ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>DAL&#298P SINGH SANT (1883-1948)</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="DAL*P,SINGH,SANT,Person,Person"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279DAL&#298P SINGH, SANT (1883-1948), son of &#298shar Si&#7749gh and Har Kaur, was born in 1883 at the village of Lahr&#299, in Hoshi&#257rpur district. He was hardly five years old, when his father died. He was brought up by his maternal grandfather, Nih&#257l Si&#7749gh, at his village &#7692umel&#299. He received his early education from a local Sikh priest, who also trained him in the singing of <i>gurb&#257&#7751&#299</i>.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Dal&#299p Si&#7749gh was a child with peculiar traits. He was fond of solitude. One day he went out and did not return home. He built for himself a cell (the site, now called B&#257b&#257 R&#257&#7751&#257) for meditation. He was then a youth of about twenty. He remained wrapped up in deep meditation for forty-eight days in his cell. As he refused to return home, the residents of the village built for him a cottage. He ground the grain into flour and did his own cooking, refusing to accept food even from his own mother. In his cottage, he started a small <i>la&#7749gar</i> (free kitchen) for the poor and needy. He was convinced that selfless service to fellow men was the essence of true religion and the highest worship of the Almighty. Whenever he came across a disabled, blind, dumb, lame, sick or orphaned child, he brought him to his cottage and looked after him. He brought up many such children and trained them for earning their livelihood. Sant Sarva&#7751 Si&#7749gh Ghandh&#257r&#299, born blind, and Gi&#257n&#299 Harba&#7749s Si&#7749gh born a cripple, who are now running the <i>&#7693er&#257</i> of Sant B&#257b&#257 Dal&#299p Si&#7749gh, grew up under his care. The former was enabled to earn his Master's degree in Music (Classical and Instrumental) and the latter to qualify for practice in the indigenous system of medicine.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; B&#257b&#257 Dal&#299p Si&#7749gh combined with his saintly disposition a revolutionary urge. He gave shelter to the Babar Ak&#257l&#299s engaged in anti - government activities and provided them with food and money. He himself took part in the Ak&#257l&#299 movement and led a <i>jath&#257</i> during the Jaito <i>morch&#257</i>. During the Hindu-Muslim riots in 1947, he saved the lives of many Muslims at great personal risk.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sant Dal&#299p Si&#7749gh died in 1948. Apart from the <i>&#7693er&#257</i> he founded, a <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 College at &#7692umel&#299 commemorates his name.</p> </ol><p class="CONT">Gurdi&#257l Si&#7749gh Phul<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>