Letter from Bhagwan Singh Gyanee to Ellen Watumull
DESCRIPTION
Letter from Bhagwan Singh Gyanee to Ellen Watumull, in which he discusses a "letter tour" in Punjab Colleges. Gyanee also requests financial help in order to build a "Modern School of Creative Thought." According to the letter, it appears that he received Margaret Sanger's address (which was earlier requested).
ADDITIONAL METADATA
Date: March 23, 1960
Subject(s): Ellen Watumull
Type: Correspondence
Language: English
Creator: Bhagwan Singh Gyanee
Location: Chief Minister's Guest House, Chandigarh, India
TRANSCRIPTION
March 23, 60
My dear Ellen:
Your letter of Jan 12th followed by a note on the 23rd. Both reached me before I started a six week letter tour in the Colleges of Punjab. Thus far I have adressed more than forty-five of them. There is a great response from both faculty and students to the new ideas so necessary for the building of a Modern Nation.
The creative thinkers are few, anywhere, and those who have the energy, discipline and humanities are fewer still. Nowhere, are the conditions of the masses satisfactory. In a country like India, the conditions are at their worse. Things that could have been corrected centuries ago were not only left to the evolutionary forces, but unpardonable neglect of the natives of this Land plus the parade of plundering foreign invaders left this beautiful Land desolate and further, demoralized.
On our way to Simla we witness the mileu of denuded Himalaya Hills, robbed of its rich natural forests for nealy two hundred years, And this work done by a so-called civilized and Christian Nation. The story is more vivid and pathetic when we turn our attention to the mineral resources, the removal of jewelry and precious stones, back-breaking taxation and last but not least, draining of Indias man-power to conquer othe Nations and European Countries, with whom India had no quarrel and for the glory of the British Empire. We reap now the result of dislike and hostility from the Nations we hw helped Britain to conquer. But, for all this we can blame no one.
These are the very things that made me “rebel” over half a century ago. As though that wasn’t enough, at the twilight of my life I return to India, to realize what enormous/constructive work that needs t o be done in other to catch up with other Nations. It was in this context that I appealed to your for some financial help, to build a Modern School of Creative Thought. Rs.13,000 went for the property itself, which consists Of close to two acres of land and a massive inadequate stone structure. Rs.5,000 to renovate and repair the structure, bring water and electricity in. Individual shelters for twenty to twenty-five selected students to come for study the year round are still dreams on paper.
My warm thanks go out to you for the response to my call for books foe the Library, already two of them reached us last week,-“Adventure in Mind” and ”Patents and Invention”, from your agents in San Francisco. May I feel at liberty to send you a list of books needed, from time to time. A suggestion comes to my mind,-that books that hav served their purpose and are no longer being used can be sent to us, book post by sea, especially technical books. They would be deeply appreciated by the students.
On Feb 25th. while at Amritsar my lecture schedule was interuupted and cancelled. Upon the advice of the heart specialist I am on enforced rest for two months. Day after to-morrow, we go to Villae and P.O SAPROON, the building of a water reservoir, layin 1500 feet of pipe lines, wiring and bring in of electricity, roof repairs, plastering , plumbing, and other necessary repair, such as building of servant quarters and kitchen etc. We hope it will be ready for occupation by June first. This still be the way I will be spending the second month of rest period.
On account of my health there will be no general Seminar Sessions this year. But I am calling a special conference of about 25 Principals, Professors, Lecturers, Thinkers to study, discuss, analyze and ponder over a specific problem, then submit papers on assigned aspects of said problem which Later will consitute individual chapters in a book to be published later. So all is not lost.
The response from the faculties of various Colleges contacted in wholesome spontaneous and gratifying, hence the reason for this pattern of action. In order to do anything creative, cooperation from the intellectuals is necessary.
Many thanks for Mrs Sanger’s address. I trust this finds you and your dear ones enjoying Hawaiian beauty and health. Kindly remember me to all of them and let me hear from you as often as your busy life permits..my thoughts go out to you so often. I know you must miss Goma a great deal but you are a soldier and a student of “life”. Any two things that come together must separate in time, anything that is born,must die. The contributions and services we offer to each other become part of each thereby attaining immortality. Joys and sorrows shared in common become stimulants of growth. It is the growth that enriches and ennables and is appropriated in the Pattern in the form of “quality” that SURVIVES. Herein lies a great lesson for us humans: that, during the opportunities available, each of us should try our utmost to share whatever nobility we may possess. This is the only contribution we may be able to make, and we may never have another opportunity to do so as far as the particular individuality is concerned.
Accept my best wishes and greeting, to which Concorde joins her love,
Sincerely Yours,
PS. Adressing mail here at Chief Minister’s Guest House, will always reach us. BSG
My dear Ellen:
Your letter of Jan 12th followed by a note on the 23rd. Both reached me before I started a six week letter tour in the Colleges of Punjab. Thus far I have adressed more than forty-five of them. There is a great response from both faculty and students to the new ideas so necessary for the building of a Modern Nation.
The creative thinkers are few, anywhere, and those who have the energy, discipline and humanities are fewer still. Nowhere, are the conditions of the masses satisfactory. In a country like India, the conditions are at their worse. Things that could have been corrected centuries ago were not only left to the evolutionary forces, but unpardonable neglect of the natives of this Land plus the parade of plundering foreign invaders left this beautiful Land desolate and further, demoralized.
On our way to Simla we witness the mileu of denuded Himalaya Hills, robbed of its rich natural forests for nealy two hundred years, And this work done by a so-called civilized and Christian Nation. The story is more vivid and pathetic when we turn our attention to the mineral resources, the removal of jewelry and precious stones, back-breaking taxation and last but not least, draining of Indias man-power to conquer othe Nations and European Countries, with whom India had no quarrel and for the glory of the British Empire. We reap now the result of dislike and hostility from the Nations we hw helped Britain to conquer. But, for all this we can blame no one.
These are the very things that made me “rebel” over half a century ago. As though that wasn’t enough, at the twilight of my life I return to India, to realize what enormous/constructive work that needs t o be done in other to catch up with other Nations. It was in this context that I appealed to your for some financial help, to build a Modern School of Creative Thought. Rs.13,000 went for the property itself, which consists Of close to two acres of land and a massive inadequate stone structure. Rs.5,000 to renovate and repair the structure, bring water and electricity in. Individual shelters for twenty to twenty-five selected students to come for study the year round are still dreams on paper.
My warm thanks go out to you for the response to my call for books foe the Library, already two of them reached us last week,-“Adventure in Mind” and ”Patents and Invention”, from your agents in San Francisco. May I feel at liberty to send you a list of books needed, from time to time. A suggestion comes to my mind,-that books that hav served their purpose and are no longer being used can be sent to us, book post by sea, especially technical books. They would be deeply appreciated by the students.
On Feb 25th. while at Amritsar my lecture schedule was interuupted and cancelled. Upon the advice of the heart specialist I am on enforced rest for two months. Day after to-morrow, we go to Villae and P.O SAPROON, the building of a water reservoir, layin 1500 feet of pipe lines, wiring and bring in of electricity, roof repairs, plastering , plumbing, and other necessary repair, such as building of servant quarters and kitchen etc. We hope it will be ready for occupation by June first. This still be the way I will be spending the second month of rest period.
On account of my health there will be no general Seminar Sessions this year. But I am calling a special conference of about 25 Principals, Professors, Lecturers, Thinkers to study, discuss, analyze and ponder over a specific problem, then submit papers on assigned aspects of said problem which Later will consitute individual chapters in a book to be published later. So all is not lost.
The response from the faculties of various Colleges contacted in wholesome spontaneous and gratifying, hence the reason for this pattern of action. In order to do anything creative, cooperation from the intellectuals is necessary.
Many thanks for Mrs Sanger’s address. I trust this finds you and your dear ones enjoying Hawaiian beauty and health. Kindly remember me to all of them and let me hear from you as often as your busy life permits..my thoughts go out to you so often. I know you must miss Goma a great deal but you are a soldier and a student of “life”. Any two things that come together must separate in time, anything that is born,must die. The contributions and services we offer to each other become part of each thereby attaining immortality. Joys and sorrows shared in common become stimulants of growth. It is the growth that enriches and ennables and is appropriated in the Pattern in the form of “quality” that SURVIVES. Herein lies a great lesson for us humans: that, during the opportunities available, each of us should try our utmost to share whatever nobility we may possess. This is the only contribution we may be able to make, and we may never have another opportunity to do so as far as the particular individuality is concerned.
Accept my best wishes and greeting, to which Concorde joins her love,
Sincerely Yours,
PS. Adressing mail here at Chief Minister’s Guest House, will always reach us. BSG
PROVENANCE
Collection: Bhagwan Singh Gyanee Materials
Donor: S.P. Singh
Digitizer: Anne Vagts, Samip Mallick
Item History: 2012-07-24 (created); 2013-05-03 (modified)
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