SANT TEJA SINGH JI considerate for the needs of others. Singh, then Assistant Professor, (1877 - 1965) later Principal, he went to pay his As a senior teacher in a premier respects to Sant Attar Singh Ji, who Sikh institute, he was required to was visiting Lahore. He found Sant Teja Singh's old name was attend Gurdwara Sahib regularly. internal peace by meeting and Niranjan Singh Mehta, until his To avoid bowing to the Guru Granth talking to Sant Ji. He decided to family took Amrit in 1905. He was Sahib, he decided to be there follow Sant Ji's advise and born in 1877 in village Balowali, before anybody else would come. guidance. The first lesson he district Gujranwala, Punjab, One day he had unique spiritual received was to give up ill-will or Pakistan. His father, S. Rala Singh experience which gave U-turn to his bad feelings in his mind for those was a physician. After getting the life. He intuitively felt the presence who had misbehaved with him or degree of M.A., L.L.B. in 1901, he of the Gurus, where the Guru treated him wrongly. He returned to appeared for a state level Granth Sahib was installed. He was his job only after cleaning his mind competition and was chosen for the magnetically attracted towards of all bad feelings with whomsoever coveted post of a civil officer of the Gurbani and fell before the scripture he had, one of them being his step- British Raj. His love for education, like a log. Some super-power made mother. In 1905, he and his family however, brought him to the Khalsa him utter the names of the Gurus took Amrit. His old name Niranjan College Amritsar in 1903 as its first and pray to God before he could Singh Mehta was changed to Teja Sikh Vice-Principal. raise his head from the floor. Singh. The young man was non-religious, Meeting a Holyman Sant Attar Singh Ji wanted to a free thinker, argumentative and a establish a school for providing critic. Because of his western style After the incidence in the Gurdwara complete education, worldly education, he never cared to listen Sahib, he lived in an unusual state knowledge amalgamated with to the Sikh Sants or other religious of mind and felt the need of going to spiritual experience. Teja Singh preachers. He lived in the material a spiritual doctor, a Sant. He paid a offered his services to teach in that world, totally forgetting the spiritual visit to Baba Sham Singh, the institute. He also thought of getting aspect of life. He did not bow to the famous musician at Harmandir training in western universities for Guru Granth Sahib, considering it to Sahib, Amritsar, who guided him to this great mission. Sant Ji approved be an idol worship. But he was very Sant Attar Singh Ji. After some the proposal and suggested him :- honest, sympathetic and very days in the company of Bhai Jodh 1. To retain his Khalsa form, not to When told to take off his turban and agreed to give two lectures, one on remove the turban or cut the hair put on a cap, he convinced the Guru Nanak and Sant tradition and and enter into an argument with authorities of the requirement of the second on Indian society. The anyone about it. wearing a turban by a Sikh and got professor advised the dates of the their permission to keep it while lectures for information of the 2. To establish Gurdwara Sahibs. attending classes. general public as well. Among the 10,000 audience, there were 3. To tell western society that ridhi- Later, more Sikhs came there and students, professors, citizens, sidhi (miracle powers) are of no they started holding regular Sikh social leaders and press reporters. significance, the stage of self- Sangats on Sundays. To organize realization is far beyond it. them formally, Khalsa Jatha, British These lectures not only recognized Isles was founded. Teja Singh who had hardly FOREIGN VISIT, FIRST PHASE : completed his twenties as a scholar but also raised the image of the USA : Before completing the sixth Sikh faith in the west. About a UK : In 1906, Teja Singh reached and final term at Cambridge, the dozen of European-Americans met UK and joined London University pre-destined program made him to him to express their great College for the degree of Doctor of move to the Columbia University, satisfaction and wanted him to give Science. As advised by his mentor, New York, USA, where he was a weekly discourse to their group of he attended the University while awarded a scholarship. One day, 100 persons. The attendance wearing his turban. He wished other when Kippling's poetry was being during the lectures doubled very Sikhs there to also retain their long discussed in the class and the soon. During the discourses, they hair and turban. Pointing to his teacher made observation about his realized the truth of the Nanak's turban, one day, a friend remarked, character. Teja Singh differed with message that ridhi-sidhi is not the "you can wear your turban only him and gave his own evaluation of path for realization of the goal of here. At Cambridge, all are required the author. These daring and very human life. They mentioned to Teja to wear a cap and a gown. How can correct observations of him gave a Singh that they were earlier mislead one wear a turban there?" During great surprise to the teacher. After by an Indian Sadhu. the next term, Teja Singh got the class, he called Teja Singh to admission at Cambridge, becoming his office and asked him to give a CANADA : The two lectures were the first student with a turban there. public discourse on Indian life. He covered well by the newspapers in North America. A well-wisher of the by his European audience. Their unfolded later, his visit was not just Sikhs read the news in Vancouver, representatives requested him to to help Mr. Crawford in need but British Columbia, Canada and continue his weekly discourses on also to save 10,000 Indians from talked about it with Bhai Balwant the mission of Guru Nanak. Mr. being pushed out of Canada (to Singh, the Granthi Ji of the T.C. Crawford got very deeply Honduras), where they had made Gurdwara Sahib. The Indians, interested in the Sikh faith and their homes with hard work. mostly Sikhs, were in trouble and started regular meditation. He were thinking of inviting a scholar almost daily visited Teja Singh Ji to SERVING SIKHS IN CANADA from India to help them. They discuss some spiritual topics with immediately approached Teja Singh him. To the surprise of Teja Singh Teja Singh Ji met a Canadian Ji. On getting an urgent invitation Ji, one day he came early in the passenger on the train, on his way from Canadian Sikhs, he left for morning and stated his problem like to Vancouver, who told him, " Mr., Vancouver. this, " Over a time, I built my right to Singh, a big misfortune is looming be a share holder of a gold mine in large on the Sikhs in Canada. By After the morning Kirtan in the Jacksonville California. My friends making one or the other excuse, Vancouver Gurdwara Sahib on who have turned unfaithful to me, Canadian government is planning Sunday, Teja Singh Ji gave a want to deprive me of that. I need to pack them all in a ship and discourse and explained the $50,000 to retain my ownership of dispatch them to Honduras in South message of Guru Nanak to the mine. In exchange, I can America. It is a very bad land, humanity. After the function, he was transfer one-fourth share of the gold infested with yellow fever and introduced to all the Sikhs mine to the Sikhs. I have been without any employment assembled there who invited him to intuitively told during my meditation opportunities. You, a scholar and a their houses. These home visits that only you can help me." lawyer, can save them from that made him feel closer to the Sikh misery. I wish you to help your Sangats, understand their strengths Teja Singh Ji could not say "no" to fellow brothers." and know their difficulties. Before such a devotee of the Guru. He the summer vacation ended, he thought of Sikh brothers in This time an unexpected arrival of returned to Columbia, New York, for Vancouver, British Columbia, for Professor Teja Singh Ji in completing his studies. this project. He suspended his Vancouver was a pleasant surprise studies and the very next day he to everyone in the Gurdwara Sahib. His return was more than welcome left for Vancouver. As the matters After praying and reading a hymn from Guru Granth Sahib to get the persons, Doctor Knapp and Mrs. blessing of the Almighty, the Sikh Professor Teja Singh Ji assured Campbell Johnson became leaders discussed the situation from them, "The Almighty is on their side devotees of Guru Nanak. all aspects. They explained their as revealed just now by the hymn problems in the following words, read from Guru Granth Sahib. BY-LAWS DRAFTING : "The government is throwing Maybe the Almighty wanted me to baseless blames on our community. serve the Sikhs that this Professor Teja Singh Ji drafted and They say that we have no jobs and unexpected visit to Canada was finalized the rules, regulations and no other sources to support us. Our arranged according to His Will." by-laws of the Khalsa Diwan living is not clean.