Punjab Da Boddhi Itihas (Buddhist History of Punjab) – Scholarly Research Book of Harmesh Jassal

 

Punjab Da Boddhi Itihas (Buddhist History of Punjab) – Scholarly Research Book of Harmesh Jassal

My friend Harmesh Jassal, my fellow BootanMandian, invited me to the book launch of his Magnus Opus – Punjab Da Boddhi Itihas a couple of months ago but due to health reasons I could not participate. It was kind of him to visit me to gift his book later. I have glanced through the book at leisure. It is a scholarly research work of the author, a staunch Ambedkarite, a conscious Buddhist, literarily and journalistic manager and a dedicated social activist and above all a good human being. Though I am not a voracious reader and a scholar and that too of civilizational historiography yet I thought of sharing my brief observations on the book as a layman.

The get up and layout of the book – Punjab Da Boddhi Itihas is good and presentable. The title page, designed and prepared thoughtfully, say it all to justify the title of the book – from Lord Buddha to Buddhist Kings and Monarchs to Babasaheb Ambedkar who revived Buddhism in India in recent times. The book contained in 368 pages has been divided in two parts – Part 1: Punjab Da Boddhi Itihas (Geo-Political – Rajsi) which has 12 chapters and Part 2: Punjab Da Boddhi Itihas (Civilizational or Archelogical – Prattav) with 3 chapters. The author has explained his motivation to write this book in the introductory narration; Lekhak Balon – From the Author. One of these motivations was to write and inform about the spread, elopement and revival of Buddhism in the Northern region especially Punjab to add and supplement the treatise ‘Buddhism in Punjab Haryana and Himachal Pradesh written by D.C. Ahir, a staunch Amerdkarite and erudite scholar a long time ago as the subsequent research and study has thrown many facts and developments which would certainly enrich the research and study of the subject for the benefit of the coming generations.  His thanks giving exercise is demonstrative of his net-working and harmonious qualities to make friends and involve them in his activities. Harmesh is magnanimous and liberal in recognizing these associates and friends in writing and publishing the book. He is magnanimous to a fault when he mentions my name in the narration in this regard. The color photos of some of these personalities, cream la cream, of the community, is an added feature of the book. The foreword of the book has been written as ‘Bhoomika’ by an erudite scholar and intellectual of Indian culture, tradition in its historical and contemporary parlance, Dr. Surinder Ajnat. Ajnat Sahib has rightly termed the book as ‘an all-inclusive’

and comprehensive narration on the subject. He has further said that Harmesh Jassal’s book was is the only distinguished book in Punjabi on the subject. Fully supplementing and supporting the treatise of the author, Surinder Ajnat has clearly stated that it was all the more possible and feasible the Lord Buddha might have visited and travelled through Punjab on the way to his journey to Taxila. He has also noted that how the Buddhist Kings like Ashoka the Great among others had spread Buddhism in Punjab and beyond. He has also raised an obvious question on the possibility that the Dalits were Buddhists before they were subjugated into Hinduism.

In the Part 1 of the book, 12 Chapters give all the details pertaining to geo-political and administrative scenario from the ancient times. It contains very useful and informative material for the research scholars and historians. The question of Lord Buddha’s visit and travel to Punjab, the core subject of the book, has been discussed in Chapter 2 – Tathagat Buddh Da Punjab Aagman (Lord Buddha’s travels in Punjab). As a layman, what I could gather is that there are still many conjectures on the visits of Tathagat Buddha to Punjab. The details on the ruling dynasties who tried their best to spread Buddhism in the Northern region including Punjab are listed in detail. It seems the author has done an in-depth study of these matters. In Part 2 of the book, the author has given all the details of archeological findings related to Lord Buddha and Buddhism spread over throughout Punjab. Harmesh Jassal personally visited these places to study and find all the relevant details for the benefit of the scholars and historians and also common man. The Tribune of February 26, 2026 carried a story by Journalist Aparna Banerji ‘Author Harmesh Jassal charts forgotten Buddhist history’ which gives some more observations on the book.

Punjab Da Boddhi Itihas is a well-researched book. It will be an asset for the research scholars and historians. Author Harmesh Jassal has done a wonderful job. He himself has written in the Lekhak Balon:-

Jis Din Se Chala Hoon; Meri Manzil Pe Nazar Hai,

Aankhon Ne Khabi Meel Ka Pathar Nahin Dekha.  

 

 

The Bits and Pieces – As I Please – 18

 

The Bits and Pieces – As I Please – 18

Withering Courtesies – An undesirable Trend –

Of late, it has been observed that basic courtesies and pleasantries are fast eroded from our day to life. It is not only unfortunate but is also most undesirable. My immediate provocation is that of abandoning the customary handshake by the Captains and their teams in the ongoing T20 World Cup matches between India and Pakistan. It also
happened earlier too in Dubai. It is nothing else but a deplorable trend and a sheer unsporting spirit. Why is it happening is not understandable at all? If we, the cricketing authorities and the governments, are so concerned and sensitive, we should not play with Pakistan. Let the sporting spirit remain. We shall not be narrow-minded. Immediately after our independence in 1947, Pakistan invaded J & K but Jawaharlal Nehru shook hands with Liaquat Ali Khan soon after, General Ayub Khan did the mischief again in 1965 but Lal Bahadur Shastri shook the hands with him in Tashkent. Pakistan again tried to hoodwink India in 1971 and we bifurcated Pakistan and created Bangla Desh but again, Indira Gandhi shook hands with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto at Shimla. Pakistan imposed war on

us in Kargil in 1999 but Atal Bihari Vajpayee shook hands with General Parvez Mushrraf in Agra. Recent Operation Sandoor resulted in armistice with Pakistan in 2025 as both the sides felt to halt the hostilities and rightly so. PM Narendra Modi or any future dispensation will have to come to table with our hostile neighbor Pakistan sooner than later. There is no other way to go ahead as civilized countries and humane societies. Diplomacy will ultimately prevail and win. Why shall we take the game of cricket as hostage and set wrong and undesirable precedents. Let us shed this short-sighted approach.

दुश्मनी जम कर करो लेकिन ये गुंजाइश रहे

जब कभी हम दोस्त हो जाएँ तो शर्मिंदा न हों

 

Harby Sangha – A Star of Punjabi Comedy

Recently on February 8, I bumped into the movie star of Punjabi comedy, Harby Sangha at a socio-religious congregation at Deol Nagar in Jalandhar organized to celebrate the Gurpurab of Guru Ravidass, a harbinger of equality, justice, liberty and fraternity. Not
long before, he was living in our extended neighborhood in Deol Nagar but we could not meet each other personally though I saw him performing on a socio-religious platform in Bootan Mandi; nerve center of Dalit awakening sometime in 2011-12. Though I am not a movie buff yet, occasionally, I like to watch and enjoy Punjabi movies and that too comedies. Harby Sangha fits in here. These days he is one of the sought after comedian actor in the Punjabi films.

Harby (Harbilas) Sangha is a son of the soil of a village near Nakodar in Jalandhar, Sangha Jagir.  He is an educated, Graduate from the DAV College Nakodar (I am also a DAVite from DAV College Jalandhar), actor introduced to the show business by a

renowned comedian himself, Gurpreet Ghuggi. A self-made successful actor, Harby Sangha has already worked in more than 50 films to his credit including hits like Carry on Jatta, Laavaan Phere, Maje Bistre, Doorbeen among others. Besides being a good comedian, Harby is a singer of good standing. While speaking at the Deol Nagar congregation, he sang one of his recent releases, Salaam Teri Soch Nu, a befitting tribute to Guru Ravidass which was recorded at Guru Ravidass Dham at Bootan Mandi in Jalandhar, my own native place –

https://www.google.com/search?q=harby+sanghas+song+Salam+on+uru+Ravidass&rlz=1C1CHZN_enIN1091IN1091&oq=harby+sanghas+song+Salam+on+uru+Ravidass+&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIJCAEQIRgKGKABMgkIAhAhGAoYoAEyCQgDECEYChigATIJCAQQIRgKGKABMgkIBRAhGAoYoAHSAQoyMzA3OGowajE1qAIIsAIB8QUSif9hHebgX_EFEon_YR3m4F8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:66b903c4,vid:0ruLpj-SosQ,st:0

My brief interaction with Harby Sangha was very pleasant. I take his opportunity to wish him all the very best in the days to come, an accomplished actor and singer of the community.

हँसी है दिल-लगी है क़हक़हे हैं; तुम्हारी अंजुमन का पूछना क्या

 

Seth Sat Pal Mal – An obituary

 

Seth Sat Pal Mal – An obituary

Seth Pal Mal, 71, of Bootan Mandi Jalandhar passed away on February 15 after hospitalization for a week or so for age related ills. He was not keeping well for some time but his sheer spirit of living every bit of life and involvement in the community matters kept him going. It was clearly visible from his participation in the Guru

Ravidass Gurpurab just a fortnight ago; he led the Shoba Yatra, as usual, on January 31 in an open jeep with his family, paid obeisance at the Bhog ceremony with full dedication in the forenoon and presided over the Musical Programme in the evening which lasted till the bee hours on February 1 to celebrate of the great Guru at our native place, Bootan Mandi – a nerve center of dalit chetna to which, in the process, he contributed considerably as Seth Sat Pal Mal in his formative years.

I wrote about Seth Sat Pal Mal several times in my blogs on My Fellow BootanMandians with a good sense of belonging; we both were born in one of the narrow streets in poor and ordinary families. By the time, I left for Delhi in pursuits of my livelihood in early 1970; Sat Pal was still studying in the final years of his schooling. Sat Pal’s grand-father, Milkhi Ram who was called Milkhi Sheikh was a shrewd leather businessman. He initiated Sat Pal into leather business in the early years of 1970s. Sat Pal showed promise and business acumen and in short span of time did well. He was an established man by the mid-1970s, a self-made and successful businessman.  Meanwhile he got married to Kamlesh a said to be lady luck for Sat Pal who brought all success and prosperity in her dowry as it is said that every successful man has women at his back. Sat Pal’s family, father, Seth Bishan Dass and brothers, shifted to Ambala City and did well in leather business. His brother, Ramesh Mal even rose to become Mayor of the city in mid-2010.

In the pursuit of my diplomatic career, I lost in-depth touch with the community back home and as such did not know much about Sat Pal expect the fact that he did well and became a known and renowned personality of Jalandhar and beyond with considerable clout and say in the community and the society at large. I may call it, in the jargon of John Milton as ‘Paradise Gained’. Some of my interlocutors told me that Sat Pal, in spite of all success, did not shed his inherited touch with the local community, poor and rich. He was easily accessible for support in all socio-cultural activities in around Jalandhar. With a view to cater to the needs of his  Muslim business counterparts from Tamil Nadu, J&K and UP, he even donated land and built a mosque in Bootan Mandi. He was a son of the soil with characteristic humility. One anecdote which is vivid in my mind comes handy to share here. It was mid-1990s, if memory does not fail me; I was in Bootan Mandi with my family on home leave from Sweden. On the day of my return, I went to see Sat Pal at his home in our neighborhood. Sat Pal’s elder daughter was getting married on the same day. In the course of our conversation, I enquired about the boy and his family of their new relations (Ashok Kultham). He told me in all humility that it was a well-established business family of Kultham - Phagwara) and added “Apne ton changge aa” (They were better than us). He also insisted that he would be happy if I could stay and join them at the marriage.  I expressed my inability because I was to fly the next day. Sat Pal was so good and considerate that he said immediately after the marriage his own car would drop me at the IGI Airport in Delhi. I was touched by the gesture. I also came to know that Sat Pal highly respected my father, Sodhi Ram who was an expert and professional Munim (Accounts Keeper) in Bootan Mandi. Sat Pal utilized his services in his business as a trouble-shooter in handling his accounts and  tax returns etc. My father told me once. Off hand,  that Sat Pal knew how to earn and spent money but did not know how to save and retain. Ultimately, it proved to be slide down of Seth Sat Pal. On the other hand, he could not diversify and transform his business with the changing times. It may be termed as ‘Paradise Lost’. In the recent years, he tried his best to arrest the decline in his fortunes; efforts to ‘Regain the Lost Paradise’ by

joining politics but it was an attempt in vain. He became a party hopper in frustration from SAD to Congress Party and then BJP. It goes to his credit that in spite all this, he remained steadfast as regards his involvement in the community matters with the spirit of ‘never say die’ till the last. Seth Sat Pal’s funeral on February 16 and the flow of condolence messages in the social media fully justified his status in the community.

As regards my personal relations and interaction with Seth Sat Pal, as I mentioned earlier, it was of mutual respect and regard. Not that we did not have differences of opinion and approach particularly with regard to his handling of the issues of the Management of Guru

Ravidass Bhawan and Guru Ravidass Educational and Charitable Trust, which I oversaw informally as a humble member of the community after my return to my roots in Bootan Mandi by sitting on the fence, but I always found Sat Pal reverential and respectful towards me; I must add in haste to ward off any misgivings in this regard. Sat Pal lived a King’s life and that too at his own terms. In his demise, he has left a wide void in the community.  I always tended to advise him –

Tum Hi Tum Ho To Kya Tum Ho;

Hum Hi Hum Hai To Kya Hum Hain

Seth Sat Pal Mal, it seems, subscribed to poetic dictum:-

Marna To Lazim Hai Ik Din

Lekin Maut Se Pehle Mar Jana

Mere Bas Ki Baat Nahin

 

 

 

 

Cherished Memories of the South Block

Cherished Memories of the South Block

 

The majestic Rashtrapati Bhawan is flanked by North and South Blocks on the Raisina Hill in the Lutyens New Delhi; the seat of power of India that is Bharat. In its close vicinity is located Teen Murti House which was official residence of the first PM of India, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sansad Bhawan (Parliament House). Teen Murti House has since been converted into Pradhanmanri Sangralya - PMs Museum and the new Sansad Bhawan has come up to replace he dignified round building which has been rechristened as the Savidhan Bhawan. With changing times since independence in 1947, the old is getting replaced with new to meet the requirements of space and status and also security and rightly so. The offices of Finance Minister and Home Minister located in the North Block and offices of External Affairs Minister and also of Defense Minister including the Chief of Army Staff located in South Block are being shifted to newly built Kartavya Bhawans. PMO housed in South Block, the epic center of power is being shifted to newly built Sewa
Teerth which will also accommodate Cabinet Secretariat and the offices of  NSA and RAW. During the course of my career in the MEA/PMO, I have several opportunities to visit Rashrapati Bhawan, Teen Murti House, Sansad Bhawan; a satisfying and elating experience. The South and North Blocks, after about 100 years of remaining the seat of power, will now house – Yuge Yugeen National Museum which will “showcase 10000 years of India’s civilizational continuity’ according to Minister of Culture; Gajendra Shekhawat.

 My motivation to write something on the PMO emanated from the shifting of PMO from South Block to the newly built Sewa Teerth on February 13 as I have had the opportunity and honour to sit and serve in my humble capacity in the MEA not only in PMO but also sitting close to the offices of EAM, Defense Minister and Chief of the Army Staff in South Block during my career in the MEA and PMO. I still cherish the memories of seeing the who’s who in the Indian hierarchy and also the foreign dignitaries who came to meet and talk to PMs namely; Indira Gandhi, Morarji Desai and EAMs; Swaran Singh, Y.B. Chavan, Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the PMO and its Cabinet and Committee Rooms where all the Ministers and top bureaucrats used to come for official business. I was attached to the GHO (Government Hospitality Organisation) in the PMO attached to Deputy Director (GHO), Vimla Sindhi; commonly known as Behnji from PM Nehru’s time.  My main responsibility was to look after and maintain the PM’s office and attached Committee and

Conference Rooms as a junior functionary sharing the Room No.157 close to the PM’s office.  The Conference/Committee Rooms in the PMO/MEA were also used for bilateral/multilateral negotiations with foreign dignitaries. It provided me ample opportunities to see and interact a bit on matters of hospitality not only with Indian political leadership and also high officials; PN Dhar, Yunus Mohammad, G. Parhasarthy, H.Y. Sharda Prasad and Manmohan Singh, T.N. Kaul and others from 1974 to 1977. During this stint in the PMO/MEA, I have had the opportunity to see from close world leaders like; Henry Kissinger of US, Aga Shahi of Pakistan, Andrei Gromyko of USSR, Arafat Yassar of Palestine, Hussain Muhammad Ershad of Bangla Desh, Abdul Aziz of Pakistan, Kamal Hossain, Earlier to this as a junior functionary in the MEA, my office room (Interpreters Cell) was located near to the offices of Defense Minister and Chief of the Army Staff. I got ample opportunities to see the ten Defense Minister, Babu Jagjivan Ram and Sam Manekshaw quite often. My several small encounters with these highly placed dignitaries are still live in my cherished memories of my days in the South Block. Things change with time and it must but some of the memories of good and bad times remain indelible in one’s mind.  There are many

anecdotes of my small but meaningful encounters and resultant interaction with the top hierarchy of India and some of the famous world personalities during my stint in the MEA/PMO which I tend to share off and on in my blogs as and when occasion arises. With this, I only hope that PMO becomes Sewa Teerth and the Kartavya Bhawans become offices of Kartavya in reality only then the mindset of slaver or colonial subjugation changes to ‘Atamnirbharar and Vikishit Bharat as visualized by PM Narendra Modi.

Rulata Hai Tera Nazara Ae Hinduston! Mujh Ko
Ke Ibrat Khaiz Hai Tera Fasana Sub Fasanon Mein

(Your spectacle makes me shed tears, O India!
Your tales are admonitory among all the tales)

 

 

Dalit Vote Bank in Punjab and Political Slugfest

 

Dalit Vote Bank in Punjab and Political Slugfest

  It seems, Dalit assertion in Punjab has come full circle, if one goes by the social media and political maneuverings by the ruling AAP in Punjab and BJP at the Center in New Delhi. The elections in Punjab are due in the first half of next year 2027. Obviously, no one can afford to ignore the huge Dalit vote bank with more than 34% population of the State, the highest in the country. BJP took the lead

with the conferring of Padma Award on Sant Niranjan Dass, Head (Gaddi Nasheen) of Dera Sachkhand Ballan and subsequent  and surprise visit of PM Narendra Modi to the Dera on the Gurpurab of Guru Ravidass on February 1. Besides these two important gestures, PM Narendra Modi also named the Adampur Airport in the Doaba region after the name of Guru Ravidass, a long pending demand of the people overwhelmingly populated by the followers of Guru Ravidass. All political parties and their leaders including the Congress, AAP, BJP and even the SAD and BSP are taking credit for this as it is said ‘success has many fathers and failure is an orphan’ but the BJP acted and pocketed the credit which will be spent in the elections next year. The followers of Guru Ravidass were expecting that PM Narendra Modi will share the roadmap of celebrating the forthcoming 650^th Jyanti of Guru Ravidass next year 2027 during his visit to Dera Sachkhand Ballan but he disappointed the people. He only knows as to why he reserved the pronouncement to some other occasion. BJP cannot afford to sit on the fence. Meanwhile, the AAP who was caught unaware of the sudden visit of PM Narendra Modi to placate the followers of Guru Ravidass, has taken quick action in damage control and pronounced the roadmap of the celebrations of 650^th Gurpurab of the great Guru by forming a high power committee of intellectuals and stakeholders with Finance Minister of Punab, Harpal Singh Cheema. The celebrations ware formally kick started with a solemn but impressive function on February 4 at Charan Cho Ganga (Tapo-Bhumi of Guru Ravidass) at Khuralgarh in Garhshankar (Hoshiarpur) as a befitting tribute to Guru Ravidass.

CM Bhagwant Mann also dedicated the Minar-e- Begumpura, a monument constructed to celebrate the theme Sabad of Guru Ravidass – Begumpur Sehar Ka Naon.  Many more such gestures to placate the Dalit masses of Punjab and beyond are resting in the corridors of power in Chandigarh and New Delhi which will be unfolded in due course of time in the coming months. Now it is up to the followers of Guru Ravidass how to use their assets at the hustings to their advantage. Unfortunately, as of now, dalit leadership in Punjab both in BJP and also AAP lack much needed credibility and standing. It is hard to sell the Hindutava plank of BJP and RSS to the dalit masses on one hand the moral and intellectual bankruptcy of BJP’s dalit leadership on the other. Similarly, the dalit leadership in the AAP need to assert and demand their share in the pie on one side and the AAP leadership should come out of the lip service phase to win over the dalit masses on the other.

Chupa Kar Asteen Mein Bijliyan Rakhi Hain Gardoon Ne
Anadil Bagh Ke Ghafil Na Baithen Ashiyon Mein

(The sky has kept thunderbolts concealed up its sleeve
Garden’s nightingales should not slumber in their nests)

Post script: On February 1, on the visit of PM Narendra Modi to Dera Sachkhand Ballan, I wrote spontaneously – “Today two boys of Bootan Mandi stole the show, I held the fort in the stidio of Doordrshan Jalandhar and Avinash Chander at Dera Sachkhand Ballan” as Avinash Chander was the Anchor and the only speaker at the congregation attended by PM Narendra Modi at Ballan. I was the special commentator at the DD Jalandhar on the Punjab visit of PM Narendra Modi.