I always believed that the books you are meant to read have a way of finding you, like star crossed lovers finding each other in every world and in every lifetime, no matter how much the world may try to pull them apart. Nargas written by Bhai Vir Singh Ji is one such book I believe I was meant to find.
Bhai Vir Singh ji was a prolific Punjabi poet and author who spread the branches of Punjabi literature all throughout the Indian subcontinent and worked to unite the people of India through the tethers of literature during the freedom struggle. At a time when Hindustani literature was under attack by colonial rule, Bhai Vir Singh ji took up his pen to write for the nation, to restore peopleâs faith in their religion, and their way of life.Â
He founded the weekly paper KhÄlsÄ SamÄcÄr (âNews of the Khalsaâ) in Amritsar (1899), where it still published. He founded the Khalsa Tract Society in 1894, aiming to publish and distribute literature that emphasized Sikh values and history. His efforts laid the foundation for the renaissance of Punjabi literature in the 20th century.
Nargas features 24 poems which are like coloured threads woven together to complete the tapestry of life. The poems have an underlying theme of love and devotion and uniting with the divine.
His impact extends far beyond his lifetime. His contributions have been widely acknowledged, earning him prestigious awards such as the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Padma Bhushan. His legacy endures through institutions like the Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan, dedicated to preserving and promoting his literary works.
The core of his philosophy is that man must overcome his pride or ego before he can realize God. Once the battle of self is won, man can then know God in all of his manifestations.
In the heart of Amritsar, amidst an unsuspecting busy lane, hides a path, leading to the house of Bhai Vir Singh ji. His house is like a place stuck in time, untouched by the outside world, preserved like dried flowers in between the pages of a book. A humble abode with a luscious garden, filled with trees and a place for God- a gurudwara at the back⊠Bhai Vir Singh’s house is the epitome of simplicity and is reminiscent of his warm nature.
 “As for his method and it is always interesting to look into the workshop of a craftsman,” he draws a rough pencil sketch and fills in the colors rapidly which he does not alter, if the original idea or scene should fade from his eyes. He is one of those who prefer to suggest rather than to complete a given subject.”
-Ernest Rhys
Nargas features 24 poems which are like colored threads woven together to complete the tapestry of life. The poems have an underlying theme of love and devotion and uniting with the divine.
Featured below is one of his works-
THE DEWDROP ON THE LOTUS LEAFÂ
I am the dewdrop trembling on the lotus leaf,
 As the flower floats on the water!Â
Borne on a ray of the sun, I dropped,
 Like a pearl strung on a thread of gold.Â
I quiver on the lotus leaf as quivers the morning ray,Â
The hand that dropped me from on high In itself holds all the strings of guiding light.
 It is the hand of my King! I play on the lotus leaf to day;Â
Tomorrow I shall be with him! He drops me, and he draws me up.
Even today, years after his demise, every morning flowers grown in Bhai Vir Singh ji’s garden are sent to the Golden Temple to adorn in the holy presence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji without fail.
The following quote from the foreword of Nargas by English writer Ernst Rhys captures the essence of Bhai Vir Singh Ji’s literary style perfectly.
 “As for his method and it is always interesting to look into the workshop of a craftsman, he draws a rough pencil sketch and fills in the colors rapidly which he does not alter, if the original idea or scene should fade from his eyes. He is one of those who prefer to suggest rather than to complete a given subject.”
Just like books, people find each other across lifetimes and universes. This article would be incomplete and insignificant without the mention of Parnaaz, a friend, a little sister, a person who knows me like the back of her hand, who I met through an Instagram account dedicated to my love for books. Parnaaz is like a ball of sunlightâ ever radiant and full of warmth. Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to meet her.Â
Bhai Vir Singh ji’s house is the first place she took me and it was like God had willed this. There we were warmly greeted by the helpers and workers who maintain and care for the place. Walking through his house felt like interfering with a moment stuck in time. As one walks through the cobblestoned pathway, one can feel the whispers of the past and hear the rustling of the leaves mingled with the melodies of his sonnets. Bhai Vir Singh ji’s house is complete with old photographs and memorabilia of the past, which adorn the space.Â
There is a room dedicated to his books, where one can purchase them. This is where Nargas found me âa maroon outer cover, covered with a sliver of dust and no title on the spine. It was the only book which consisted of an English translation of his works. As if it were a sign from the universe, the first page the book opened to was a poem called “I Remember I Was on the Swing of Love”. This, I knew, could not be a coincidence. Nargas became a part of my collection then, traveling back 500 kilometers to Delhi with me. It now sits proudly on my bookshelf at home.Â