– M. L. Teji
Pandit Bakshi Ram Ji is the beacon of the Valmikian progress and respected as the ANMOLIK HEERA OF THE VALMIKIAN COMMUNITY.
Late Pandit Bakshi Ram Ji will always be an influential figure in the Valmikian Community. He was very closely associated with Subash Chander Bose and Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar. He canvassed for Dr. Ambedkar Ji by conveying his messages into the unreachable areas in Punjab.
In some areas, the messengers sent by Pandit Bakshi Ram Ji were attacked and have resulted in couple of deaths. He was known as the NETA (leader) of the Valmikian community. He helped Dr. Ambedkar Ji in every manner to promote his movement in Punjab
His closeness with Dr. Ambedkar and Subash Chander Bose plus his devotion towards welfare of the Valmikian Community, came into notice of the Indian Government and on the 25th Independence Day, celebrated in the year 1972, late Mrs Indra Gandhi honored him for his services. He also received from the (Bhartiya Dalit Sahitya Akadami – Bharat Ratan – Baba Sahib Dr. B.R. Ambedkar – National Award for the year 1992 – 1993).
There are similarities between upbringing of Pandit Bakshi Ram and Dr. Ambedkar. They were both born in very poor families. Dr. Ambedkar used a lamp to study and Pandit Bakshi Ram instead used a deepak. Dr. Ambedkar studied law to bring changes whereas Pandit Bakshi Ram went into religious studies to bring back lost pride and dignity for the Valmikian community. He studied 175 scriptures for his research.
They have both put enormous amount of effort to free deprived people from the chains of caste system laid by the Brahmin Organisations and have been successful. Dr Ambedkar has drafted the Indian Constitution through which India is heading to become one of the super powers of the world and the caste system has also lost it’s stronghold. Now, all over the world inter caste marriages in agreement between the higher and the lower castes are taking place.
The Hindu Rashtra is being introduced to stop these marriages taking place. The organizations who are promoting Hindu Rashtra are against this idea and are also behind torturing and murdering of the Dalit students.
They cannot tolerate progress of the Dalits and to stop this they are privatizing education in India. They want to block all the sources to Dalit progress because they want to see them again in the same state they were many, many years ago. Behind introduction of the Hindu Rashtra are very sinister ideas.
In the past they withdrew all the learning facilities and are doing the same now. They see inter-caste marriages as result of the Dalit progress. They want to promote that they are superior to all by birth and inter-caste marriages are a big setback for them.
Pandit Bakshi Ram has managed to bring back pride and dignity for the Valmikian Community. In the year 1920, he voiced for recognition of the Bhagwan Valmiki Ashram in Amritsar but was put jail.
This drew a lot of attention towards this historical Valmiki Ashram where Sita Ji and her children Luv and Kush had spent a good part of their life.
Following his call and through contribution of Mahatma Gian Nath Ji, legal proceedings by the Bhagwan Valmiki Central Sabha U.K. and through cooperation of the Valmikian Sabhas in Punjab, finally resulted in building of the Bhagwan Valmiki Ashram in Ram Tirath – Amritsar by Sardar Prakash Singh Badal.
By building this Ashram, the Punjab Government, has set an example for others to follow. Since our Independence, various ruling parties have taken control but have failed to take the Valmikian issues on board. They have taken their votes on false promises and were ignored after success. This has been general practice since Independence and the Punjab Government has broken the taboo.
It is a blessing that today Bhagwan Valmiki Ashram in Amritsar is present for the future generation to look upon. Different opinions are held towards building of this Ashram by honorable Sardar Prakash Singh Badal. The fact remains, he was chosen by Bhagwan Valmiki Ji for this purpose and we should be thankful for the generosity he has shown.
On the opening day of the Bhagwan Valmiki Ashram, all the Government Officials highly praised Pandit Bakshi Ram Ji and credited him for his research to be the key factor to this achievement. Should he have not researched then the possibilities are that there would have been no knowledge about this historical place.
At one stage Pandit Bakshi Ram, Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar and Babu Mangoo Ram all worked as one group and because of them, the Aadi-Vaasis especially from Punjab are today all over the world.
Shree Gurdas Ram Alam, a highly renowned poet of Punjab was also very closely associated to Pandit Bakshi Ram. He understood about pain of Pandit Bakshi Ram and the sufferings of the deprived people and expressed them in poems and his poetry is still highly ranked today.
It would be worth pointing out that the Indian Government honoured him, the Indian Flag and eleven gun salute as final gesture. My late father Shree Hazara Ram Teji Ji had always held high regard for Pandit Bakshi Ram Ji and I do the same.
The Valmikians must not forget that the pride and joy they are enjoying today is result of hard research done by PANDIT BAKSHI RAM JI. He lived for ninety years and out of which he served forty years in jail. He was often locked in prison to stop him from raising the Valmikian issues. He fought for the rights for his people till his last breath.
The times under the BJP Government are taking a bad turn. The Valmikian community, the Ravidassia community and the followers of Dr. Ambedkar need to work as one unit only then they can safeguard their interests.
The Punjab Government has build Bhagwan Valmiki Ashram in Amritsar but here in Delhi the BJP has knocked Guru Ravi Dass Mandir down. Will the invitation to BJP as done in the past on Guru Ravi Dass Ji’s Pargat Divas celebrations be given again?
Taking into account the latest developments in India, it seems all the Aadi-vaasi and the other communities must immediately unite to fend off this uprising inhuman Hindu movement. Now, UNITY matters most because the future of India seems very bleak under the Hindu Rashtra rulings.
I pray and hope that no disastrous events are created by the opposition during the Guru Ravi Dass Pargat Divas Celebrations.
Jai Bharat.
