Hometown recalls creator of timeless bhajan ‘Om Jai Jagdish Hare’

Ashok Kaura

Phillaur, October 2

The 179th birth anniversary of Pt Shardha Ram Phillauri, author of the internationally acclaimed prayer “Om Jai Jagdish Hare” was celebrated with great fervour and enthusiasm in his home town of Phillaur on Friday.

Hundreds of citizens paid tributes and garlanded the statue of Pt Shardha Ram Phillauri, near the bus stand. A religious congregation was then held at Phillaur Mandir, where hundreds of devotees paid tributes to Phillauri.

Congress MP Santokh Singh, BSP leader Avtar Singh Karimpuri, SAD leader Baldev Khaira, Congress leader Vikramjit Singh, chairman, Shardha Ram Phillauri Memorial Trust, Ajay Sharma, along with hundreds of citizens paid tributes to Phillauri.

The Congress MP lauded Phillauri’s thoughts on women empowerment, saving the girl child and also appealed to the audience to read his famous novel “Bhagwati”.

A grant of Rs 10 lakh was announced by the MP to build a memorial of the great writer.

Prominent among others present were SK Malhotra, Goldy Nahar, Harminder Mahal, Sanjay Passi, Jeevan Passi, Rakesh Kalia, Amit Pama, Rajesh Kumar, Dr Rakesh Sharma, Lala Kanshiram, Kewal Kishan Sharma, Jaspal Jassi, Mohinderpal MC, Yashpal Ginda MC and Vabhav Sharma MC.

It may be mentioned that Phillauri was born in a Brahmin family at Phillaur on September 30,1837. He was married to a Sikh girl, Mehtab Kaur. He learnt Hindi, Sanskrit, Persian, astrology and music besides the Gurmukhi script.