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CHAPTER-III
SIKH ACTIVISTS
Educational initiatives were an important aspect of reformist activities of the
late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Sikh intellectuals had their own
ideas and objectives for women education. They explained these through the
various means of tracts and newspapers. They advanced the argument that
without educated mothers, the Sikhs would continue to be mired in
superstition, ignorance and immoral practices.1 Education became necessary
for the upliftment of women and their role as nation builders. They realized
that for their glorious heritage both women and men had to be educated.
In the wake of social awakening about women education many Sikh
activists came forward and worked for establishing institutions exclusively
for women. These activists deserve to be discussed separately and
individually because of their distinctive and substantial contribution to the
cause of women education. Their commitment to the cause was absolute.
They were, though, part of the larger Singh Sabha movement, they were far
ahead of the organizations in the utilization of their personal resources.
There are examples in which Bhai Takhat Singh sold of the family
ornaments for the development of the school. They worked entirely to
propagate the necessity of education of women. They propagated the cause
by undertaking personal tours, door-to-door campaigning and through means
of journalism without caring for their comforts and health. The prominent
among them were Baba Khem Singh Bedi, Bhai Takhat Singh and Bhai
Nihal Singh Kairon.
Baba Khem Singh Bedi, the main representative of the Amritsar Singh
Sabha was the first man in the Punjab who started Gurmukhi pathshalas for
girls. He belonged to a revered family of the Punjab. He had earned an
1 Doris R. Jakobsh, Relocating Gender in Sikh History, Oxford University press, New Delhi,
2003,132.
Sikh Activists
81
iniqure reputation among the Sikh masses for his untiring efforts to spread
Gurmukhi and education in north-western frontier areas of Rawalpindi,
Dhanni, Pothuhar, Jehlum and Gujarat.2 He was a staunch supporter of
British efforts to educate women. In 1855, the dispatch of the court of
Directors of the East India Company, which initiated a new era in Indian
education, was received at Lahore. The Punjab Government established the
Department of Public Instruction in 1856 and planned to open 30 single
teacher primary schools in each district. Baba Khem Singh Bedi lent his full
support to the scheme. He also opened schools on his own for boys and
girls.3 British administration in 1880s admitted that ‘women education of
late years made great strides; chiefly owing to the exertion of Bedi Khem
Singh of Kahar (Kallar) who succeeded in setting on a large number of
female schools both in Jehlum and Rawalpindi’.4
He is credited with having established 108 girls schools by 1882.
These were mostly primary schools, with the exception of in some cases,
where we find middle schools. He also gave liberal grants to these schools.
Till his death, he spent 50000 rupees in total for the task.5 In Rawalpindi,
Baba Khem Singh Bedi founded 12 schools for girls partly supported by him
and partly from the district fund. He also under took their management.6 In
the beginning these were opened in the premises of dharmsalas or
Gurdwaras and also in some rented portions. Gurmukhi was taught there.
These schools had their own inspectors. These schools were known as Baba
Khem Singh Bedi Girls’ Schools. There were such type of hundred schools
in Dhanni, Pothuhar and Suyaan. Among them more than fifty schools were
2 Harjot Oberoi, The Construction of Religious Boundaries, Oxford University Press, New Delhi,
1994, 247-248. 3 Harbans Singh (ed.), The Encyclopedia of Sikhism, Vol. 2, Punjabi University, Patiala, 1996, 498,
see also Hoti, Prem Singh, Khalsa Raj de Usariya, vol. 2, Lahore Book Shop, Ludhiana,
November 1982, 103. 4 Gazetteer of Rawalpindi District 1883-84, published under the authority of the Punjab
government, The Civil and Military Gazetteer Press, Lahore, 55-56. 5 Ashok, Shamsher Singh, Punjab Dian Lehran 1850-1910, 246-247.
6 Gazetteer of Rawalpindi District 1883-84, 99; see also, Imperial Gazetteer of India, Provincial
Series, Punjab Vol. I, Superintendent of Government, Calcutta, 1908, 168.
Sikh Activists
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recognized by government. Such kind of a school was at ‘Nara’ village
which later on became Punjabi Middle Girls’ School.7
Later on for the want of encouraging support from the Education
Department of Punjab and lack of appreciation from the conservative
parents, most of these schools were closed. A few were revived and changed
into government schools like Nara School due to the efforts of G.W. Leitner
who became the Director of instructions of Punjab. He was the supporter of
indigenous education. He believed that government intervention and
innovation in the form of inspected and monitored schools were unrealistic
and injurious to the very cause of women education.8 He advised authorities
to support indigenous traditions of learning. Girls schools would work more
efficiently where the management can be made over entirely to men like
Khem Singh Bedi and his relatives, therefore on his appointment as Director
he revived 50 of these indigenous schools.9
British support to Sikh religious elite produced loyalty towards
British government during the uprising of 1857. Baba Khem Singh, for
instance, supported the British administration in various forms like
pioneering vaccination projects among his followers, supported and
sponsored women education. Because of his contribution for the
development of Gurmukhi language and education for girls, he was
popularly known among Punjabis as ‘Punjab da Rattan’. Government also
bestowed a number of titles on him. He served as Honorary Magistrate from
1877 onwards and was Knighted shortly before his death in 1904.10 He was
actively involved not only in the organization, programme and ideology of
the Amritsar Sabha, but also in other public bodies in Punjab. He was one of
the founder members of the Anjuman-i-Punjab and also a charter member of
7 Gyani Ishar Singh Nara, Baba Khem Singh Sahib Bedi, 11/3287 Delhi Gate, Delhi, April 1972,
267-268. 8 Doris R. Jakobsh, Relocating Gender in Sikh History, 130-131.
9 G.W. Leitner, Indigenous Education in the Punjab since Annexation and in 1882, Language
Department Punjab, 1883, 102-104. 10
Khushwant Singh, History of the Sikhs, Vol. 2, Oxford University, New Delhi, 1978, 218.
Sikh Activists
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the senate established in 1869 to run Punjab University College.11 Not only
Baba ji but his wife Mata Bhan Dai was also playing her role. She used to
hold ladies congregations in her home at Kallar where couple of girls came
to learn Gurmukhi and spent their time to read and recite gurbani from Guru
Granth Sahib.12
The one of champions for women education was Bhai Takhat Singh. He was
entitled as Zinda Shaheed (Living Martyr).13 He was born in 1862 at
Ferozepur. His parents Nihang Deva Singh and Chand Kaur were firm
believer of Sikh faith. Deva Singh was serving under a British merchant, Mr.
Court. Bhai Takhat Singh got his primary education from Ferozepur but
could not continue his studies due to the economic condition of his family.
From childhood he recited bani and at the age of fourteen, he became
popular as a pathi (preacher) of Sikh religion. People around him were
impressed by his knowledge of Sikh scriptures and religion and they started
using the term 'gyani' for him. But he couldn’t get formal education from
any institution.14
At that time Lahore was the main education centre in the Punjab.
There was a popular institution ‘Oriental College’ in which Punjabi was
introduced as an independent subject of learning in 1877 by the efforts of
Bhai Gurmukh Singh. Bhai Gurmukh Singh served as an assistant professor
in Oriental College Lahore, later on he became the founder President of
Singh Sabha Lahore in 1879.15 Once he visited Ferozepur. He was intended
by Bhai Takhat Singh’s explanation of gurbani. He encouraged him to come
to Lahore for higher education. In 1887, Bhai Gurmukh Singh admitted him
in a class of vidwan at Oriental College, Lahore and also made him a
member of Singh Sabha of Lahore.16 Here Bhai Takhat Singh came into
11
Harjot Oberoi, The Construction of Religious Boundaries, 249. 12
Ganda Singh (ed.), Bhagat Lakshman Singh, Autobiography, The Sikh Cultural Centre, Calcutta,
1965, 10-11. 13
For biography see appendix II. 14
Dalwinder Singh, Lasani Sikh Missionary Bhai Sahib Bhai Takhat Singh ‘Zinda Shaheed’, Sikh
Missionary College, Ludhiana, 2005, 29. 15
Jagjit Singh, Singh Sabha Laher 1873-1902, Lahore Book Shop, Ludhiana, 1974-72. 16
Dalwinder Singh, Lasani Sikh Missionary Bhai Sahib Bhai Takhat Singh ‘Zinda Shaheed’, 34-35.
Sikh Activists
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contact of Bhai Ditt Singh who was a teacher at Oriental College and also an
important member of Lahore Singh Sabha.17 Bhai Takhat Singh started
residing with him. He also got the scholarship of rupees 12 per month to
pursue his study.
While studying in Oriental College Lahore, he had become convinced
for the need for women education. One day his teacher, Gyani Ditt Singh18
while delivering a lecture, had expounded on the topic of womanhood, used
the word 'abla' for woman and explained the condition of contemporary
women. He encouraged his students to come forward to put their efforts to
make abla into sabla, in other words, education has the power to convert the
weakness of women into their strength. Bhai Takhat Singh had then stood
up and declared that he would dedicate his life to champion the cause of the
helpless.19
He completed his education and started a school for boys in an old
dharmsala of Ferozepur with more than hundred students in 1890. Some
prominent lawyers and members of Singh Sabha Ferozepur Sardar Chanda
Singh, Bishan Singh and Babu Tek Singh came forward and supported him
for the cause. The conservative elements among the Bedis, Bawas and
Sodhis were against the Singh Sabha and its activities. The opposition of
Bawas of Ferozepur motivated Bhai Takhat Singh to propagate the real
principles of Sikhism.20 Despite great opposition of the conservative
elements of the society and some sanatanist members of Singh Sabha
Ferozepur, Bhai Takhat Singh started classes for women under same roof
with the partition of a cloth. On the issue of women education, two groups
17
Teja Singh, “The Singh-Sabha Movement”, The Panjab Past and Present, Punjabi University,
Patiala, 1973, 36. 18
Jakobhs has given the name of Bhai Gurmukh Singh as the inspiring spirit of Bhai Takhat Singh
for the cause of women but on the basis of my personal interview and other secondary sources the
inspiration came from Bhai Ditt Singh. Later on in the memory of whom he opened library in the
school named as Bhai Ditt Singh Library. 19
Personal interview with Bhai Takhat Singh's daughter Bibi Gurbaksh Kaur, see appendix III, see
also Kulbir Singh Kang, Zinda Shaheed Bhai Takhat Singh, publication Bureau, Punjabi
University, Patiala, 1994, 18-19 and Dalwinder Singh, Lasani Sikh Missionary Bhai Sahib Bhai
Takhat Singh 'Zinda Shaheed', 47-48. 20
Dalwinder Singh, Lasani Sikh Missionary Bhai Sahib Bhai Takhat Singh ‘Zinda Shaheed’,
45,46,49.
Sikh Activists
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emerged in Singh Sabha Ferozepur, one in favour of and another against it.
Those who were in favour of women education believed that education of
women would be helpful to keep the religious and ethical values of family
safe and protect. Those who were against it raised many objections. They
objected on teaching of girls by an unmarried male teacher. But still more
serious objection and fear was that educated women would become
irreligious which would further lead to the erosion of Punjabi traditions and
customs. Adoption of western model of education would also cause the
shedding traditional modesty of women and they would become ‘butterflies’
and would be unable to support themself and their families. They would
look for jobs outsides their homes and would loss sharm—te hiaya—and
waste their money.
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� � 0 � � � � � � � � � � � ! � � � � � � � � � � � � �
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� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � & � � � � ( � � � � � � <C�
Educated woman was often described as westernized, sexually aggressive
and rejecting domestic drudgery, all symbolic of either the thwarting of
patriarchal hegemony or outside its sphere of control. But this was not the
vision of Bhai Takhat Singh. For him, education is the only way that would
make women live their iconic roles.
The supporters of woman education in Singh Sabha decided to start a
Kanya Pathshala. Under the supervision of Bhai Takhat Singh they opened a
Sikh Kanya Pathshala on November 5, 1892. A woman teacher at the age of
ten and half years 'Jeuni' was appointed to teach there.22 A mai was also
arranged to take and leave the girls to homes and school. All three staff
members of the school were paid by Singh Sabha Ferozepur. Bhai Takhat
21
Kulbir Singh Kang, Zinda Shaheed Bhai Takhat Singh, 23, see also Joginder Singh, The Sikh
Resurgence, National Book Organization, New Delhi, 1997, 40-41 and Doris R. Jakobsh,
Relocating Gender in the Sikh History, 142. 22
Karam Singh, Smt. Bibi Harnam Kaur, Chief Khalsa Diwan, Amritsar, 1907, 31-32.
Sikh Activists
86
Singh was given 6 rupees, Jeuni 4 rupees and mai 4 rupees per month as
salary.23
The Sikh Kanya Pathshala started with 5 girls on its roll. Within four
months the number of girls increased up to 30. They were taught letters of
Gurmukhi and kasida (needle work). On May 8, 1894 Bhai Takhat Singh
got married with Jeuni turned as Harnam Kaur. Besides educating younger
girls at school, Harnam Kaur also started a satsang for those elderly women
who could not go to school. Besides satsang, they were also taught reading,
writing, art of knitting and stitching there.24 The meeting of the Istri Satsang
was held on every Wednesday. There were some rules of satsang to follow
such as do not tell lie, not to quarrel with others, serve others and to teach
Gurmukhi to women.25
Bhai Takhat Singh and his wife went house to house for the financial
help of people and encouraged them to send their daughters to the school.
The rival group of Singh Sabha many times created hindrance in their way.
Bhai Bishan Singh gave him advice to leave the Singh Sabha for the benefits
of vidyala. Bhai Takhat Singh, therefore, left the Singh Sabha in September
1900 and started to run the Sikh Kanya Pathshala privately with the help of
his spouse. He had to sell his family ornaments to meet the finance of the
pathshala.26
The growing popularity of Kanya Pathshala took its new name the
Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala. He also started a research library of Sikh
literature and history in the memory of his teacher late Bhai Ditt Singh in
1901 named as Bhai Ditt Singh Library.27 He went Batala to collect rare
documents about the history of Sikh rule. He also accompanied Karam Singh
23
Kulbir Singh Kang, Zinda Shaheed Bhai Takhat Singh, 25. 24
Karam Singh, Smt. Bibi Harnam Kaur, 38, see also Anshu Malhotra, Gender, Caste and Religious
Identities, Restructuring class in colonial Punjab, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2002, 157. 25
Kulbir Singh Kang, Zinda Shaheed Bhai Takhat Singh, 57. 26
Gurnek Singh Neki, Singh Sabha Leher de Usariya, Literature House, Amritsar, 1985, 50. 27
Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala Ferozepur school te Boarding house de Salana Report, 1914, Sikh
Kanya Mahavidyala Ferozepur, Empire Press Lahore, March 1915, 31, see also Narinder Singh
Kapoor, Gyani Ditt Singh, Jivan Te Rachna, Publication Bureau, Punjabi University, Patiala, 1987,
20.
Sikh Activists
87
historian to Pothuhar area for the collection of books. The love for history
and literature made him aware about the day to day events. He collected
many newspapers and periodicals of Punjabi and Urdu vernaculars and kept
them in the Ditt Singh Library.28 He had interest to collect historical books.
Once a person told him about a valuable historical book. He put a condition
before Bhai Takhat Singh that he would give that book to Bhai Sahib only if
he would personally come to his place to take the book. Bhai Sahib went
eleven times to his place to take that book but that person deliberately went
away from the home. At the twelfth time, Bhai Sahib got the book.29 The
library was rich with 5000 rare books, manuscripts and documents.
Preserving history and literature for next generations was his greatest
contribution.
To adjust the students from far or away the Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala
acquired a boarding house in 1904. Boarding house was called ashram, a
respectable term. Harnam Kaur was the first who suggested the idea of a
boarding house. Bhai Takhat Singh was aware of Sikh attitudes towards
woman education and rejected the idea. He convinced her that the Sikh
community would not contribute the necessary finances for this new
venture. Later on five persons convinced him on the issue whom he
considered as 'Five Beloveds'. They were Bhai Vir Singh of Amritsar, Bhai
Teja Singh of Mengan, Bhai Sohan Singh of Gujarkhan, Sardar Suchet Singh
of Agra and Sardar Thakur Singh of Munawan.30 Being convinced Bhai
Takhat Singh became an active crusader for the necessity of accommodating
and educating girls from far and wide. It was Harnam Kaur, who took the
initial steps for the boarding house. She rented a spacious building near the
school as the first abode for girl students. On the day of Baisakhi, 1904,
handbills were distributed by Bhai Takhat Singh among a gathering in
Amritsar, informing people about the opening of boarding house and
28
Kulbir Singh Kang, Zinda Shaheed Bhai Takhat Singh, 9-10. 29
Ibid., 75. 30
Karam Singh, Smt. Bibi Harnam Kaur, 58-60, see also Dalwinder Singh, Lasani Sikh Missionary
Bhai Sahib Bhai Takhat Singh 'Zinda Shaheed', 63.
Sikh Activists
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appealing them to donate funds for the cause.31 The couple made the people
aware about their objective of opening the boarding house. Bibi Harnam
Kaur has written a long letter in Khalsa Samachar about the family mode of
boarding. Many articles started to publish in Khalsa Samachar appealing for
funds. Also an appeal was made to the parents to send their daughters for
studying in school.32 The objective of the ashram was to produce capable
mothers, virtuous women, beloved sisters and obedient daughters.
Starting with five girls in the boarding house, Bhai Sahib became
manager and Harnam Kaur served as teacher there.33 The controversies that
accompanied this venture were substantial and indicative of the anti-women
education attitude of people. To calm the fears of parents another hand bill
was distributed in 1905, which explained in detail the objectives of the
boarding house.34 People started sending their daughters to the ashram.35
Some married women also joined. In the words of Bhai Takhat Singh, ‘it
was difficult to satisfy married women. Girls below 20 were more pliable
than older ones. Women above twenty shirked work and were difficult to
handle. At times, they ignored the school’s discipline’.36
Both cared the girls of vidyala like parents. Bhai Sahib used to collect
fresh water in a big drum in the early morning and he used to make it hot
with the help of woods so that the girls could get hot water for bathing in
winter. He always inspired them to do their own work. Bibi Harnam Kaur
equally helped them. She was kind and sympathetic to the girls. In winters
she cleaned up feet of the girls with warm water. It is said that when an
orphan girl was entrusted by some village folk to Bibi Harnam Kaur’s care,
she had at that time a child of her own on the breast. On the arrival of that
starved waif, the charitable motherly Harnam Kaur brought her up on her
31
Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala Sambandi Parshansha Patar, 1911-12 (�), see also Doris R. Jakobsh,
Relocating Gender in Sikh History, 145. 32
Karam Singh, Smt. Bibi Harnam Kaur, 61. 33
Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala Sambandi Parshansha Pathar, 1911-12 (�) 34
Doris R. Jakobsh, Relocating Gender in Sikh History, 145. 35
Khalsa Samachar, March 30, 1904, 9. 36
Sardul Singh Caveeshar, “The Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala Ferozepur’’, The Panjab Past and
Present, Punjabi University, Patiala, April 1973, 117-118.
Sikh Activists
89
own milk and trusted her own baby to the milk from the market.37 The
services of the couple made the ashram equally symbolic of Khalsa College
Amritsar among the Sikh masses.38
Many visitors came and praised the ashram. Mohan Singh Vaid
visited the ashram on April 24, 1910 and noted that boarding was quite airy.
Light was adequate there. Cleanliness was proper. The langar was well
managed and prepared in hygienic conditions. The inmates of the hostel
prepare langar turn by turn and thus in the process learn art of cooking.
Water arrangement for langar was proper, there was a handpump close to
the langar. In comparison to other ashrams, women here were nobles, soft
and well-mannered. For the good health of women in the ashram, there was
an arrangement for their walk and other exercises.39
Once Tahil Singh, Naib Nazim of Patiala state when visited the
ashram was highly impressed and observed that this institution needed
financial aid from the community in tune with the aid to Khalsa College,
Amritsar. These two institutions are complimentary to each other for the
progress of the panth.40
Visitors observed and praised the modesty, meekness and devotion of
the girl students of this institution. There are infact the basic cultural values
of Indian womenhood. Deeply ingrained values of modesty, a well-defined
work ethic and above all the religious instructions to the students were the
watch words of the school. Publishing articles in the contemporary panthic
newspapers paid special attention to its work in the field to handicraft,
cooking and home management.41 Further, given popular fears that laziness
and pride would ultimately be the outcome of women education, the school
37
Kulbir Singh Kang, Zinda Shaheed Bhai Takhat Singh, 57, see also Sardul Singh Kaveeshar, “The
Sikh Kanaya Mahavidyala Ferozepur”, 113-114. 38
Khalsa Samachar, February 8, 1905, 9-10. see also Karam Singh, Smt. Bibi Harnam Kaur, 65,
Gurnek Singh Neki, “Singh Sabha Lehar de Parapkari te Istri Vidya de Modi”, Singh Sabha
Patrika, August 1974 quoted from Kulbir Singh Kang, Zinda Shaheed Bhai Takhat Singh, 7. 39
Kulbir Singh Kang, Zinda Shaheed Bhai Takhat Singh, 86. 40
Ibid., 84. 41
Khalsa Samachar, October 12, 1904, 2.
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employed no servants; the students themselves cooked and cleaned the
premises. Accordingly,
‘The chief feature of the institution is the simplicity and the
modesty of the girls, which strike the visitors very much.
These are the virtues which are the real ornaments of Indian
womanhood and which we would be very much the worse for
loosing, self help is taught to the girls in a very practical
manner, viz. by requiring them to do all the work by
themselves... This alone will stand them in good stead, when
they leave the school to join the worldly life with its attendant
duties and responsibilities’.42
The general ideals followed in full force at the Ferozepur institution
were not unique to reform initiatives of the Sikhs. Arya Samajists had also
insisted on such ideals for women. Harnam Kaur was a product of Arya
system. She was well aware about the values inculcated by the Arya Samaj
as well as by the Singh Sabha movement. She believed that education was as
essential for girls as it was for boys. Moreover, the education of women has
more far reaching effects than that of men; through the education of women,
whole families could receive the benefits of learning. She espoused popular
views on the advancement of European nations due to their attitude towards
women education. The overriding state of illiteracy among the Sikhs had led
to the humiliating position of contemporary Sikh womanhood. The
responsibility for this state of affairs was placed squarely at the feet of
women, ‘Chains of slavery shackle your feet, oh women, because of your
refusal to accept the jewels of learning’. While acknowledging that the jewel
of learning would not lead to the same ends for males in terms of
occupation, Bibi Harnam Kaur insisted that the effects were nonetheless
important. It was only a proper education that could illuminate the minds
42
Sohan Singh, Truth and Bare truth about the Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala, Ferozepur, Amritsar,
Coronation Printing works, 1915, 49. quoted from Doris R. Jakobsh, Relocating Gender in Sikh
History, 146.
Sikh Activists
91
and morals of women. Education would also lead to happier conjugal
relations and peace in the home.43
While boarding house was running in rented house, many visitors
came and appreciated the works of devoted couple. On March 14, 1905,
Maharaja of Nabha visited the ashram accompanied by Sardar Chanda Singh
and Sardar Bishan Singh. Bhai Takhat Singh put three demands before the
Maharaja: opening of English class for girls, financial help for poor students
in the boarding and to build new boarding house for students.44 Maharaja
Nabha started to give them 200 rupees per month grant for first two
demands. He also promised further help for the boarding house. After
arranging an old male teacher Bhai Kahan Singh, a class of English subject
was started for girls on July 15, 1906. Bhai Sahib did not want to create any
trouble for vidyala on issue of teaching English to girls', therefore,
permission of the parents was made essential for joining the class.45
With the increasing number of girls a large building was required for
boarding house. Bhai Takhat Singh purchased a piece of 4 acre land for
4000 rupees outside the city. Head darftsman Sardar Sant Singh made the
map of the boarding house. Bhai Sahib took loan of 3000 rupees from the
Chief Khalsa Diwan on the interest rate of 4.5%46. One thousand rupees was
arranged by Maharaja of Nabha. With the monetary help of their supporters,
within four months, loan was returned to Chief Khalsa Diwan and Diwan
had not taken any interest on the amount.47 With the death of Bibi Harnam
Kaur who was the main spirit of the boarding on October 1, 1907, the work
of the building was delayed.48
43
Doris, R. Jakobsh, Relocating Gender in Sikh History, 147. 44
Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala Sambandi Parshansha Patar, 1911-12 (�) 45
Karam Singh, Smt. Bibi Harnam Kaur, 76, see also Dalwinder Singh, Lasani Sikh Missionary Bhai
Sahib Bhai Takhat Singh 'Zinda Shaheed', 66. 46
Karvai Khalsa Ji de Diwan di, 1901-1911, Chief Khalsa Diwan, Amritsar, 133.
(8 July 1906 Sunday, Karaj Sadhak Committee di meeting Lahore vich hoyi) 47
Karvai Khalsa Ji de Diwan di 1901-1911, Chief Khalsa Diwan, Amritsar -147.
(Sunday, 11 November. 1906 a meeting of Executive body was held) 48
Karam Singh, Smt. Bibi Harnam Kaur, 82-83.
Sikh Activists
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Next year Bhai Takhat Singh took interest and the work of huge
premises of boarding cum school for girls started.49 In 1909 he upgraded the
school to middle standard.50 Ashram began to publish a Journal Punjabi
Bhain dedicated solely to the woman cause. It contained articles on the Sikh
religion and was focused especially on family and household duties of
women.51 Bhai Bir Singh a teacher in the school was its editor. The Journal
ran for the largest number of years among the journals devoted to women
question. According to the biographer of Bibi Harnam Kaur the idea to
publish a magazine for women was first came to the mind of Harnam Kaur
but due to some circumstances it was not carried on.52
After the death of Bibi Harnam Kaur some people stopped sending
their daughters to the ashram without a lady teacher. Under such
circumstances, on being insisted by his supporters, Bhai Takhat Singh
agreed to have Bibi Agaya Kaur as his second wife, without giving
consideration to her low caste.53 Bibi Agaya Kaur proved as devoted to the
ashram as was Bibi Harman Kaur. She worked as superintendent of the
ashram till her death. She used to take the girls of the ashram to attend Sikh
Educational Conferences. She was a good poet. She wrote many poems on
the necessity on women education. In one of her poems she gave a clarion
call to her brothers to come forward to send their daughters to schools. She
observed that the women of other communities were contributing much to
the advancement of their families where as in the absence of education the
Sikh women was lagging behind. Underling the importance of education she
said that in comparison with material assets, education was the real wealth.
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49
Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala Sambandi Parshansha Patar, 1911-12 (� ',) 50
Kulbir Singh Kang, Zinda Shaheed Bhai Takhat Singh, 62. 51
N.G. Barrier, The Sikh and Their Literature, Manohar Book Service, Delhi 1970, 84. 52
For further details see Karam Singh, Smt. Bibi Harnam Kaur, 39-40. 53
Khalsa Samachar, December 30, 1937, 8-10.
Sikh Activists
93
� � � � ! � � � � � � � � � 9 � � � � ( � � � � � � � � � � � � � % � ! � � � � � �
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% � � � 5 � � � � ! � � 6 � � � � � � � " � I � � � ����
�Under the supervision of both of them the ashram became world
famous. In 1910, the total number of boarder girls was 230 and number of
staff member was 32. The staff conducted classes from the first grade
through the college entrance level. In the same year high classes was started
in the school. Despite paucity of funds, one side of the boarding house was
54
Dalwinder Singh, Lasani Sikh Missionary Bhai Sahib Bhai Takhat Singh Ji Zinda Shaheed, 355.
Sikh Activists
94
completed. Appeals were made for financial aid for the construction of the
boarding house. Bibi Agaya Kaur made an appeal and prayed for the smooth
completion of the building in a poem.
� � ( � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $ � ( � � � � � � � � ! � � � � � � � � � � % � �
� " � / � � � � � �
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� � � � � � 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 �
� � � � � � � � ( % � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � ! � � �
� � ! � � 6 � � � � �
� # � � � % � � � � � � � � � ! � � 6 � � � � � � � � % � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
� � � � � � 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 @@�
It became the only panthic high school for girls that deserved great
attention for its religious instructions, handicraft works, sports and well
organized boarding facilities. Visitors came, saw and wrote their remarks in
the visitor book of the ashram. Khalsa Samachar published all these
remarks from time to time in its issues. Such type of supplement Bhohal
Vichon Dane was published on November 24, 1910 in Khalsa Samachar
carrying remarks of various personalities.56 Accordingly Maharaja Nabha
Ripudaman visited Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala on April 25, 1909 and noted
dedication of Bhai Takhat Singh. He noted that he had come to see the
arrangements of the school and commented positively on the cleanliness of
the school and remarked that by serving the community silently Bhai Takhat
Singh was an ideal example of real Sikh life. He further noted that the novel
‘Sundari’ by Bhai Vir Singh was taught in fourth standard.
55
Ibid., 357-358. 56
See appendix-IV.
Sikh Activists
95
� � � � ! " � � � � � � ( . 8 � � � � ! � � % - � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � ( � � � � � % � � � 2 � � � � � � � � � �
� % � � � � � � � ) � ! � � � ( � � ! ( � � � � � � � � � � � � � � ? � ! � # � � � � � � & � � � � � � �
� � � � ! � � # � � # � � � ( � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �57
On January 18, 1911, the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab visited Sikh
Kanya Mahavidyala with his wife and two daughters. His wife became very
impressed by watching the girls speaking English.58 Teaching of Hindi and
English along with Gurmukhi encouraged the people of other communities
to send their daughters in the ashram. With the new classes number of
students also increased. On the basis of payment of fees, there were three
categories of students. The first were those whose payments were fully made
by their parents. In second category there were girls who were either poor,
or orphans or widows. The ashram bore their total expenditure itself. There
were others whose expenditure was shared by their parents and the
institution.59
Bhai Takhat Singh ran many institutions at a time like girls' schools,
boy’s school, girls’ boarding house, boys boarding house and Bhai Ditt
Singh Library. He did not only run his institutions but also help others. He
gave financial aid to the dhramsala of Batala and Bhai Sant Singh granthi of
Kasur to open Kanya Pathshala. He also provided the monetary help to the
pathshala of Ropar which was established by Bhai Gurbaksh Singh in the
memory of Bhai Ditt Singh.60
The popularity of the ashram could not check the paucity of funds.
There was no permanent fund of the ashram. Even for poor or needy girls
the ashram arranged the expenditure. Government grant was not accepted
because it was said by Bhai Takhat Singh, ‘It would deprive us of our liberty
in many ways.’ To avoid government interference he wanted to run panthic
institution by public subscriptions. When Maharaja Nabha extended the
57
Khalsa Samachar, November 24, 1910, special supplement �� �� !�# &� ������ see also Kulbir Singh
Kang, Zinda Shaheed Bhai Takhat Singh, 82-84. 58
Khalsa Samachar, February 2, 1911, 2. 59
Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala Sambandi Parshansha Patar, 1911-12 (�) 60
Kulbir Singh Kang, Zinda Shaheed Bhai Takhat Singh, 29.
Sikh Activists
96
helping hand towards the ashram, people stopped their help to the ashram.61
Thus ashram remained under shortage of finance.
In the early days of 1911, the financial crisis became so worst that
Bhai Takhat Singh had to leave the ashram. He made a promise to himself to
collect 50,000 rupees for the ashram. He left the home along with his wife
Bibi Agaya Kaur without informing anyone even their own children on
February 16, 1911. They reached to Gurudawara Sheesh Ganj, Delhi and
sent a telegram and two letters to the ashram in which Bhai Takhat Singh
wrote about his mission of panjha hajari (Promised Fund of 50,000 rupees)
and his pledge that if he could not collect the ‘Promised Fund’ he would not
return.62 He made Master Bir Singh the incharge of the ashram in his
absence. After listening his ‘Promised Fund’ some eminent persons of
Ferozepur Babu Tek Singh, pandit Devinder Singh, Bhai Lakha Singh, Bhai
Kaser Singh, Bhai Bhagat Singh and Sidki Bhai Jvand Singh went to join
him in mission tour.63 Accompanied with these persons Bhai Takhat Singh
started his mission tour from Delhi to East Asia and China. They went
Calcutta and started their journey by ships to Islands.64
When people came to known about the ‘Promised Fund’ of Bhai
Takhat Singh they felt astonished and started to call him Zinda Shaheed as
they thought that Bhai Sahib would not be able to collect such big amount
and therefore, it was difficult for him to return. Then the people conferred
on him the proud title Zinda Shaheed the ‘Living Martyr'. Khalsa Samachar
also published an appendix under the title of ‘Qaum! Tera Zinda Shaheed’.65
Bhai Takhat Singh and his companions went to Kualalampur, Malaya,
Shangai (China), Hong-Kong and Japan for the collection of ‘Promised
61
Khalsa Samachar, November 3, 1910, 4, see also Sardar Sardul Singh Caveesher, “Sikh Kanya
Mahavidyala Ferozepur,” 115. 62
Khalsa Samachar, February 23, 1911, 2, see also Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala Sambandi Parshansha
Patar,1911-12 (,), Kulbir Singh Kang, Zinda Shaheed Bhai Takhat Singh, 30-36. 63
Khalsa Samachar, March 2, 1911, Special Supplement, see appendix V, see also Dalwinder Singh,
Lasani Sikh Missionary Bhai Sahib Bhai Takhat Singh 'Zinda Shaheed', 70-72. 64
Khalsa Samachar, March 9, 1911, 2. 65
Khalsa Samachar, March 2, 1911, Special Supplement, Dalwinder Singh, Lasani Sikh Missionary
Bhai Sahib Bhai Takhat Singh 'Zinda Shaheed', 77.
Sikh Activists
97
Fund’. Every where they were welcomed and helped by the Sikhs. During
journey, many times Bhai Sahib encountered with difficulties and hardships.
During their journey towards Bangkok and Singapore the jatha had no food
for two days but their faith in God remained stable. Walking bare feet and
begging for the women cause was an act of a saint. Wherever they went they
sang kirtan and many times hold diwans. The act of Bhai Takhat Singh
created an atmosphere of crusade in the country as well as outside the
country. In Khalsa Samachar an issue was raised. Why Bhai Takhat Singh
went to Islands? It was ‘to make women educated and our homes as heaven’.
/ � � � � % � % � ! ( � , � � � � � � � + � ! � � � � � ! � $ � & � ! � ! � � � F ! � � � + � ! � $ � & � � � � G E �
� ! � � � � � � � � ? � � � � � � 0 # � � � � � � � ! � � � � � � � � � $ � � � � � � % � � � � � � � , � �
� � � � � � � � ( � � � � � � � � � � � ;;�
It created sense of collectivity within the community. A number of
people came forward to help in the ‘Promised Fund’. The students of
ashram appealed for the help by various means. The appealing rhymes were
published in the newspapers. Prayers were held in the ashram for their
well-beings.67 The act of the Bhai Takhat Singh made him famous among
the Britishers. Once the Deputy Commission of district Ferozepur said that
'if our nation had person like him then we would collect five lakhs instead
of fifty thousand.'
‘� � � ( � " � � � 9 � � ! � # � � ! � � � � ( � � � � � � � � � � % � $ � � � $ � ( � � � @ D � D D D � � � � � � % � �
@ � 0 � � ! � � 0 � � � � � � ! � � � � �’68
In this tour Bhai Takhat Singh got successful in collecting 58,170
rupees in total. There were two types of collections, in type one 24,287
rupees were collected from the Islands and sent to the Punjab and Sind
Bank and in type two, 33,883 rupees were sent from the country to the
ashram.69 Apart from that amount, Maharaja Nabha sent 5000 rupees and
66
Khalsa Samachar, May 18, 1911, 6. 67
Khalsa Samachar, October 5, 1911. 5. 68
Khalsa Samachar, October 19, 1911, 8. 69
Punjah Hajari Fund di Report, Gurmat Press, Amritsar 1913, 2.
Sikh Activists
98
officials of Nabha state sent one week salary in cash worth 2021 rupees for
help.70 With the collected money Bhai Takhat Singh restarted the
construction work of boarding house. In mid 1913, two wings were
completed and the foundation of third wing was laid down.71 Paucity of
fund was felt again. Total money was required two lakhs for the boarding
house besides 2000 rupees for monthly expenditure.72 Thus appeals for
further help were made.
The institution was benefited by the tours of Bhai Sahib indirectly
also. The tour brought the ashram to the public notice. People of far away
areas of Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Gujarat, Kangra, Shimla, Ambala, Hisar,
Burma, Bhartpur, Lucknow, Jhang, Aligarh, Nanital, Balochistan, China
(Sangai), Hydrabad, Madras and of Princely states started sending their
daughters to the ashram.73 Girls from different sections of society came to
study in the boarding. Besides, poor, orphans and widows, the daughters
and sisters from the families of Rajas and Maharajas also came and lived
together. Bhai Takhat Singh treated all girls equal, whether poor or rich. He
considered orphan girls as the daughters of the panth.74 He also contributed
towards the marriage of orphan girls.75
Ashram was built for the panth with panthic contributions but every
community remained beneficiary with its services. Sikh, Hindu and Muslim
girls studied there. Among 18 teachers 4 belonged to non-Sikh families.76 In
the boarding house common arrangements were made for the all the girls.
Bhai Sahib joined all the girls at the time of dining. In school curriculum
emphasis was given to the instructions in Gurmukhi and learning of
gurbani. Educating women was not an end in itself. The primary concern
was to make them aware about the tenets of Sikhism. The reformers of the
70
Ibid., 1913, 4. 71
Khalsa Samachar, July 24, 1913, 7. 72
Punjah Hajari Fund di Report, 1913, n.p. 73
Khalsa Samachar, March 28, 1912, 6. 74
Personal interview with Bhai Takhat Singh’s daughter Bibi Gurbaksh Kaur, 75
Personal interview with Mrs. Bal, a former student of Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala, see Appendix-VI. 76
Report of Education Committee, 1928 (Gurmukhi), 59.
Sikh Activists
99
period considered women as an important channel of transmitting ethical
and moral values to their families. They believed that being educated they
would orient their children in religious traditions of the panth at a tender
age. Bhai Ji did not impose their religious practices on the girls of other
communities rather he encouraged them to say their own prayers. For
instance, he motivated Froza, a Muslim girl to do namaz at the time of
namaz.77
In 1914, a normal class for the training of women teachers was also
started. It helped in fulfilling the requirement of teachers in various
schools.78 Chief Khalsa Diwan supported the institution with 900 rupees per
annum for normal class.79 There were 350 girls studying in the ashram in
1914. By 1914 more than 1000 girls had received education from the
ashram.80 It was the result of the great pains taken by Bhai Takhat Singh.
He was helped by a staff of 45 persons. There were nineteen teachers in
total, eight were women. Besides teachers, there were three clerks, four
musicians, seven preachers, one doctor and eleven others who had to
perform minor duties.81
The results of the institution attracted the attention of Sikh elites and
intellectuals. A number of medals were constituted to encourage the
meritorious students. Mai Teka Devi Gurbani medal was given to those
girls who stood first in the gurbani and religious examination. It was
arranged by Bhai Bishan Das, Head Master, Government High School,
Gurdaspur. Jind Kaur medal was given to the merit holder of the primary
level. It was given by Rai Bhadur Bhagat Narain Das, District Judge in the
memory of his late wife Bibi Jind Kaur. Dyal Singh Sond medal was given
to the topper of middle standard. It was arranged by Babu Harnam Singh
77
Personal interview with Bhai Takhat Singh’s daughter Bibi Gurbaksh Kaur. 78
Karvai Educational Committee (Chief Khalsa Diwan) de Samagam di, Amritsar January 14, 1914,
n.p. 79
Karvai Educational Committee (Chief Khalsa Diwan) de Samagam di, Amritsar, June 21, 1914,
n.p. 80
Khalsa Samachar, May 14, 1914, 7. 81
Sardul Singh Caveeshar, "The Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala Ferozepur", 124.
Sikh Activists
100
overseer, Jhansi in the memory of his late brother Sardar Dyal Singh,
Secretary of Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Shimla.82 On the occasions of Sikh
Educational Conferences the students obtained many gold medals on the
basis of good health, best player, best poem recitation and best services
towards the institution.83
Bhai Takhat Singh was always ready to sacrifice anything for the
cause of women. He believed that with the education of women the
happiness of mankind in general would sure to increase.84 He introduced the
subject of Science at middle level in 1916.85 In 1933 Science subject was
introduced in the high classes and M.Sc. trained male teacher was
appointed in the institution.86 His action opened the avenues of medical line
for girls and gave them wide opportunities to explore. After completing
their education in school, the Sikh girls started to take admissions in
various medical colleges of the Punjab and rest of India. Six Sikh girls went
to study Lady Harding Medical College for Women, Delhi in 1922. Some
of them were students of Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala.87
The mission of Bhai Takhat Singh’s life was ‘to serve the public to
the best of his ability’. For the elderly women, the institution started a two
year special course. In this course they were taught Gurmukhi, sewing,
knitting, cooking and were made familiar with Sikh rites, rahit ceremonies
and Sikh history. Shabad kirtan was also a part of their curriculum.88
Till 1916, the school ran in the old building. The building of
permanent boarding house was yet to complete. The school contained 249
students in all grades and the ashram (boarding house) provided for 200
girls from the country and abroad.89 With the tremendous efforts of Bhai
Takhat Singh the Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala became number one institution
82
Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala Ferozepur de School ate boarding di Salana Report, 1914, 28. 83
Khalsa Samachar, March 25, 1915, 5. 84
Sardul Singh Kaveeshar, “The Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala Ferozepur”, 120. 85
Khalsa Samachar, April 6,1916, 3. 86
Khalsa Samachar, May 24, 1934, 9. 87
Khalsa, Amritsar, August 6, 1922, 4. 88
Khalsa Samachar, July 20, 1916, 3. 89
Khalsa Samachar, August 31, 1916, 1.
Sikh Activists
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that the British government rewarded him as Kesar-e-Hind (a silver medal)
on 3 June 1916.90 The building of boarding house was completed around
1918-1919 and became famous for its palatial structure. It is rectangular in
shape with a big courtyard and well planned rooms on all four sides. The
building is very strong in construction. The foundations are sunk broad to
meet any emergency. A good quality material is used.
The institution remained the only Sikh girls’ high school till 1933.
Many educated girls of institution served the community and the country in
different fields. Shrimati Wazir Kaur worked as superintendent of schools
under Municipal Committee, Gujranwala where as Bibi Raghubir Kaur
remained in-charge of the dispensary of Zarianwala. Some of them went as
far as Burma and served as teachers in Kanya Pathshalas. Students of the
institution also went to America and England for higher studies.91 The Sikh
Kanya Mahavidyala demonstrated its ability every year. The school has
achieved 89% result in 1933.
The school faced lack of finance from time to time. In 1915 the
ashram was under debt of 22000 rupees. The Chief Khalsa Diwan had
developed sophistication system of collecting funds for it. It opened a
sawaran fund to get financial support for the ashram. Under the sawaran, a
fund raising scheme, it was made for every Sikh man or woman to collect
and send at least one sawaran to the ashram. One sawaran was equal to one
pound worth 15 Indian rupees. The money was send to the Punjab and Sind
Bank. The sawaran, a fund raising scheme was launched to remove the debt
and to create permanent fund for the ashram.92 As early as April 1915, a list
of donations to the sawaran fund appeared in the Khalsa Samachar.
After few days, on the demand of some readers, a Century fund was
also raised. The contributors who contributed more than one hundred
rupees could send their money to Century fund. Early contributors towards
90
Khalsa Samachar, July 8, 1916, 1, see also Kulbir Singh Kang, Zinda Shaheed Bhai Takhat Singh,
43. 91
Khalsa, May 21, 1923, 5. 92
Khalsa Samachar, April 15, 1915, 6.
Sikh Activists
102
Century fund were Sardar Sewa Ram Singh, vakil from Lahore, Sardar
Jaimal Singh Assistant Engineer and Sardar Jewahar Singh Rais.93
Therefore, two lists of donors were prepared and published in the Khalsa
Samachar. These lists provided recognition to the donors, accountability of
the funds received and publicity for the educational programme of the
ashram. These reports and articles kept gentry (the rais) and general masses
of the Punjab continuously informed about the financial status of the
ashram. They appealed for financial aids to the masses. Maharaja Faridkot
also donated 5000 rupees to the ashram.94
Deputations were sent from time to time to raise funds. Master Bir
Singh of Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala took one such deputation to Delhi,
seeking donations for the school. He was successful in raising a fund of
rupees 4234 from the people of Delhi. 95 It showed their dedication towards
panthic institutions. Infact every one who was approached contributed
according to his or her capacity. The prominent donors from Delhi were
Hari Singh Sahib, a priest; Ram Singh Kabli, a contractor; Wasakha Singh,
Sobha Singh and Dharam Singh.96 Maharaja Patiala helped the ashram with
the donation of one thousand. The Maharaja of Faridkot donated 12000
rupees for the building of boarding house of the Mahavidyala in 1918.97 In
addition, on the occasion of ninth Sikh Educational Conference, a scheme
was launched to prepare one hundred persons to donate 10-10 rupees each
as monthly subscriptions to the Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala. As a result within
few minutes the number of donors raised more than one hundred.98 With the
support of all, the building of boarding house was completed with two and
half lakh rupees.
Many times the doubts were raised over the ownership of the property
of the Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala. In the Report of Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala
93
Khalsa Samachar, April 22, 1915, 6. 94
Nirguniara, Khalsa Tract Society, Wazir-i-Hind Press, Amritsar, May 5,1915, 8. 95
Khalsa Samachar, June 3, 1915, Supplement, n.p. 96
Ibid. 97
Khalsa Samachar, January 31, 1918, 2. 98
Khalsa Samachar, May 11, 1916, 3.
Sikh Activists
103
of the year of 1906-1907, Bhai Takhat Singh made it clear in his writing
that owner of the property of the ashram including dharmsala, boarding
house, and other things was the panth.99 He again made it clear by issues of
Punjabi Bhain of April 1909 that he and his children would not be the
owner of the ashram.100 The question of ownership was again raised by
some opponents. To inquire the issue further Sufi Lakshman Parshad and
his companions went to the ashram. They saw the composition of registries
made by Sardar Chanda Singh vakil (Lawyer) and Sardar Mehtab Singh and
were convinced that the ashram was the property of the panth.101 All these
reports were published in the various issues of Khalsa Samachar.
The newspaper ‘Daler Khalsa’ was used by the rival group for the
anti Bhai Takhat Singh and anti-ashram propaganda. Khalsa Samachar
supported the cause of Bhai Takhat Singh continuously. The opposition
could not become hindrance in the progressive life of Bhai Takhat Singh
though they tried to create misunderstandings in the public mind. Bhai
Takhat Singh’s ‘Faith in God’ was the key to his success. Throughout his
life he cherished this motto:
� � ! � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � ? � � � � � � �
� ) ( � � � � � � � � � � % � � � � � � ? � � � � � � � �
“The food should not fall short,
The guest should not turn back,
The wealth should not amass,
The business (work) should not slack.”102
The great advocator of the women education and emancipator of
women Bhai Takhat Singh died on December 18, 1937 at the age of 75. He
lived for the cause of women. On the occasion of Sikh Educational
Conference he used to perform ardas at the beginning as well as in the as
99
Khalsa Samachar, August 12, 1915, 7. 100
Ibid. 101
Khalsa Samachar, September 23, 1915, 3. 102
Sardul Singh Caveeshar, “The Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala, Ferozepur”, 121.
Sikh Activists
104
the end.103 Many times he helped other educational institutions with money
and raised funds for them. After the death of Bhai Sahib the management of
the school and boarding house was run by his daughters Bibi Pritam Kaur
and Bibi Gurbaksh Kaur.104 Both of them worked as Directors of Educational
Department under Kapurthala princely state.
Bhai Takhat Singh wished to develop his school into a college. He
started F.A class of college standard in the last years of his life. After his
death, the former students of the Mahavidyala tried to full fill his dream.
Shrimati Bibi Raj Kaur, wife of Chief Minister of Faridkot Sardar Inder
Singh launched the campaign in favour of it and motivated other former
students to join it.105 As a result many women came forward to help the
institution. Bibi Raj Kaur herself contributed for the construction of a room
for the college building. Bibi Azad Kaur, Fariodkot arranged a water pump
for the students. The former student Kuldip Kaur who was Professor at
Lahore College for Woman arranged electricity for the kitchen hall and
another old student Mahinder Kaur, wife of Collector Ferozepur made a
Gurdwara of the ashram.106 The women delegates in favour of college also
raised this issue in the sessions of Sikh Educational Conferences. On the
other side anti women education and anti institution propaganda was carried
on. An article of Bhai Fakir Singh Pardeshi was published in Daler Khalsa
carried a jahad against the institution.107 Fake blame, anti propaganda
harmed the institution to a great extent so much so that Education
Department stopped the government grant to the institution. Princely states
Kapurthala, Fariodkot and Patiala also withdrew their support.108 Despite the
best efforts of the sympathizers and supporters, the project of college could
103
Khalsa Samachar, December 30, 1937, 10. 104
Dalwinder Singh, Lasani Sikh Missionary Bhai Sahib Bhai Takhat Singh ji, ‘Zinda Shaheed’,
126-127. 105
Khalsa Sewak, Amritsar, July 24, 1938, 6. 106
Ibid. 107
Khalsa Samachar, December 21, 1939, 5-8. 108
Khalsa Advocate, Amritsar, July 12, 1941, 6.
Sikh Activists
105
not materialized. It is still working as Government High School at Ferozepur
in the same building.
Another educationist who worked for the cause of women education was
Bhai Nihal Singh Kairon, father of former Chief Minister of Punjab, late
Sardar Partap Singh Kairon. Bhai Nihal Singh has awakened the people of
the community towards education. By establishing schools for boys and
particularly for girls he brought his village Kairon of public notice.
In the absence of a school in his village, Bhai Nihal Singh109 during
his childhood could not get education. However, during his stay at Hong
Kong, he got an opportunity to the learn English and Gurmukhi. When he
came back to his village he realized that his area was backward due to the
lack of education. Moreover the condition of Sikhism was worse. Sikhs had
forgotten the real principles of the religion. They indulged in drink,
debauchery, cheating and robbery. The condition of the Sikh women was
even worse. They were ignorant about the ideals of Sikhism. They have
started believing in beliefs and practices of Hinduism. Ignoring their
character they indulged in their beautification by embellishing themselves.
They wore unnecessary ornaments which caused the personal unhygienic
and family indebtedness.
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By seeing all these, Bhai Nihal Singh took initiative to bring
awareness among the people about gurmaryada and to bring them back to
the path of simplicity. Many of those who believed in the honesty of Nihal
Singh joined him in his endeavour such as Basant Singh, Rasaldar of
109
For biography see the appendix-VII. 110
Dyal Singh Parcharak, Jivan Bhai Nihal Singh Ji Kairon, n.p, n.d, Reprint by Sardar Hardit Singh,
n.p, n.d, 19-20.
Sikh Activists
106
Naushara Pannu and Gyani Thakur Singh.111 Thus there emerged a group of
reformers headed by Bhai Nihal Singh at village Kairon.
Bhai Nihal Singh began to distinguish between Sikh and non-Sikh
practices which were held on occasion of birth, marriage and death. To make
people aware about gurmaryada, he held a gurmat diwan at Kairon.112 Many
people joined him in this movement. Immediately after a diwan a person
died in the village. Nihal Singh and other members of diwan prevailed upon
the family members of the deceased person to perform death ceremony
according to gurmaryada. It was the first act done according to Sikh
principles in the village. In opposition to this there emerged a group
including brahmins, sadhus and lagis supported by the women of the
village. Then Bhai Nihal Singh realized that the main cause of the ignorance
and degradation in the Sikh society was illiteracy. He became convinced that
educating women was more important than any reform to bring the Sikhs on
the right part. Only by means of education he could bring a change in the
attitudes of the people.113
He was conscious of the non-existence of any educational institution
in his village. He therefore, started a Khalsa school for boys in 1904. He
also emphasized on women education and was of the opinion that at an early
age a girl should be trained into gurmat vidaya so that the moral and ethical
values of religion could be transmitted to next generation at very young age.
Besides, education was perceived as an important instrument that enables a
woman to run the house hold in an efficient manner. She gains ability to
tackle different situations, both inside and outside the home. Initially,
people resisted to his ideas and actions. Bhai Nihal Singh had to face
humiliating taunts. People even pelted stones on him.114
111
Ibid., 21-23. 112
Amarjit Kaur Iban, Gatha, Government Kanya Senior Secondary School, Kairon, March 2003, 13. 113
Dyal Singh Parchark, Jivan Bhai Nihal Singh Ji Kairon, 21. 114
Information based on personal interview with Bibi Avtar Kaur, the family member of Bhai Nihal
Singh Kairon and ex-student of Bhujangan Ashram Kairon, see appendix-VI.
Sikh Activists
107
With the help of his family members especially his elder brother
Zaildar Sham Singh, he got sanction for opening a Kanya Pathshala (a
primary girls school) from District Board. The Board demanded a list of
students and name of person who would teach them for its approval. Sham
Singh sent a list of 32 students including girls and women and name of Bhai
Nihal Singh as a teacher. The Board further enquired about the parental
sanction for Bhai Nihal Singh as teacher of girls school. All the parents sent
their approvals.115 Bhai Nihal Singh had the knowledge of English and
Gurmukhi which was enough to run the school. District Board appointed
him the head master of the school and granted him a nominal pay for it.
With the starting of school, opposition arose in many far and near
villages. People objected the education of girls saying that “parh likh ke
larkiyan chori chitthiyan likhia karn giyain,” literate girls shall write
discretely to their relatives and friends and it was perceived as a threat to the
prestige (izzat) of patriachy. But Nihal Singh never lost his faith. Within one
year he trained the girls very well. As a result, there emerged an enthusiasm
for girls’ education in the area. Many schools were opened up nearer
villages. The Kanya Pathshala, Kairon got its middle standard. Girls from
far and near villages started coming to Kairon for education. Nihal Singh
started bhujangan boarding house in his own home to meet the demands of
girls’. 3 rupee per month as fee was charged for the boarding house. People
of the area also contributed in the expenditure of the boarding.116
Bhujangan Ashram (boarding house) became renowned with in short
period. The number of boarding girls increased. He then shifted boarding
house in the premises of the school. Even that was found insufficient for the
increasing number of girls. Ultimately Zaildar Sham Singh and Rasaldar
Basant Singh purchased 33 kanal land for 3000 rupees. The title deed of the
land was made in the name of Chief Khalsa Diwan. The Secretary of Chief
Khalsa Diwan, Sardar Sunder Singh Majithia did not find the land suitable
115
Dyal Singh Parcharak, Jivan Bhai Nihal Singh Ji Kairon, 30-31. 116
Ibid., 31-32.
Sikh Activists
108
for the boarding house due to its location. It was near the village pond and
its climatic conditions could be harmful to the health of girls. Later on, new
land was purchased near the railway station on May 10, 1913.117
A school managing committee was formed of the prominent persons
of the village to run the school efficiently. The members of the managing
committee were Sardar Bhadur Singh (Ghavindi) Sardar Basant Singh,
Rasaldar (Naushera Pannu), Sardar Sahib Rais Dharm Singh (Jalal Usma)
Sardar Sham Singh Zaildar (Kairon), Sardar Bahal Singh Zaildar Magistrate
(Raja Jang) Sardar Jawala Singh (Green Kot) Sardar Buta Singh, (Cheemey),
Sardar Gurdeep Singh (Sahansara), Sardar Vir Singh Thanedar (Sursingh),
Bibi Lavleen Kaur, Bibi Milap Kaur and Sardar Dyal Singh Ji parcharak,118
Among them Bibi Lavleen Kaur played a constructive role in raising the
ashram and served it as an honorary warden. Bhai Nihal Singh considered
her as his daughter.
Money was required to build the infrastructure of the new boarding
house. Meanwhile, a daughter of a student Bibi Sant Kaur, who was living in
the ashram, playing near the tank. She accidently drowned in the tank and
died. It created an emergency. Bhai Nihal Singh and school managing
committee felt the immediate need of the new building for the ashram. To
meet the finance for the school building Bhai Nihal Singh decided to go to
different Islands in South East Asia for donations. He organized a jatha of
nine members including himself. The jatha included seven girls of the
ashram of which two belonged to Kairon family like Bibi Mehatab Kaur
(daughter-in-law of Bhai Nihal Singh) and Bibi Milap Kaur (daughter of
Bhai Nihal Singh). Others were Bibi Randir Kaur and Bibi Lakshman Kaur,
belonged to the Ramgharia family of Kairon, Bibi Niranjan Kaur from
Kairon, Bibi Gurbachan Kaur from district Lahore and Bibi Tej Kaur grand-
daughter of mahant of Kairon. Parcharak Dyal Singh ji was also with
117
Ibid., 33-34. 118
Amarjit Kaur Iban, Gatha, 14-15.
Sikh Activists
109
them.119 They traveled as far as China, Malaya and Hong-Kong to collect
funds in the hallowed name of education.
The jatha started its journey to Islands from village Kairon on
November 29, 1912. They reached Calcutta and faced the first problem of
the journey when Bibi Mehtab Kaur became sick. After the recovery of her
heath, the jatha restarted its voyage from Calcutta to Pinang on December 4,
1912.120 The members of the jatha reached at Pinang on December 11, in the
morning. They were welcomed by Pinang sangat and stayed at the
Gurdawara of Pinang. Next day, a diwan was arranged by them at fort of
Pinang. The diwan was attended by Pinang Sikh Police, Sikh sangat and
Sindi seths. 500 rupees were contributed by Pinang Police to build up a
room for Bhujangan Ashram.121 This was the first collection from overseas
in the name of the ashram.
From Pinang the jatha went to the different places like Malaya, Ipoh,
(Malaysia) Taiping, Kula Kangsar, Kualalumpur, Singapore, Hong-Kong,
Shanghai, Samarta, Rangoon (Yangon), Hanoi and Burma to collect money.
Everywhere the jatha was cordially welcomed by Sikh sangat. When the
jatha reached Ipoh, an annual diwan was going on there. The Secretary of
committee pointed out that the jatha came here voluntary. They were not
invited by committee so what would do with them. Then a Subedar Bahal
Singh objected on the issue and delivered an enthuastic speech that diain nu
apne ghar aano vi koi rokaya karda hai (daughters do not seek permission
to visit their parental homes). As a result of speech the committee members
felt ashamed and decided that girls would not go any where for the
collection of funds. Sangat of different areas would submit their offering to
diwan itself. As a result, a big amount of 17000 rupees was promised on the
spot.122
119
Information based on personal interview with Sardar Hardit Singh belongs to the family of Nihal
Singh Kairon, see appendix III, see also Bhujangan Patar, January 1, 1918, 14. 120
Dyal Singh Parcharak, Jivan Bhai Nihal Singh Ji Kairon, 35-36. 121
Ibid., 39. 122
Ibid., 42.
Sikh Activists
110
During the journey of different Islands the jatha had to face many
hardships. When they were going from Singapore to Hong-Kong, they had to
face thunder storm for eleven days. The ship lost its balance and the girls
has become unconscious. Bhai Nihal Singh took their luggage to safer place
turn by turn.123 After that the girls of the jatha then wrote a letter to Bibi
Lavleen Kaur. They wrote a poem in the letter expressing their worst
condition which they faced during the voyage from Singapore to Hong
Kong.124
After staying one month at Hong Kong the jatha moved to Shanghai.
A lady in jatha who was pregnant fell ill due to the hardship of voyage and
lost her child. After her recovery, the jatha organized diwan at the Gurdwara
of Shanghai. The Sikh women of Shanghai became so impressed by the
dedication of the women of the ashram that they founded Bhujangan Diwan
there.125
During the journey of seven months whatever money they got, they
sent it to the school managing committee. Their last visiting place was
Burma. From Burma they came back to Calcutta in June 1913. They
propagated the principles of Sikhism at Calcutta and held dharmik
(Religious) diwans at Kharakpur and Barackpur. When they came back to
Kairon, people welcomed them very cordially.126
123
Ibid., 59. 124
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Ibid., 66-68. 126
Amarjit Kaur Iban, Gatha, 14.
Sikh Activists
111
Nihal Singh collected enough money from Islands. He wanted to get
patronage for the ashram from Maharaja of Patiala, thus the foundation
stone of Mata Sahib Kaur Bhujangan Ashram was laid by H.H. Maharaja
Bhupindar Singh Mahinder Bahadur G.C.I.E of Patiala on February 12,
1916. The building was completed within two years with total expenditure
of 80000 rupees. Maharaja Patiala, Bhupinder Singh performed the
inauguration ceremony of the Bhujangan Ashram on March 14, 1918. He
granted 5000 rupees to it and extended his monthly grant from 50 to 100
rupees.127 The building of the Bhujangan Ashram is famous for its palatial
structure. It was made by Bhai Uttam Singh, overseer of village Jaura.128 The
building had two big walls around the main campus which provided security
to the girls. No male could enter in the institution.
Bhujangan Ashram Kairon was the first boarding school in the
villages of Punjab. It was affiliated with District Board and thus followed
the syllabus of the Board. In all classes the study included Sikh scriptures
such as Guru Singh Ithas, Sukhmani Sahib, Japuji Sahib, Hindu scripture
Hanuman Natak, study of Gurmukhi, Grammer, Maths, Geography, History
of India and English language. Sughar Bibi was taught to learn physical
cleanliness and hygiene. They also got training of sewing and stitching
perfectly.129
Nihal Singh himself lived in the boarding house and served the
institution till his death. Except Nihal Singh and Dyal Singh parcharak there
was no other male teacher in the school. The school started English classes
for girls. A female teacher Miss Vidyawati who hailed from Rawalpindi was
engaged for this purpose.130 Miss Vidyawati was called as Miss Sahib Ji.
After her, Miss Chada was appointed to teach the English. English was not
compulsory for all the students. It was an optional subject. Interested
127
Khalsa Samachar March 21, 1918, 2. 128
Dyal Singh Parcharak, Jivan Bhai Nihal Singh Ji Kairon, 89. 129
Monthly progress Report of the Girls Middle School, Kairon, April 1910- March 1911,n.p. 130
Information based on personal interview with Sardar Hardit Singh belong to the family of Nihal
Singh Kairon.
Sikh Activists
112
students could learn English by paying extra fee for that.131 Hindi and Urdu
were also taught to the students. Sakuntala Devi worked as Hindi Mistress
and Firoza Begam as Urdu. There was the last period of gurmat vidaya in
which they were taught to do kirtan.
The ashram also started the J.V (junior vernacular) and S.V (senior
vernacular) classes for the students. Sometimes, the school arranged the
condense courses for needy women like widows and divorcees. They were
taught without any fee. The government gave the grant for these classes. The
motive of these classes was to make the depressed women of the society
self-dependent.132 Nihal Singh was head master of the school. After his death
his daughter Bibi Milap Kaur worked for the post. Other teaching staff
members of the school were Bibi Ram Kaur, Bibi Nirman Kaur Bibi
Gurbachan Kaur, Bibi Metab Kaur, Bibi Surjit Kaur, Bibi Prem Kaur, and
Bibi Kartar Kaur. They were paid monthly salary between 40 to 80 rupees.
There were some secretariat assistants who provided their services at
different levels. Besides, there were peons, water carriers, usherers, utensil
cleaners, etc.133
To check the health of girls a physician was arranged who visited the
boarding house monthly. Bhai Mohan Singh Vaid of Tarn Taran sent
medicines and visited the ashram quarterly, some times monthly.134 Later on
Dr. Ratan Singh did the same job. Bibi Lavleen Kaur served the ashram till
her death. She belonged to Kairon village. She remained unmarried and
worked for the ashram dedicatedly. She was helping hand to girls in the
boarding house. She used to give them head bath every Saturday by carrying
the water from the well.135
131
Information based on personal interview with Bibi Avtar Kaur, the family member of Nihal Singh
Kairon and ex-student of Bhujangan Ashram Kairon. 132
Interview with Sardar Hardit Singh. 133
Pay bills for the month of May 1947 and December 1949, District Board Girls Middle School
Kairon, n.p. 134
Munsha Singh Dukhi, Jivan Bhai Mohan Singh Vaid, Amritsar, 1939, 216, 247. 135
Interview with Bibi Avtar Kaur.
Sikh Activists
113
The Bhujangan Ashram Kairon became famous with in short time.
The girls started coming from far areas like Lahore, Gurdaspur, Amritsar,
Rajasansi, Patiala, Ferozepur, Hydrabad. All the communities and classes of
people sent their girls to the boarding.136 Some girls belonged to Khalsa
Orphanage of Chief Khalsa Diwan. The daughter of Maharaja Patiala also
came to study there. Besides unmarried girls, married, pregnant women and
even women with their children also lived in the ashram. They were charged
very nominal fee. There were helpers to cook food and clean the rooms but
girls also had to do some works. Generally they helped in preparing the food
and also served the food turn wise.137 There were account cards for the
expenditure of the girls which were sent to the homes of the girls to meet the
finance.
The number of students varied in the different classes. Majority of
students studied in the first standard. Less number of students reached upto
the higher classes.138 Attendance in the classes was taken twice. They had
their classes six days in a week. Holidays were provided them on the festive
occasions of each community like birth day of Guru Nanak, Id, Muhrram,
Dussehra etc.139 On leaving the school the students were given school
leaving certificates. The Bhujangan Ashram Kairon was run by the District
Board. Grants were given by the Board. The school used the District Board
fund by the order of Deputy Commissioner to purchase the different items
for the students.140
The Bhujangan Ashram Kairon became very renowned for its
boarding house that later on the Kairon family was called by the epithet
'boardangeya'.141 Nihal Singh along with school also worked to found
organisations to 'emancipate' women from the social evils. He believed that
136
Admission Register of the Girls' School Kairon, 1905 to 1930. The girls of the Sikhs, Hindus
and Muslims and of all classes including water carriers, tailors, carpenters, landlords
lived together in the ashram. 137
Interview with Sardar Hardit Singh. 138
Register Roj di Hajri da Hisa Middle te Primary, Pathshala Zanana, Kairon, October 1937, n.p. 139
Register Din Prati Hajri da, Middle Madrasa, Tikana Kairon, May 1910, n.p. 140
Purchase Register Zanana School, Kairon, n.d. 141
Interview with Sardar Hardit Singh.
Sikh Activists
114
women served as the main foundation of any community and country.
Development of a child and a person begins with them. Thus they have to be
fully educated and intelligent. He considered women education as a social
agency of transmitting the religious and ethical values to the next
generation. To train the women of the ashram in Sikh tenets and
gurmaryada, he founded Khalsa Bhujangan Diwan, probably in 1907. The
first session of the diwan was held at Kairon. Many Sikh men and women
came from Malwa, Pothuhar, Dhanni etc. to attend it. Railway authority
arranged a special train to Kairon for three days. As a result a permanent
railway station was established there.142
By holding diwan the women of the ashram proved themselves as
capable preachers. The annual session of the Khalsa Bhujangan Diwan was
held successfully. At the occasion Bhai Nihal Singh's written book
Bhujangan Pukar was presented.143 It was in Punjabi verse. It condemned
the Sikh women for wearing unnecessary ornaments and advised them to
live in simplicity.144 Nihal Singh in his poetry emphasized more on the
economic aspect of useless love and craze for jewellery. He felt that the love
for jewellery was the result of false pride and prestige associated with it. It
was not only unhygienic and unaesthetic but was responsible for high rate of
indebtedness among peasantry.
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142
Dyal Singh Parcharak, Jivan Bhai Nihal Singh Ji Kairon, 32. 143
Ibid., 33. 144
N.G. Barrier, The Sikhs and Their Literature, Manohar Book Service, Delhi, 1970, 49. 145
Bhujangan Pukar, 3.
Sikh Activists
115
He opposed the wasteful expenditure on ornaments and laid emphasis
on simple living and high thinking. He also condemned caste system among
the Sikhs and promoted education to bring the awareness about the demerits
of the system. Khalsa Bhujangan Diwan brought popularity as well as
donations for the ashram. Their third annual session was held on March
1909 for the promotion of education. Many educationists from various
places came to attend the session. A group of girls' of Sikh Kanya
Mahavidyala Ferozepur also came. Inspite of great opposition, the diwan
was held successfully at the bunga of Kairon.146 Diwan also presented a
volume of Bhujangan Virlap and made a call to Sikh women for giving up
ceremonies and rites borrowed from Hinduism.147
Nihal Singh wished to develop the organising skills of women. He,
therefore, founded Bhujangan Council. The Bhujangan Council runs its two
organs to raise the status of women, Bhujangan Patar and Sikh Istri
Conference. Bhujangan Patar was a monthly periodical which was
published under the editorship of Bibi Lavleen Kaur.148 The periodical was
devoted to women issues and concerns. It was circulated Burma, China and
Sri Lanka also. The articles on women education, child care, home
management and condition of Sikh women were published in it. The first
issue of periodical noted lack of education and lack of women oriented
periodicals among them and emphasized on the importance of this periodical
among women.
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146
Musha Singh Dukhi, Jivan Bhai Mohan Singh Vaid, 176-177. 147
N.G. Barrier, The Sikhs and Their Literature, 49. 148
Bhujangan Patar, September 1, 1917, (first issue), 3.
Sikh Activists
116
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Its further objectives were to make women aware about the existing
conditions of the world and to propagate Sikh religion. In this, an article was
published on ishtri sikhia and it suggested that home management, learning
of childcare and religious services were the most important aspects for
women.150 The periodical also contained news of Sikh Istri Conferences and
speeches of its presidents and other speakers. Further more it criticized the
desire for ornaments and showy dresses and advised Sikh women to be
simple, clean and be dutiful in their household. There was a column in the
periodical named Bhujangan Vidya Dan in which every kind of donation
was published for the name of ashram.151
The Bhujangan Council held Sikh Istri Conferences for the promotion
of women education. The first conference was held for three days at Kairon
in 1916.152 The objectives of the conference were as follows (a) It would
spread education among women (b) It would taught them to organize
themselves (c) It would condemn blind faith and superstitions among
women and to stop them following Hindu rites and ceremonies and (d) It
would educate them about child and health care.153 It was organised and
managed entirely by women.154 They hold dharmik diwans, langar and
passed resolutions for women and educate them on gurmat. Second Sikh
Istri Conference was held at Amritsar from 26th to 28th October, 1917. The
conference was presided over by Bhagwanti Ram Kaur. A large number of
women as well as men participated in its proceeding and deliberated over
the ways to promote and improve women education. It paid special attention
on the necessity of Sikh Women College on the pattern of Khalsa College
149
Ibid., 2. 150
Ibid., 3. 151
Ibid., October 1, 1917, 15-16. 152
Ibid., September 1, 1917, 25. 153
Ibid., October 1, 1917, 25. 154
Dyal Singh Parcharak, Jivan Bhai Nihal Singh Kairon, 92.
Sikh Activists
117
Amritsar.155 It also noted less number of female students in educational
institutions comparatively male students.
Education Department published a report of the years of 1915-1916
on the number of women students studying in various schools. In which the
comparison was made between Sikh male and Sikh female students. The
number of the Sikh female students was a little over ¼ of the total number of
male students. At the level of college the women were quite lag behind the
men. There were only two female students in comparison to 507 male
students.156 The conference regretted the lack of female teachers in girls'
school. Overall the conference promoted women education which should be
on special syllabi included home management, physical fitness, moral and
religious teachings. Such kind of education could produce the virtuous
women whose real ornament would be their good conduct. The success of
the conference could not tolerate by the opposition group. As a result after
six-seven sessions, the conference was stopped to be held. But Bhujangan
Council continued its anti-ornament propaganda by its Gahney Nashik
Sabha.
The institutions established by Bhai Nihal Singh had lofty objectives
of the welfare and upliftment of women. He had very progressive thoughts
about women. He wanted to upgrade the status of women at par with men.
He wanted to build a women medical college and women training college for
higher education in medicines and religious music. He believed that women
preachers could be more successful than men. Thus he wanted to give them
gurmat sangeet vidaya by establishing training college.157 But he could not
fulfill these dreams and died on November 30, 1928.158
After the death of Bhai Nihal Singh the Bhujangan Ashram had
always been the first love of the family and was looked after by Partap
Singh Kairon himself. It became so famous that the Punjab District
Gazetteer noted it's popularity as:
155
Bhujangan Patar, November 1, 1917, 13. 156
Ibid., 21. 157
Dyal Singh Parcharak, Jivan Bhai Nihal Singh Ji Kairon, 94-95. 158
Munsha Singh Dukhi, Jivan Bhai Mohan Singh Vaid, 584.
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118
"Only 4 of the 15 middle schools are situated outside
Amritsar town. Government maintains a school at
Jalalabad, the District Board one at Kairon and the Sikh
community one at Tarn Taran (all three in the Tarn Taran
tehsil) and the municipality one at Jandiala (in the
Amritsar tehsil). The Kairon School requires special
mention as it is a remarkably fine institution. It is housed
in very good building which include residential
accommodation for pupils, the number of students
exceeds two hundred."159
Bhujangan Ashram Kairon is still working under the directions of his
family members though it is a government high school. It is running in the
same building and carrying the traditions of gurmat sangeet vidaya. The
school has its Gurdwara on the top of the building where the girls do all
daily religious ceremonies. The school building is rectangular in shape. On
every room few lines are written about the amount and place where that
amount was collected. These are the concrete evidences of the Bhai Nihal
Singh's journey of South East Asian Islands. Today the Karion School is
famous for producing many national and inter-national players in various
games.
In retrospect, there emerge some generalities about the works of the Sikh activists
in promotion of education for women. They were firm believers in the tenets of
Sikhism and were associated actively with the activities of the Singh Sabhas of
their respective areas. Their work also casts a reflection of their resources and the
areas or regions of their influences. Baba Khem Singh Bedi was man of wealth
and influence in the west Punjab. He, therefore, opened and financed schools for
women in Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Dhanni and Gujarat. He toured extensively in his
area of influence and awakened people to the necessity of education among
women. Bhai Takhat Singh was sentimental about his project. He put all his
159
Punjab District Gazetteers, Amritsar District by A. Macfarouhar, Chandigarh, Controller of
Printing and Stationery, Punjab, (1947), 257.
Sikh Activists
119
personal resources in the services of the cause. His activities in contrast with that
of Baba Khem Singh Bedi, were confined to a single city i.e. Ferozepur in the
malwa tract of the Punjab.
He set an example of providing education to girls by opening a residential
school. The school was given wide publicity when Bhai Takat Singh visited
different countries like Singapore, Burma, China and Hong Kong. He did face
several odds in his endeavours but he remained firm and steadfast in his resolve.
His efforts were distinct in this field when he introduced Science and teacher
training courses for women. His school produced good number ‘ideal’ women
teachers.
Bhai Nihal Singh belonged to the core of majha tract. His work was
localized more or less in his village Kairon in Patti tahsil of Amritsar district. He
too was a dynamic leader in the field of women education. He was the first one to
establish a boarding school for girls in a village. He christened it a Bhujangan
Ashram or a house for the daughters of the Sikhs. He worked under most adverse
circumstances for he had to face threats and taunts of the people and was subjected
to stone throwing as well. But these could not deter him from his mission. He
established Khalsa Bhujangan Diwan, Bhujangan Council and Bhujangan Patar
to organize women on large platform to remove illiteracy and ignorance among
them.
The Sikh protagonists were in favour of women education but not in
western type of education. They wanted that the syllabus of girls' schools should
be made carefully to keep the idea of ideal Sikh women of Punjabi society in
mind. The Sikh reformers many a times discussed and debated over the question
that what should be taught to women. In Sikh Educational Conferences they raised
a number of issues and made policies regarding their syllabus.