
Written by Shugunpal Kaur
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