New Contacts continues....

A special feature of the religious and social life of Punjab in those days were Shashtrarths, i.e. debates on religious doctrines between orthodox Hindus, Arya Samajists, Sikhs, Christians, and Moslems. These debates were carried on in an academic spirit without ill-will or quarrels. Molvis, Pandits, Arya Samajist preachers and Christian Missionaries took part in them and the people learnt a good deal about different religions from these discussions. I too learnt a lot by attending these debates, which were conducted in a spirit of good humour, without rancour and fanaticism. This great institution has now disappeared.

It was in this atmosphere of social, religious, political and Swadeshi ideas that I was brought up in my school and college days.








5
STUDYING LAW

AFTER passing my B.A. with Hons. in History, I joined the M.Sc. class in chemistry in the Government College under Professor Jones and Professor Ruchi Ram. I was made a student demonstrator and exempted from the payment of tuition fees.

After I had been studying for M.Sc. for sometime Bakshi Tek Chand called me to the top of his house one day in the evening and told me that my father Babu Brij Lal had written to him that he should persuade me to join the Law College. I was shocked. I had set my heart on the M.Sc. course and did not like to change it. There was no connection between law and chemistry. Like an astute lawyer Bakshi Ji said, “You are the only son of your father. He feels that his great law library will go to waste and the large practice at the Bar which he has painstakingly built up will go to others if you do not take up the legal profession.” I sought refuge in the plea that time for admission to the law college was long over and that the suggestion had come too late

to be continued....