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[[Image:Bhai_Ditt_Singh.JPG|thumb|Bhai Ditt Singh]]
[[Image:Bhai_Ditt_Singh.JPG|thumb|Bhai Ditt Singh]]


Giani Ditt Singh, a scholar, poet, editor , an eminent Singh Sabha reformer was born in '''April 21''', 1853 at village Kalaur of district [[Fatehgarh Sahib]].  
[[Giani Ditt Singh]] was a scholar, poet, editor and an eminent Singh Sabha reformer. He was born on '''April 21''', 1853 at village Kalaur in the district of [[Fatehgarh Sahib]], [[Punjab]] [[India]].


Having moved from one centre of learning to another. Ditt Singh became learned enough to hold discussions with eminent religious scholars like Sadhu Dayanand. It is worthwhile to mention some of these discussions which appear below.  
Having moved from one centre of learning to another, Ditt Singh became knowledgeable enough to hold in-depth discussions with eminent religious scholars like Sadhu Dayanand and others. It is worthwhile to look at some of these discussions; one of these appears below.  


Arya Samaj was, initially, an institution which was working towards removal of casteism and ritualism. Giani ji along with Bhai Jawahar Singh joined this movement. Swami Dayanand was the torch-bearer of this movement. He however soon found that Arya Samaj Chief Swami Dayanand’s faith in the infallibility of Vedas was as uncompromising as that of the [[Muslim]]s in [[Koran]]. He did not believe in the existence of any religion other than [[Hinduism]]. This was, again, a narrow parochial approach. Both Bhai Jawahar Singh and Giani Ditt Singh planned to set the things right.
"Arya Samaj" was, initially, an institution which was working towards the removal of casteism and ritualism. Giani ji along with Bhai Jawahar Singh joined this movement. Swami Dayanand was the torch-bearer of this movement. However, Giani ji soon found that the Arya Samaj Chief, Swami Dayanand’s belief in the supremacy of [[Vedas]] was overwhelming as was the similar assertion made by the [[Muslim]]s regarding the holy [[Koran]].  


During one such event in 1877 at [[Lahore]], Giani ji visited Swami Dayanand along with Bhai Jawahar Singh ''"to know his mind and to know his ideals"''. During the discussion a questions and answers situation arose with Swami Dayanand. This dialogue is quoted below as per the words of Gyani Ditt Singh himself. The question are by Giani ji and the answers by Swami Dayanand:
The Swami did not believe in the existence of any other religion apart from [[Hinduism]]. This was, again, a narrow parochial approach to the multi-cultural and multi-religious societies of the world. Both Bhai Jawahar Singh and Giani Ditt Singh planned to set things right.
 
During a religious gathering in 1877 at [[Lahore]], Giani ji visited Swami Dayanand along with Bhai Jawahar Singh ''"to know his mind and to know his ideals"''. During the discussions, a questions and answers situation arose with Swami Dayanand. This dialogue is quoted below as per the words of [[Giani Ditt Singh]]. The question are by Giani ji and the answers are by Swami Dayanand:


"Q: Who is the Creator of this universe?
"Q: Who is the Creator of this universe?
Line 19: Line 21:
A: How can the Lord create the universe from Himself? He is without form (Nirakaar). He creates the world from four atoms.
A: How can the Lord create the universe from Himself? He is without form (Nirakaar). He creates the world from four atoms.


Q: Wherefrom does the Lord bring these atoms?
Q: Where from does the Lord bring these atoms?


A: The Lord joins the atoms floating in the sky and creates the universe.
A: The Lord joins the atoms floating in the sky and creates the universe.

Revision as of 19:43, 20 April 2009

Bhai Ditt Singh

Giani Ditt Singh was a scholar, poet, editor and an eminent Singh Sabha reformer. He was born on April 21, 1853 at village Kalaur in the district of Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab India.

Having moved from one centre of learning to another, Ditt Singh became knowledgeable enough to hold in-depth discussions with eminent religious scholars like Sadhu Dayanand and others. It is worthwhile to look at some of these discussions; one of these appears below.

"Arya Samaj" was, initially, an institution which was working towards the removal of casteism and ritualism. Giani ji along with Bhai Jawahar Singh joined this movement. Swami Dayanand was the torch-bearer of this movement. However, Giani ji soon found that the Arya Samaj Chief, Swami Dayanand’s belief in the supremacy of Vedas was overwhelming as was the similar assertion made by the Muslims regarding the holy Koran.

The Swami did not believe in the existence of any other religion apart from Hinduism. This was, again, a narrow parochial approach to the multi-cultural and multi-religious societies of the world. Both Bhai Jawahar Singh and Giani Ditt Singh planned to set things right.

During a religious gathering in 1877 at Lahore, Giani ji visited Swami Dayanand along with Bhai Jawahar Singh "to know his mind and to know his ideals". During the discussions, a questions and answers situation arose with Swami Dayanand. This dialogue is quoted below as per the words of Giani Ditt Singh. The question are by Giani ji and the answers are by Swami Dayanand:

"Q: Who is the Creator of this universe?

A: The Lord (Ishwar)

Q: Does the Lord create the universe from Himself or from something else?

A: How can the Lord create the universe from Himself? He is without form (Nirakaar). He creates the world from four atoms.

Q: Where from does the Lord bring these atoms?

A: The Lord joins the atoms floating in the sky and creates the universe.

Q: How many atoms help making this universe and how does the Lord create the universe around them? Can you explain - sequentially and systematically?

A: The atoms of earth, water and air roam around freely in air that the Lord mixes them as per the requirement and creates the universe, e.g., he creates earth from earth atoms, water from water atoms, fire from fire atoms and air from air atoms.

Q: Were these four elements existing earlier than the Lord of were created by the Lord?

A: The Lord is non-existent that he could create the solid elements from His soul. The elements of these four atoms existed already which the Lord united to create the universe.

Q : From your statement the Lord appears to be like a mason who collects and joins bricks, sand, lime, and wood, etc., to make a house. He is not a creator of atoms but creator of a structure from these items? ….. He is like a women who cooks food from various items?"

Hearing these comments Swami Dayanand became angry. The dialogue continued but, at the end, he said angrily, "Go and say that I (Gyani Ditt Singh have won and Swamiji has lost."20

This showed the shallowness of Swami Dayanand’s knowledge. Gyani Ditt Singh held three such discussions with Swami Daya Nand with the same results. The details of these discussions are available in his book Sadhu Daya Nand Naal Mera Sambad. Swami Dayanand stood exposed in all these discussions. This made a great impression of Gyaniji on the listeners and he became very popular and acceptable among Sikhs.

Being one of the founding members of the Singh Sabha of Lahore, he made the Singh Sabha a great movement through his speeches and writings. As an educator, he not only helped in the setting up of Khalsa College, Amritsar, but also wrote textbooks for the students of the college. Author of around 50 books, a major forum for his writing was the Khalsa Akhbar, in which he wrote on current issues. Giani Dit Singh was an editor of this prominent Punjabi newspaper of the time.

Giani Ditt Singh wielded a powerful pen and was equally at home in prose as well as in verse. He wrote more books and pamphlets on Sikh theology and history and on current polemics. He died at Lahore on September 6, 1901. The loss was mourned widely by the Sikhs.

A 15 member memorial committee was formed with Arjan Singh Bagarian as chairman. Notable memorials honoring his name were Giani Ditt Singh Khalsa Boarding House in Lahore and Bhal Ditt Singh Library opened at Sikh Kanya Mahavidyala Ferozepur by Bhal Takhat Singh, one of his former students and close friend. Giani Ditt Singh Memorial International Society, Chandigarh is regularly organizing functions in his memory .

Last year, the society released a book, ‘ Bhai Ditt Singh Giani: Jeevan, Rachna Te Shaksiat’ authored by Dr Karnail Singh Somal, who also born in village Kaluar. Karnail Singh had through his work, more than a 100 years after the death of Giani Dit Singh , attempted to take the reader back into the latter half of 19th century to elucidate events and personalities that helped shape Giani Ditt Singh.

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