Baba Kanshi Ram

April 23, 1984

A commemorative postage stamp on Siahposh General, ‘Pahari Gandhi‘ Baba Kanshiram, an Indian poet and freedom fighter from Himachal Pradesh :

Issued by India

Issued on Apr 23, 1984

Type : Stamp, Postal Used

Colour : Single colour

Denomination : 50 Paise

Printed at : India Security Press

Name : Baba Kanshi Ram

Born on Jul 11, 1882 at Dada Siba, Himachal Pradesh, India

Died on Oct 15, 1943

About :

Baba Kanshi Ram, the most prominent freedom fighter of Kangra Hills, now forming part of Himachal Pradesh, was born on 11^th July, 1882 at Village Dada Siba in Tehsil Dehra of Distt. Kangra. He went to the village school but could not follow up his studies beyond the school stage as his father died in 1895 when he was only 13. As he was fond of music and poetry he started to write songs and poems in ‘Pahari‘ language from an early age. But equally important was the need to earn his livelihood. So he went to Lahore for employment. Before he could do anything tangible, young Kanshi came into contact with freedom fighters and Congress leaders of those days. He had witnessed the famous Delhi Darbar held in December, 1911, when the capital of India was shifted to Delhi from Calcutta. As a sharp blow to this glittering show of glory and power came the famous bomb attack on the Viceroy, which surcharged the entire atmosphere with national fervour. Young Kanshi came back to Lahore and within the next 5 to 7 years developed good relations with well known Congress leaders and freedom fighters of those days including Sardar Ajit Singh, uncle of Sardar Bhagat Singh, Lala Hardayal and Lala Lajpat Rai. He witnessed the Jalliwanwala Bagh massacre in 1919, jumped into the freedom struggle and left for home. He started preaching the message of Mahatma Gandhi to the Nation and composed songs and poems in ‘Pahari’ language to inspire them to join the freedom struggle.