Introduction

Sant Attar Singh Ji of Mastuana represents the serene spiritual apex and educational vanguard of the modern Sikh renaissance. Operating during an era when the rural peasantry of Malwa was trapped in illiteracy, superstition, and social torpor, he mobilized rural communities to construct schools, colleges, and libraries. Emphasizing that "education devoid of spiritual values generates clever demons, while spirituality without modern science breeds helplessness", he pioneered an enlightened educational model that transformed Northern India.

Early Asceticism and Godavari Contemplation

  • Born on March 28, 1866, in the village of Cheema (Sangrur district) to Sardar Karam Singh and Mata Bholi, he enlisted as a youth in the 54th Sikh Infantry Regiment.
  • Experiencing profound mystical calling, he renounced military career prospects, journeying south to Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Sahib in Nanded.
  • For years, he lived an austere life of unbroken contemplation (tapasya) along the banks of the Godavari River, attaining the exalted state of a Brahmgiani (one possessing unitive God-realization).
  • Returning to Punjab, he selected a barren, thorny tract of scrubland near Sangrur, consecrating it as Gursagar Mastuana Sahib, transforming it into a vibrant educational sanctuary.

The Historic Foundation of Banaras Hindu University (1914)

The universal reverence enjoyed by Sant Attar Singh was demonstrated in a historic interfaith event:

  • In 1914, when nationalist patriarch Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya was preparing to establish the premier national seat of learning—Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi—he resolved that the foundation stone must be laid by the holiest living saint in India, whose soul was untainted by personal sin.
  • Following extensive consultations with scholars and the Maharaja of Darbhanga, Pandit Malaviya traveled personally to Punjab to petition Sant Attar Singh.
  • On December 24, 1914, amidst Vedic and Gurmat chants along the banks of the Ganges in Kashi, Sant Attar Singh laid the foundational cornerstone of Banaras Hindu University, creating an immortal symbol of interfaith harmony and intellectual fraternity.

Educational Revolution: The Akal Institutions

  • Sant Attar Singh established the Akal College and high schools at Mastuana, mandating free education and hostel accommodations for underprivileged rural children.
  • He was an ardent champion of women’s education, establishing dedicated girls’ institutions across Malwa and Doaba decades before state literacy programs.
  • His chief disciple, Harvard-educated scientist Sant Teja Singh (M.A., LL.B.), carried his vision across the globe, establishing The Kalgidhar Trust at Baru Sahib (Himachal Pradesh), which administers over 120 premier value-based rural academies today.

Spiritual Ministry and Passing

Traveling across the length and breadth of India on foot, Sant Attar Singh administered the sacred Amrit initiation to hundreds of thousands of individuals, inspiring ethical discipline, temperance, and universal compassion. He passed away into the eternal realm on January 31, 1927, leaving behind an educational and spiritual legacy that continues to illuminate generations.

References

  1. Bhai Vir Singh (1930), Jeevan Charittar Sant Attar Singh Ji Mastuana, Amritsar.
  2. Sant Teja Singh (1975), Biography of Sant Attar Singh Ji, The Kalgidhar Trust, Baru Sahib.
  3. Dr. Harbans Singh (1998), The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism (Vol. I), Punjabi University Patiala.