We meet many people in our life. We forget some and remember some. However, some people we meet, leave a warm, kind, and friendly imprint on our minds forever.
One such great personality I met in my early life was Krishna Behan ji - Mrs. Brigadier Shamsher Singh ji.
She left this mortal world last week - At the age of ninety.
Last week, when I received a message from her grandson Manpreet ji that Dadi Maa passed away, my mind started wandering on an old memory lane.
I first met her and Brigadier Sahib (then a colonel) in 1967 in Ferozepur, Punjab. I was running 'Sangeet Vihaar - a small academy of Indian classical music while also working on my master's degree in music. At the same time, Shamsher Singh ji - a recipient of Veer Chakra - was also posted at Ferozepur Cantt. Though he was not able to come to Sangat regularly because of his work responsibilities, his wife Krishna Behan ji frequently came to Sangat on almost every Sunday.
She was very fond of Indian classical music and poetry - which she inherited from her father Shri Kuljas Rai 'Saber' - a great Shayer (Urdu poet) and a well-known figure in the Nirankari Mission. Perhaps this mutual interest in classical music brought us a little closer at first - because she also played Sitar. But gradually, we had built a close family relationship, and we regularly visited each other. She always treated me like a younger brother - or more correctly, with motherly love. Since I was living there alone, they invited me over to their place more often for food or tea, etc. We always had a great time talking about philosophy, Shayari, and playing Sitar.
But more than the interest in music and Shayari, the most impressive characteristic of her personality was her devotion and humility. Those, who are familiar with the lifestyle of army officers, know that the wives of army officers are treated with great respect - not only by the orderlies or soldiers but by the fellow officers as well, so it is natural for them to develop a sense of superiority. Krishna behan ji, however, had no such thing in her personality. Unlike in the homes of other officers or Adhikaaris, I had seen all visiting saints, and guests - regardless of their social status, rich or poor - were warmly welcomed and treated with equal respect in their home. She even preferred to serve them herself.
In one of my earlier blogs* - which was a tribute to Brigadier Shamsher Singh ji, I have shared a very inspiring incidence of those days at their home, which showed the purity of their hearts, genuine humility and greatness.
Their sons Rubi (Ravinder Manhas ji) and Bindu (Virender Manhas ji) were quite young at that time.
Bindu (Virender Manhas) had a keen interest in music and a great voice, so she put him in my school for Vocal lessons, which further enabled us to spend more time together.
Krishna Behan ji was not only a great devotee with many saintly qualities, but she also inspired her sons to walk on the same path of love, devotion, and humility.
Now Ravinder Manhas ji lives in Gurgaon and has been granted several distinctive responsibilities at Sant Nirankari Mandal Delhi and 'Baba Gurbachan Singh Memorial College' Sohna.
And Virender Manhas ji, now a professor at Jammu University, is a great devotee, a learned Pracharak, and an excellent singer as well. He loves to sing Sufi songs in a classical style.
Till her last breath, Krishna Behan ji lived a life full of love and devotion. Until a couple of years ago, even at that advanced age, she regularly attended the morning Sangats in Nirankari colony Delhi. She has been an inspiration to many who knew her personally.
I feel fortunate that I was able to visit her in Jammu - during my last trip to India in October 2019. I spent a couple of hours with her - along with Virender Ji and his wife at their home, where she very fondly talked about the 'good old' days of Ferozepur and reminded us of many old and beautiful memories. It was wonderful to see that she still had a good memory and the same fondness for music and poetry.
But most of all, she still had the same elegance, but no arrogance - same love and devotion, but no ego.
May we imbibe such great virtues in our lives as well.
' Rajan Sachdeva '
* https://rajansachdev.blogspot.com/2014/10/brigadier-shamsher-singh-ji.html
One such great personality I met in my early life was Krishna Behan ji - Mrs. Brigadier Shamsher Singh ji.
She left this mortal world last week - At the age of ninety.
Last week, when I received a message from her grandson Manpreet ji that Dadi Maa passed away, my mind started wandering on an old memory lane.
I first met her and Brigadier Sahib (then a colonel) in 1967 in Ferozepur, Punjab. I was running 'Sangeet Vihaar - a small academy of Indian classical music while also working on my master's degree in music. At the same time, Shamsher Singh ji - a recipient of Veer Chakra - was also posted at Ferozepur Cantt. Though he was not able to come to Sangat regularly because of his work responsibilities, his wife Krishna Behan ji frequently came to Sangat on almost every Sunday.
She was very fond of Indian classical music and poetry - which she inherited from her father Shri Kuljas Rai 'Saber' - a great Shayer (Urdu poet) and a well-known figure in the Nirankari Mission. Perhaps this mutual interest in classical music brought us a little closer at first - because she also played Sitar. But gradually, we had built a close family relationship, and we regularly visited each other. She always treated me like a younger brother - or more correctly, with motherly love. Since I was living there alone, they invited me over to their place more often for food or tea, etc. We always had a great time talking about philosophy, Shayari, and playing Sitar.
But more than the interest in music and Shayari, the most impressive characteristic of her personality was her devotion and humility. Those, who are familiar with the lifestyle of army officers, know that the wives of army officers are treated with great respect - not only by the orderlies or soldiers but by the fellow officers as well, so it is natural for them to develop a sense of superiority. Krishna behan ji, however, had no such thing in her personality. Unlike in the homes of other officers or Adhikaaris, I had seen all visiting saints, and guests - regardless of their social status, rich or poor - were warmly welcomed and treated with equal respect in their home. She even preferred to serve them herself.
In one of my earlier blogs* - which was a tribute to Brigadier Shamsher Singh ji, I have shared a very inspiring incidence of those days at their home, which showed the purity of their hearts, genuine humility and greatness.
Their sons Rubi (Ravinder Manhas ji) and Bindu (Virender Manhas ji) were quite young at that time.
Bindu (Virender Manhas) had a keen interest in music and a great voice, so she put him in my school for Vocal lessons, which further enabled us to spend more time together.
Krishna Behan ji was not only a great devotee with many saintly qualities, but she also inspired her sons to walk on the same path of love, devotion, and humility.
Now Ravinder Manhas ji lives in Gurgaon and has been granted several distinctive responsibilities at Sant Nirankari Mandal Delhi and 'Baba Gurbachan Singh Memorial College' Sohna.
And Virender Manhas ji, now a professor at Jammu University, is a great devotee, a learned Pracharak, and an excellent singer as well. He loves to sing Sufi songs in a classical style.
Till her last breath, Krishna Behan ji lived a life full of love and devotion. Until a couple of years ago, even at that advanced age, she regularly attended the morning Sangats in Nirankari colony Delhi. She has been an inspiration to many who knew her personally.
I feel fortunate that I was able to visit her in Jammu - during my last trip to India in October 2019. I spent a couple of hours with her - along with Virender Ji and his wife at their home, where she very fondly talked about the 'good old' days of Ferozepur and reminded us of many old and beautiful memories. It was wonderful to see that she still had a good memory and the same fondness for music and poetry.
But most of all, she still had the same elegance, but no arrogance - same love and devotion, but no ego.
May we imbibe such great virtues in our lives as well.
' Rajan Sachdeva '
* https://rajansachdev.blogspot.com/2014/10/brigadier-shamsher-singh-ji.html
Such lovely memories, Rajan-ji.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your memories Rajan Ji
ReplyDelete๐๐
ReplyDeleteThank you ji for your extremely kind words for the family. We fondly remember รฝou & Rev Giani hi who later moved to UK. Seeking blessings
ReplyDeleteThank you ji for your extremely kind words for the family. We fondly remember รฝou & Rev Giani hi who later moved to UK. Seeking blessings
ReplyDelete