Surrey (Canada), July 3 - Canadian Ramgarhia Society celebrated the birth anniversary of great patriot and poet Munsha Singh Dukhi at Gurdwara Sahib Brookside. On this occasion, famous scholar Jaiteg Singh Anant and eminent historian Dr. Gurdev Singh Sidhu spoke in detail about the sacrifices made by Munsha Singh Dukhi for the country, nation and Sikh Panth and his patriotic life.
The program started with the welcome words of Gurdwara Sahib Secretary Charanjit Singh Marwaha. After this, Public Relations Secretary Surinder Singh Jabal gave brief information about Munsha Singh Dukhi, Jaiteg Singh Anant and Dr. Gurdev Singh Sidhu. Speaking on this occasion, Jaiteg Singh Anant said that nations live only when they remember their heritage and legacy. He said that Munsha Singh was a revolutionary poet with a multifaceted personality. He was born on 1 July 1890 in village Jandiala Manjki District Jalandhar in British Punjab to Subedar Nihal Singh and Mata Mehtab Kaur.
He was an accomplished combative poet, journalist, editor and possessor of other incalculable qualities. Poetry was his life and he was completely devoted to poetry. More than a dozen of his poetry collections have been published. He also wrote the biography of Bhai Mohan Singh Vaid. He was a man of sharp intellect. Despite having studied up to primary level, he was fluent in Punjabi, Hindi, Bengali, Chinese, English and Japanese languages. He went abroad and awakened the spirit of patriotism among Indians. Dr. Gurdev Singh Sidhu said that Munsha Singh was a brave freedom fighter, a complete Gursikh, who sacrificed his entire life for the welfare of Punjab and the independence of the country.
It is also important to remember him because his footprints are on the land of Vancouver, Surrey on which we are sitting. He spent the important years of his growing youth on this land. For this reason it will be important for us to remember him. He said that he arrived on this land at the age of 17-18 years. He edited many magazines. He made a huge sacrifice for the country, for the Sikh Panth. He said that the Canadian Ramgarhia Society deserves thanks for starting a movement to remember its ancestors. He said that many of Munsha Singh's works have been forgotten. If possible, the works should be found and republished so that his message remains in our minds, we get inspired and we can contribute to our country in the current situation. Surinder Singh Jabal said that no matter how much pride we have on patriots like Munsha Singh, it is less. His life story is a very proud and heritage for the residents of Indian origin living in Canada and America.
Apart from being a poet, he was also a writer of prose biographies, he also published many masked booklets. About 36 of his books have been published in India and about 25 are unpublished. In the end, Mr. Jabal thanked Dr. Gurdev Singh Sidhu and Jaiteg Singh Anant and the entire congregation. On this occasion, President Balbir Singh Chana, Secretary Charanjit Singh Marwaha, Surinder Singh Jabal and Jaiteg Singh Anant presented the book 'Ramgarhia Heritage' to Dr. Gurdev Singh Sidhu as a mark of respect on behalf of the Gurdwara Managing Committee.