Bhai Joginder Singh Ji Talwara, a retired civil officer, who had at one time worked on the famous Bhakhra Nagal Project, dedicated over three decades of his life researching Gurbani and studying the written structure of old volumes of Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
He was an adamant proponent of having a single accurate and uniform Saroop printed under the aegis of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the SGPC. He despised the commercial printing process for Gurbani which has introduced countless inaccuracies and differences amongst various Saroops.
Bhai Joginder Singh Jee Talwara was one of the great keertanies from the time of Bhai Sahib Bhai Randheer Singh jee…. He’s written tons of books on so many subjects. Most people know that He was Bhai Tejinderpal Singh Jee Dulla’s father.
He has taught keertan to so many singhs and singhnees in india and from here… He has done correction of Sri Guru Granth Sahib’s Saroops… I can’t name all the things he’s done.. He done so much to bring the AKJ in india al together… He had been doing this panth seva for decades with his keertan and and his books. He was always nuetral in all the major problems… Just such a sweet person.. Everyone knows his as “Darjee” just like our father or our granddad.
Bhai sahib jis contribution to the Panth is years beyond our time. Many of us will only realise in years to come how important his work has been. His stature in the Panth was huge. For he was the one selected to correct the spelling in the printed Guru Granth Sahib jis, by researching all the Prataan saroops. His books too are beyond their time, and those who deeply search Gurbani, in abyass, and finding Aarth, know how valuable they are. In recent years, The Panth has lost many precious Gursikhs, who were the intelligensia of the Panth. Pyara Singh Padam, Principal Harbhajan Singh are a few names. Bhai Joginder singh is another of these vital Gursikhs who has now completed their Jeevan Yatra. There is not another in the Panth, who has so much knowledge on Gurbani, and knowledge of the Prataan saroops that he did.
Most will remember him for his graceful keertan, and sehaj filled avasta. Just imagine how many Gursikhs, Bhai sahib taught keertan to, or inspired via his keertan, and you can just see what an amazing jeevan he had. He never shyed away from Panthik seva, and always stood firm on Gurmat Asools. An example to many youth, he is a person who had the balance of miri and piri.
While doing interviews, as part of research for the kurbani book, a Gursikh told me a story about Bhai Joginder singh which I would now like to share. After 1978 Saka, all the sikh youth were doing seva together against the Nirankaris. Many anti-Panthik forces were afraid of this new unity which had appeared in all youth due to the saka of 1978. They did everything they could to divide the youth again. Bhai Joginder Singh called a Gupt meeting, which was attended by Baba Jarnail Singh ji Bindranwale, and Bhai Amolak Singh ji, ( due to many senior youth were now openly hunted by the Police). Bhai Joginder Singh told them that the times which they will now witness will be very hard. Many forces fear the possibilities of what can be achieved. So they are now doing, and will do in the future, so much to ensure the Panth is always kept divided. We should all come to an agreement to never let any issue, whether of maryada or jathebandik, get in the ways of the interests of the Panth. And ensure we always enforce this where we have influence. They all agreed this, and as such, in times when so much pressure was put on them, they all held firm. For the next few years up until June 1984 Saka, They all ensured the panth was together, and it enjoyed a period of great Chardi Kala. After 1984, the Panth could have achieved so much, but let itself become embroiled in issues, which divided and distracted it from its goal. But I write this as a Tribute to the kind of Panthik Spirit that Bhai Joginder Singh had, he was an intellectual, a writer, a Guru ke Kirtanianee, and a Panthik soldier, a True Gursikh. Bhai Sontokh Singh once told me, that Bhai Randhir Singh said to him, that Bhai Joginder Singh will grow up to do immense seva for the Panth, and would be a pillar of it, and indeed he was.