Communal Harmony – Biography Sain Kanwarram

Communal Harmony – Biography Sain Kanwarram

Kanwarram was a prophet of peace he had cosmic consciousness he believed in the unity of mankind as sons of the same father the one God ‘Parbrahma Parmeshwar’ he was a great patriot and nationalist he advocated Hindu-Muslim unity he said all communities are like different flowers in the garden of the country. Though he said there are different types of flowers with different colors, shades and fragrance, yet they can very well adore and adorn the beautiful panoramic view like ‘Unity in diversity’ – a natural law. During his ‘Bhajans’ and discourses, he would sing songs of Lord Krishna, Lord Rama, Gurunanak, Kabir, Farid, Ravidas, Shah Sachal, Sami, Rohal and others even he would sing the songs in praise of Martyrdom of Hasan and Hussain. He was above caste and creed. He even denounced untouchability. He worked a lot for the upliftment of Harijans and other poor oppressed classes of society. He even would get the lands returned to the poor farmers from the rich farmers and property owners, who had devoured there small piece of lands because of some debt and interest. Surprisingly the interest used to be more than the capital and the poor former having few acres of land, used to loose their lands. Kanwar on many occasions helped these landless poor to get them back. Kanwarram’s word was a God’s word in Sindh. Nobody refused his humble request, as people knew the sincerity of purpose and purity of the heart of the Saint.

Once a Harijan came to the place where Kanwarram was singing. He wanted to embrace Kanwar as somebody had told him if he embraces Kanwar, he would be graced with a son, as that person had no son. He came and sat in a corner in secluded place. As untouchability was random at that time very rightly, Mahatma Gandhi said ‘untouchability is a crime against man and God’.

Kanwar saw that person sitting in the corner. Kanwar unnoticing slowly reached that place asked the person about his welfare. The man narrated the story. Kanwar very willingly embraced the Harijan and told I can embrace you as many times as you want. Both embarrassed lovingly and Harijan merrily returned home.

In the village of Palahatar there was an old Muslim – 107 years old, named Gausali Shah who wanted to have a ‘darshan’ of Kanwar before he died. Old age had prevented the holy ‘fakir’s’ trip to Kanwar’s place and he had sent a message to Kanwar requesting him to drop in his village when he had a chance of passing by. Next time when Kanwar went there, he paid his obedience to the ‘fakir’. Then both men met, they embarrassed each other. The ‘fakir’ said that he was a guest in this world for 7 days more and all these years he was pinning to have Kanwar’s ‘Darshan’. Now that he had seen Kanwar, he would gladly leave this world. Exactly after 7 days the reverent Muslim ‘fakir’ died! Such was the greatness of Kanwar he even went to the ‘Mazar’ and Tombs of Muslim ‘Pirs’ and ‘Fakirs’ with due respect so Kanwar was also great Sufi Saint.

‘There was non high or low with God. All were alike to him. Never entertain he thought that I am high born and my neighbor is low of birth. The Ganga is not polluted nor in the wind tainted nor the earth rendered untouchable, because the low born and high born bathe in the one, or breathe the other, or more on the back of the third.’
– Dnyaneshwar

The British Governor of Sindh felicitated Saint Kanwarram in those days. He was awarded with a citation, a ‘Lungi’ or ‘Shawl’ (costly cloth) a ‘Shrifal’ (Coconut) for his services towards national integration, communal harmony propagating Hindu-Muslim unity and for the cause of removing untouchability and serving the poor and needy irrespective of caste and creed in the best traditions of Saints of India, and like Saints all over the globe.