“Bless me, beloved, so that I am soon united with my Master!” So runs the ‘prayer which every good Sikh recites nightly before going to bed. Six months after Prof. Kutraj Singh made his final departure, It is hard to believe that he is gone forever. Such is the vitality of his ‘many writings. Life according to Gura Granth Sahibisa journey, and the way shown by Gurus’ holy Word, a super highway. We must, every one of us, tread the path with care and confidence, eager in our quest of the true goal.
In this eternal quest, Kulraj Singh was a torchbearer the guide, friend and philosopher, rolled into one, Whether as teacher, or civil servant he easily won hearts as well as minds, His sincerity was total, his integrity transparent. It is never the less difficult to portray a ‘man whose personal life had been so completely subordinated to his publicity as a professor and educationist, civil servant and lawgiver, scholar and [Practitioner of the moral code, or rahit maryada, of which he was both an entranced exponent.
Debonair even at age seventy plus, Kulraj Singh was unfailingly elegant, meticulous in personal habits, and polite to the point of fault. His strong point in a dialectical discussion was to stay cool a quality that comes readily to ‘one who contemplates Gurbani’s profound import and practices the inner discipline of a Gurmukh, or God oriented individual,
Kulraj Singh had married Bibi Amrit Kaur soon after he was launched on his teaching career, Amrit not only gave loving care to his aging parents, she remained the primary source of his moral strength and a perennial reservoir of patience and affection even as they, together. Brought up three lovely and talented daughters, their home in Patiala (the princely city he loved so much after abandoning in 1947 his birthplace, Peshawar, in distant NWFP) was always the heaven of peace and hospitality. In every sense of the phrase, the couple were ‘made for each other” molded in the sensitive Gurbani precept:”ek jyot doye murati” one soul in two bodies,
In a more mundane plane, it is infinitely sad that Professor Kulraj Singh Left us when the Sikh world and Sikh institutions needed him the most. For four decades, he had’ poured out his heart into a steady stream of thought that enriched The Sikh Review. We have culled for readers only the barest sample in this anthology in our grateful tribute. The most cursory reading of this selection should give an idea of the catholicity and depth of his faith and the consummate marshalling of his argument.
Whenever he examined the Punjab’s political scenario, he appealed for Panthic unity and solidarity. The uppermost thought was his anxiety that the Indian public should understand the true nature of Sikh religion, and the Sikh’s struggle for a place of honor in Indian polity. He was convinced that the militancy after 1984 was a purely defensive reaction against massive state repression, He always advocated astrology for peaceful solution, in the best tradition of Sikhism and maintained that restoration of justice and honor were a precondition to peace and stability in Punjab.
No wonder he imparted to the World Sikh Sammelan considerable momentum, even before it came to be held, under the auspices of Sri Akal Takht, last September, justifying the confidence the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee had reposed in him when it appointed him as the sole convener, Though he passed away by the time it was held, his forethought and planning gave the historic Sammelan a head start.
Sikhs being, by nature, more practical than reflective, tend to underestimate Teaming and scholarship as tools of religion, Professor Kulraj Singh is a rare example of an intellectual of profound faith and comprehension always to self-effacing to stake any claim to scholastic honor. Yet, judged by his philosophic and literary output, he was unquestionably a master interpreter of Sikhism, ‘and an intellectual colossus endowed with mystical insights. His exposition of Gurmat philosophy ac quires greater urgency in the back ‘ground of cynicism of the new crop of Euro centered scholars manning university chairs of Sikh studies in North America. The thought process of these upstarts, he felt, has contributed precious little to the Sikh moral and spiritual experience, and even less to the Sikhs’ cultural and social standing in the west.
While Kulraj Singh’s repertoire of writings, spread over nearly four decades must await a bold initiative by one of the universities in Punjab for a systematic classification and publication. We of the Sikh. Gultural Center deem it a privilege to present herewith a cross-section of his insightful writings on some aspect of the Sikh religion and Punjabi culture. No problem concerning these was beyond the pale of his scrutiny. It was his dream to interpret and disseminate the Sikh ideology for the new generation, and to strengthen the community’s social and moral foundations in a fast changing world. Education of the young was a passion for him, and he loved to be amid students of all ages. He would make it a point to join the Founder’s Day celebration at a residential school in Himachal Pradesh of which he was life member and Trustee, Indeed, our last re collection of him, just weeks before his death, was in the school gurdwara telling the students why moral discipline was integral to physical health, that the discipline of Five K’s was not a ritualist practice, but the secret of Sikh character rooted in service and chivalry, Ashe spoke his firm, if frail, figure radiated confidence and conviction.
In dedicating this issue to Kulraj ‘Singh’s memory, we would like to affirm our belief in Guru Nanak’s holy words that, may his spirit find eternal sanctuary in God’s heavenly abode:
Nijghar mahal pavoh sukhsahahey bahur na hoego phera.
[T.S.R.2/96].
Article extracted from this publication >> March 20, 1996
