Vidyavathidevi ( 1887 - 1975 ) is the mother of the heroic revolutionary Bhagat Singh and she was the wife of the brave patriot Sardar Kishan Singh. The entire family was dedicated to the cause of freedom. It was her firm will and patriotic fervor that made her the centre of a number of good things connected with patriotism.
Vidyavathidevi ( 1887 - 1975 ) is the mother of the heroic revolutionary Bhagat Singh and she was the wife of the brave patriot Sardar Kishan Singh. The entire family was dedicated to the cause of freedom. It was her firm will and patriotic fervor that made her the centre of a number of good things connected with patriotism. A grateful nation conferred upon her the title ' Punjab Matha '.
She will forever be a symbol of courage and patriotism. Vidyavathidevi had five sons - Bhagat Singh, Kulbir Singh, Kultar Singh, Ranbir Singh, Rajendra Singh and three daughters - Amar Kaur, Sumithra, Shakuntala. One way or the other all of them were social workers. The entire family had lived for the nation.
The brave mother had been born in Moranvali ( Hoshiarpur District - Punjab ) and her father Varyam Singh was well known in the village. She was coaxed to get married at an early age and was married to Sardar Kishan Singh, who happened to be the son of a revolutionary Sardar Arjun Singh. The family of her husband was literate and they insisted that Vidyavathidevi should at least be literate. She did not like to study and somehow she managed to learn a bit of Hindi and Punjabi. Thereafter she went to stay at Layalpur for sometime before moving to Lahore.
Sardar Kishan Singh had no time to think of his wife for he was interested in setting the country free. In spite of being young , she took part in the activities connected with freedom. She would forever serve the revolutionaries who were with her husband. Sardar Kishan Singh used to always have some case or the other in one of the courts of the day. He used to be repeatedly convicted and sent to prison. Her brothers in law Ajit Singh and Swaran Singh were also in constant police custody or prison. It was a life without security and peace.
The year 1907 was a landmark year for she gave birth to Bhagat Singh, who wore himself out for the sake of the country. The family struggled and Vidyavathidevi had to spend a lot of her time with her parents. Kishan Singh began to work for an insurance company and began making money. The family grew rich and ornaments were purchased by the family. However a servant stole the ornaments and the brave mother never again wore ornaments all her life.
Vidyavathidevi had nurtured Bhagat Singh into becoming a patriot. He followed his father's footsteps and was arrested in connection with the bomb episode of 1927. By some lucky chance he had been imprisoned only for six months. But, after a few months he disappeared and finally ended up in the Lahore jail. She used to tramp all the way to Lahore in order to visit her son in jail. The family had become very poor due to all these issues.
It was the year 1931, Bhagat Singh was awaiting his death sentence and his house was attacked by some dacoits, however his mother Vidyavathidevi came out and chased them away. It was at this time that a visiting mendicant gave her some holy ash and told her that if she place it on her son's forehead he would escape death. However, the brave Bhagat Singh refused to accept it for he was ready to sacrifice his life for the country.
One another occasion she tried to place the coat of an eldest born near Bhagat Singh for it was believed that he would freed from troubles. Again, Bhagat Singh refused and told his mother to preserve it, for he believed that he would be born again and come to wear the coat. Finally Bhagat Singh was hanged on 23/3/1931. In between all this Vidyavathidevi faced snake bites on four occasions and in spite of all these ordeals she managed to survive.
On another occasion, she was denied an oppourtunity to meet her other sons in jail and she created such a turmoil that she was let to see them immediately. The wealth of the family had vanished with Bhagat and they were in abject poverty for sometime. Vidyavathidevi had to suffer because her husband had taken ill, brothers in law were in trouble, sons were in jail but it did not deter her.
The patriot continued to move forward and while addressing a public meeting at the Morri Gate in Lahore she stated that she will never be frightened and that she was ready to sacrifice her all in the interest of the nation. At last freedom came and Vidyavathidevi's sons were released from jail. She had lost one son, one brother in law and another brother in law had been exiled.
Two more of her sons had served sentences and she had to face financial problems. Being the first daughter in law made life a lot more difficult for her. The husband had also gone to jail for the nation and had suffered a lot.
He passed away in the year 1951. The brave lady had endured all this and more in the interest of the country. She was a model mother for everyone and when the poet Sri Krishna ' Sarala ' wrote a book on Bhagat Singh and presented the same to her at Ujjain in the year 1965, she requested him to write about Chandrashekhar Azad. In the absence of Azad's mother, she said that she acted on her behalf.
She was like a mother not only to Chandrashekhar Aza but also Sukhdev and Rajguru. On seeing this request from Vidyavathidevi who had requested him to write on Chandrashekhar Azad, tears rolled down the eyes of the poet Sri Krishna ' Sarala ' and he pricked his thumb, put a mark of blood on her forehead and made a promise. Later, he kept his promise by writing a book on Chandrashekhar Azad.
Vidyavathidevi attended the Centenary of the ' First War of Indian Independence ' at New Delhi in the year 1957. She used to often say, Who can say that Bhagat Singh is no more? She used to state with affection that," As long as I am alive, Bhagat will be always with me. When I die, I shall join him.
" The patriotic mother, Vidyavathidevi passed away in the year 1975 and she was cremated at Hussainiwala , on the banks of River Sutlej with state honours. It was in the same place that Bhagat Singh had been cremated secretively by the British.
In spite of ill health and advancing age Vidyavathidevi had attended meetings in Bangalore and other places. The Government of Punjab had conferred upon her the title ' Punjab Matha ' on the 1 st of January 1973. It was in Ujjain ( 1965 ) that a grand tribute had been given to her and Bhagat Singh. Songs composed on him were so emotional that the people were moved to tears.
She consoled them and said, " Why do you weep? What has happened to you? Don't you know that today is the auspicious day - the wedding of my son ? Look ! its being celebrated in a grand manner. See the garlands swaying in the breeze and songs being sung by you. Today is the happiest day in my life. Rejoice.
"On another occasion in the year 1970 Vidyavathidevi came to Bengaluru and spoke to an emotion charged crowd. She did so at a time when her health was poor. The town hall of Bengaluru was overflowing with people. On seeing her the hall was filled with patriotic fervor and the people began to chant the words ' Bharat Mata Ki Jai '. The crowd had been up on its feet and was greeting her with folded hands. The grand old lady had indeed lived for her nation.
As long as the love for freedom is alive in India, the brave mother Vidyavathidevi and her patriotic son Bhagat Singh will be enshrined in the hearts of all Indians.
She will forever be a symbol of courage and patriotism. Vidyavathidevi had five sons - Bhagat Singh, Kulbir Singh, Kultar Singh, Ranbir Singh, Rajendra Singh and three daughters - Amar Kaur, Sumithra, Shakuntala. One way or the other all of them were social workers. The entire family had lived for the nation.
The brave mother had been born in Moranvali ( Hoshiarpur District - Punjab ) and her father Varyam Singh was well known in the village. She was coaxed to get married at an early age and was married to Sardar Kishan Singh, who happened to be the son of a revolutionary Sardar Arjun Singh. The family of her husband was literate and they insisted that Vidyavathidevi should at least be literate. She did not like to study and somehow she managed to learn a bit of Hindi and Punjabi. Thereafter she went to stay at Layalpur for sometime before moving to Lahore.
Sardar Kishan Singh had no time to think of his wife for he was interested in setting the country free. In spite of being young , she took part in the activities connected with freedom. She would forever serve the revolutionaries who were with her husband. Sardar Kishan Singh used to always have some case or the other in one of the courts of the day. He used to be repeatedly convicted and sent to prison. Her brothers in law Ajit Singh and Swaran Singh were also in constant police custody or prison. It was a life without security and peace.
The year 1907 was a landmark year for she gave birth to Bhagat Singh, who wore himself out for the sake of the country. The family struggled and Vidyavathidevi had to spend a lot of her time with her parents. Kishan Singh began to work for an insurance company and began making money. The family grew rich and ornaments were purchased by the family. However a servant stole the ornaments and the brave mother never again wore ornaments all her life.
Vidyavathidevi had nurtured Bhagat Singh into becoming a patriot. He followed his father's footsteps and was arrested in connection with the bomb episode of 1927. By some lucky chance he had been imprisoned only for six months. But, after a few months he disappeared and finally ended up in the Lahore jail. She used to tramp all the way to Lahore in order to visit her son in jail. The family had become very poor due to all these issues.
It was the year 1931, Bhagat Singh was awaiting his death sentence and his house was attacked by some dacoits, however his mother Vidyavathidevi came out and chased them away. It was at this time that a visiting mendicant gave her some holy ash and told her that if she place it on her son's forehead he would escape death. However, the brave Bhagat Singh refused to accept it for he was ready to sacrifice his life for the country.
One another occasion she tried to place the coat of an eldest born near Bhagat Singh for it was believed that he would freed from troubles. Again, Bhagat Singh refused and told his mother to preserve it, for he believed that he would be born again and come to wear the coat. Finally Bhagat Singh was hanged on 23/3/1931. In between all this Vidyavathidevi faced snake bites on four occasions and in spite of all these ordeals she managed to survive.
On another occasion, she was denied an oppourtunity to meet her other sons in jail and she created such a turmoil that she was let to see them immediately. The wealth of the family had vanished with Bhagat and they were in abject poverty for sometime. Vidyavathidevi had to suffer because her husband had taken ill, brothers in law were in trouble, sons were in jail but it did not deter her.
The patriot continued to move forward and while addressing a public meeting at the Morri Gate in Lahore she stated that she will never be frightened and that she was ready to sacrifice her all in the interest of the nation. At last freedom came and Vidyavathidevi's sons were released from jail. She had lost one son, one brother in law and another brother in law had been exiled.
Two more of her sons had served sentences and she had to face financial problems. Being the first daughter in law made life a lot more difficult for her. The husband had also gone to jail for the nation and had suffered a lot.
He passed away in the year 1951. The brave lady had endured all this and more in the interest of the country. She was a model mother for everyone and when the poet Sri Krishna ' Sarala ' wrote a book on Bhagat Singh and presented the same to her at Ujjain in the year 1965, she requested him to write about Chandrashekhar Azad. In the absence of Azad's mother, she said that she acted on her behalf.
She was like a mother not only to Chandrashekhar Aza but also Sukhdev and Rajguru. On seeing this request from Vidyavathidevi who had requested him to write on Chandrashekhar Azad, tears rolled down the eyes of the poet Sri Krishna ' Sarala ' and he pricked his thumb, put a mark of blood on her forehead and made a promise. Later, he kept his promise by writing a book on Chandrashekhar Azad.
Vidyavathidevi attended the Centenary of the ' First War of Indian Independence ' at New Delhi in the year 1957. She used to often say, Who can say that Bhagat Singh is no more? She used to state with affection that," As long as I am alive, Bhagat will be always with me. When I die, I shall join him.
" The patriotic mother, Vidyavathidevi passed away in the year 1975 and she was cremated at Hussainiwala , on the banks of River Sutlej with state honours. It was in the same place that Bhagat Singh had been cremated secretively by the British.
In spite of ill health and advancing age Vidyavathidevi had attended meetings in Bangalore and other places. The Government of Punjab had conferred upon her the title ' Punjab Matha ' on the 1 st of January 1973. It was in Ujjain ( 1965 ) that a grand tribute had been given to her and Bhagat Singh. Songs composed on him were so emotional that the people were moved to tears.
She consoled them and said, " Why do you weep? What has happened to you? Don't you know that today is the auspicious day - the wedding of my son ? Look ! its being celebrated in a grand manner. See the garlands swaying in the breeze and songs being sung by you. Today is the happiest day in my life. Rejoice.
"On another occasion in the year 1970 Vidyavathidevi came to Bengaluru and spoke to an emotion charged crowd. She did so at a time when her health was poor. The town hall of Bengaluru was overflowing with people. On seeing her the hall was filled with patriotic fervor and the people began to chant the words ' Bharat Mata Ki Jai '. The crowd had been up on its feet and was greeting her with folded hands. The grand old lady had indeed lived for her nation.
As long as the love for freedom is alive in India, the brave mother Vidyavathidevi and her patriotic son Bhagat Singh will be enshrined in the hearts of all Indians.