Baba Kanshi Ram
Encyclopedia
Baba Kanshi Ram was an Indian poet and independence activist from the India
n state
of Himachal Pradesh
.
He lost his parents within a span of one year when he was barely 13 years old. He had to move to Lahore
in search of livelihood. It was here that he came in contact with many revolutionaries such as Lala Lajpat Rai
, Lala Hardayal, Sardar Ajit Singh
and Maulavi Barkatullah
for the first time.
was hit by a Kangra earthquake in 1905. Kanshi Ram took active part in a team led by Lala Lajpat Rai
. He also attended the Delhi Durbar
in 1911.
The turning point for him however came in 1919, when the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
happened. He was in Amritsar at that time. After this incident, he returned home to Kangra and started spreading Mahatma Gandhi
's message through his poetry and songs in the Pahari languages
. He was arrested for the first time on 5 May 1920 for two years and lodged in the Dharamshala jail along with Lala Lajpat Rai. He was released on 11 November 1922.
He was again arrested while reciting self-composed poems at a gathering in Palampur. He spent nine years in various jails, after being arrested 11 times. He continued writing sensitive poetry in jail against the British administration.
The title Pahari Gandhi was given him by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
at a rally in Hoshiarpur
in 1937. The title stuck with him thereafter.
The death sentences handed out to Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev in 1931 had great impact on him. He vowed to wear black clothes till India achieved its independence. He adhered to his vow until he died on 15 October 1943 and came to be known affectionately the Siahposh General (General in Black).
. His verses landed him in jail more than once.
An anthology
by him of 500 poems, eight short stories and a novelette, covering a number of subjects like metaphysics, mysticism, romance and hardships of farmers of Himachal.
Some of his famous poems are:
He was conferred the title of Bulbul-e-pahar (Nightingale of the hills) by Sarojini Naidu
, herself called the Nightingale of India.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
.
Early life and family
Kanshi Ram got married at a very early age of seven to Sarasvati Devi who, at that time, was barely five. He went to the village school but could not study any further.He lost his parents within a span of one year when he was barely 13 years old. He had to move to Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
in search of livelihood. It was here that he came in contact with many revolutionaries such as Lala Lajpat Rai
Lala Lajpat Rai
Lala Lajpat Rai was an Indian author, freedom fighter and politician who is chiefly remembered as a leader in the Indian fight for freedom from the British Raj. He was popularly known as Punjab Kesari or Sher-e-Punjab meaning the samem and was part of the Lal Bal Pal trio...
, Lala Hardayal, Sardar Ajit Singh
Sardar Ajit Singh
Sardar Ajit Singh Sindhu was an Indian dissident and nationalist during the time of British rule in India. He was an early protester in the Punjab region of India who challenged British rule, and openly criticized the Indian colonial government...
and Maulavi Barkatullah
Maulavi Barkatullah
Maulavi Abdul Hafiz Mohamed Barakatullah or Maulana Barkatullah was a staunch anti-British Indian revolutionary with sympathy for the Pan-Islamic movement. Barkatullah was born on 7 July 1854 at Itwra Mohalla Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, India...
for the first time.
Independence campaign
Kangra ValleyKangra Valley
Kangra Valley is situated in Himachal Pradesh, India. It is a popular tourist destination, with the peak season around March and April.Dharamsala, the headquarters of Kangra district, lies on the southern spur of Dhauladhar in the valley .-Geography:...
was hit by a Kangra earthquake in 1905. Kanshi Ram took active part in a team led by Lala Lajpat Rai
Lala Lajpat Rai
Lala Lajpat Rai was an Indian author, freedom fighter and politician who is chiefly remembered as a leader in the Indian fight for freedom from the British Raj. He was popularly known as Punjab Kesari or Sher-e-Punjab meaning the samem and was part of the Lal Bal Pal trio...
. He also attended the Delhi Durbar
Delhi Durbar
The Delhi Durbar , meaning "Court of Delhi", was a mass assembly at Coronation Park, Delhi, India, to mark the coronation of a King and Queen of the United Kingdom. Also known as the Imperial Durbar, it was held three times, in 1877, 1903, and 1911, at the height of the British Empire. The 1911...
in 1911.
The turning point for him however came in 1919, when the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
Jallianwala Bagh massacre
The Jallianwala Bagh massacre , also known as the Amritsar massacre, took place in the Jallianwala Bagh public garden in the northern Indian city of Amritsar, and was ordered by Brigadier-General Reginald E.H. Dyer...
happened. He was in Amritsar at that time. After this incident, he returned home to Kangra and started spreading Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
's message through his poetry and songs in the Pahari languages
Pahari languages
The Pahari languages are a geographic group of Indic languages spoken in the lower ranges of the Himalayas, from Nepal in the east to the Indian states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir in the west.-Classification:The Pahari languages fall into three groups:*Eastern, consisting...
. He was arrested for the first time on 5 May 1920 for two years and lodged in the Dharamshala jail along with Lala Lajpat Rai. He was released on 11 November 1922.
He was again arrested while reciting self-composed poems at a gathering in Palampur. He spent nine years in various jails, after being arrested 11 times. He continued writing sensitive poetry in jail against the British administration.
The title Pahari Gandhi was given him by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
at a rally in Hoshiarpur
Hoshiarpur
Hoshiarpur is a city and a municipal council in Hoshiarpur district in the Indian state of Punjab. It was founded, according to tradition, during the early part of the fourth century. In 1809 it was occupied by the forces of Maharaja Karanvir Singh and was united into the greater state of Punjab....
in 1937. The title stuck with him thereafter.
The death sentences handed out to Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev in 1931 had great impact on him. He vowed to wear black clothes till India achieved its independence. He adhered to his vow until he died on 15 October 1943 and came to be known affectionately the Siahposh General (General in Black).
Poetry
Baba Kanshi Ram had great love for poetry in his native pahari language. He used his poetry to raise his voice against the British RajBritish Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
. His verses landed him in jail more than once.
An anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
by him of 500 poems, eight short stories and a novelette, covering a number of subjects like metaphysics, mysticism, romance and hardships of farmers of Himachal.
Some of his famous poems are:
- Angrez Sarkar Da Tigha Par Dhiare - The British Government is on her last legs
- Smaj nee roya - Society, do not shed tears
- Nikke, nikke mahnua jo dukh bara bhari - Great sorrows of small people
- Ujari kangre des jana - Kangra will be destroyed
- Mera suneha bhukhyan nangiyan yo - My call to hungry and poor
- Na kar gallan munuan kanne jaane diyan - O lad, do not talk about going together
- Kanshi ra suneha - Call from Kanshi
He was conferred the title of Bulbul-e-pahar (Nightingale of the hills) by Sarojini Naidu
Sarojini Naidu
Sarojini Naidu , also known by the sobriquet The Nightingale of India, was a child prodigy, Indian independence activist and poet...
, herself called the Nightingale of India.