A saintly soldier

The author begins this short biography of Vishwanath by quoting the protagonist who never disclosed anything about his life because he used to avoid such a subject. He would say, ?Why do you ask about a person? If you wish to know about him, then learn about his work.?

Vishwanath was born on October 14, 1926 at Goindbal in Punjab and was the youngest among his four brothers and six sisters. He lived in a period when Amritsar was developing fast with new and modern industries were springing up every now and then. Vishwanath'sfather shifted to Amritsar when Vishwanath was studying in the third standard. He was admitted to Khalsa School and soon he began to combine his studies with Sangh activities. Once he was told to stay out at night for indulging in political activities of the Sangh. Meanwhile, though he was steeped in nationalism, his devotion to Sangh activities increased. He went to Ferozepur and then to Meerut to obtain training in the Shiksha Varg of the Sangh. He went to Bilaspur for training and became a Pracharak in Pakpattan which was to go to Pakistan in the agreement reached on transfer of land after Partition. With the riots coming in the wake of Partition of India in 1947, Vishwanath jumped into the task of rehabilitating the Hindus coming from Pakistan. In the whole of western Punjab, Muslims took to arson and looting. Boys were being converted to Islam while girls were kidnapped and married to Muslim boys. At places Baluch soldiers were indulging in killing of Hindus. The Sangh was engaged in fighting both the Muslim League as also the Government in Punjab. Once, while making bombs, Vishwanath became seriously injured. He was somehow taken care of by a Sangh doctor. After two weeks he recovered.

Meanwhile his family got worried and tried to search for him till they received information that Vishwanath was in Moga. His mother and older brother tried to persuade Vishwanath to return home but he told them, ?You are saying this because you have not seen those wailing brothers whose children were hacked to death like vegetables; whose daughters were raped in front of their eyes?.

In 2001, he became the overall incharge of the department of religious revival, his field of actaivities increased with the Christian missionaries resorting to mass conversions, he embarked on an all Indian tour. However, in 2005, while going to Lucknow, he became a victim of a cerebral stroke. With treatment his memory recovered had he returned to his Sangh activities but his body had by now given way. On 28th January 2007, he suffered brain haemorrhage and lost his voice and eyesight. Gradually he began to recognise people. He was brought home from hehos[pigftal and from 17 to20 May he participated in a meeting of the Swayamsevaks but on 21st May he health began to deteriorate and on 23 May he could be seen making effort to say something. His last words to his companions were, ?Go and feed the cows,? before he left the mortal body and got lost in eternal sleep.

At the end of the book tributes are paid by those people who had come in contact with Vishwanath and were influenced by his words and deeds.

(Suruchi Prakashan, Keshav Kunj, Jhandewalan, New Delhi-110055.)