Bhagat Singh was one of Indias bravest sons . He was hanged on 23rd March 1931.Unfortunately his death anniversary passed without much publicity .The great tragedy in India are not so much its religious ,economic and political divisions –but a unity of Indians who are ignorant of history .For many Bhagat Singh is just a name.Bhagat Singh was a idea- his ideas did not die in 1931( he himself writes thus ).He continues to live .
Bhagat Singh’s family was quite large; including himself; they were nine siblings-Jagat Singh, Bhagat Singh, Amar Kaur, Kulbir Singh, Shakuntla Devi, Kultar Singh, Prakash Kaur, Ranbir Singh& Rajinder Singh. Jagat Singh died very young, while others lived longer, apart from Bhagat Singh’s martyrdom at 23. Kultar Singh died in 2004, at the age of 86 years. Kultar Singh had remained MLA and minister in N D Tiwari led UP Government. Kulbir Singh remained Jansangh MLA from Punjab in early sixties.
On 3 March 1931, Bhagat Singh saw his family for the last time at the Lahore jail . Distressed by the tearful sight of his younger brother Kultar in tears, Bhagat Singh wrote to him a letter – at once moving and inspiring. The original, written in Urdu, is reproduced here in Roman alphabet with a translation. The reason for this is that as the English translation does not do justice to the powerful verses that Bhagat quoted in the original depth of ideas and powerful emotions expressed by Bhagat Singh in his very concise letter.
“3 March 1931
“Aziz Kultar,
“अज़ीज़ कुलतार,“आज तुम्हारी आँखों में आँसू देख कर बहुत रंज हुआ. आज तुम्हारी बात में बहुत दर्द था. तुम्हारे आँसू मुझ से बर्दाश्त नहीं हुए.
(“It made me very sad to see tears in your eyes today. There was deep pain in your words today. I could not bear to see your tears.}
“बर्खुरदार, हिम्मत से तालीम हासिल करते जाना और सेहत का ख़याल रखना.
(“My boy, pursue your studies with determination and look after your health.)
“हौसला रखना. और क्या … (लिखूं?)
(“Be determined. What else … (can I write?)::
उसे यह फ़िक्र हरदम नया तर्ज़े जफ़ा क्या है,
हमें यह शौक़ है देखें सितम की इंतिहा क्या है.
(They are ever anxious to devise new forms of treachery,
We are eager to see what limits there are to oppression.)
देहेर से क्यूँ खफा रहें चरख से क्यूँ गिला करें,
सारा जहाँ अदू सहीं, आओ मुक़ाबला करें.
(Why should we be angry with the world … and complain,
Ours is a just world (ideal), let us fight for it.)
कोई दम का मेहमान हूँ आई अहले महफ़िल,
चीरघे सहर हूँ, बुझना चाहता हूँ.
(I am a guest only for a few moments, my companions,
I am the lamp that burns before the dawn and longs to be extinguished.)
हवा में रहेगी मेरे ख़याल की बिजली,
यह मुश्तेखाक़ है फणी, रहे ना रहे.
(The breeze will spread the essence of my thoughts,
This self is but a fistful of dust, whether it lives or perishes.)
“अच्छा रुखसत."
(“Well, goodbye.)
खुश रहो अहले वतन हम तो सफ़र करते हैं.
(Be happy, countrymen, I am off to travel.)
“हौसले से रहना.
(“Live courageously.)
“नमस्ते.
“Namaste.
“तुम्हारा भाई,
“Tumhara Bhai, Bhagat Singh
भगत सिंग
PS – Please do read more about Bhagat Singh .Please also appreciate what one can do at a young age –he was hanged when he was just 23 years of age .Read some of the letters he wrote.As Indians is it too much to expect that each of us know more about him than what we do ?
Bhagat Singh’s family was quite large; including himself; they were nine siblings-Jagat Singh, Bhagat Singh, Amar Kaur, Kulbir Singh, Shakuntla Devi, Kultar Singh, Prakash Kaur, Ranbir Singh& Rajinder Singh. Jagat Singh died very young, while others lived longer, apart from Bhagat Singh’s martyrdom at 23. Kultar Singh died in 2004, at the age of 86 years. Kultar Singh had remained MLA and minister in N D Tiwari led UP Government. Kulbir Singh remained Jansangh MLA from Punjab in early sixties.
On 3 March 1931, Bhagat Singh saw his family for the last time at the Lahore jail . Distressed by the tearful sight of his younger brother Kultar in tears, Bhagat Singh wrote to him a letter – at once moving and inspiring. The original, written in Urdu, is reproduced here in Roman alphabet with a translation. The reason for this is that as the English translation does not do justice to the powerful verses that Bhagat quoted in the original depth of ideas and powerful emotions expressed by Bhagat Singh in his very concise letter.
“3 March 1931
“Aziz Kultar,
“अज़ीज़ कुलतार,“आज तुम्हारी आँखों में आँसू देख कर बहुत रंज हुआ. आज तुम्हारी बात में बहुत दर्द था. तुम्हारे आँसू मुझ से बर्दाश्त नहीं हुए.
(“It made me very sad to see tears in your eyes today. There was deep pain in your words today. I could not bear to see your tears.}
“बर्खुरदार, हिम्मत से तालीम हासिल करते जाना और सेहत का ख़याल रखना.
(“My boy, pursue your studies with determination and look after your health.)
“हौसला रखना. और क्या … (लिखूं?)
(“Be determined. What else … (can I write?)::
उसे यह फ़िक्र हरदम नया तर्ज़े जफ़ा क्या है,
हमें यह शौक़ है देखें सितम की इंतिहा क्या है.
(They are ever anxious to devise new forms of treachery,
We are eager to see what limits there are to oppression.)
देहेर से क्यूँ खफा रहें चरख से क्यूँ गिला करें,
सारा जहाँ अदू सहीं, आओ मुक़ाबला करें.
(Why should we be angry with the world … and complain,
Ours is a just world (ideal), let us fight for it.)
कोई दम का मेहमान हूँ आई अहले महफ़िल,
चीरघे सहर हूँ, बुझना चाहता हूँ.
(I am a guest only for a few moments, my companions,
I am the lamp that burns before the dawn and longs to be extinguished.)
हवा में रहेगी मेरे ख़याल की बिजली,
यह मुश्तेखाक़ है फणी, रहे ना रहे.
(The breeze will spread the essence of my thoughts,
This self is but a fistful of dust, whether it lives or perishes.)
“अच्छा रुखसत."
(“Well, goodbye.)
खुश रहो अहले वतन हम तो सफ़र करते हैं.
(Be happy, countrymen, I am off to travel.)
“हौसले से रहना.
(“Live courageously.)
“नमस्ते.
“Namaste.
“तुम्हारा भाई,
“Tumhara Bhai, Bhagat Singh
भगत सिंग
PS – Please do read more about Bhagat Singh .Please also appreciate what one can do at a young age –he was hanged when he was just 23 years of age .Read some of the letters he wrote.As Indians is it too much to expect that each of us know more about him than what we do ?
