WHEN DR KARAN SINGH MET HO CHI MINH

                                                                              

YEAR 1958

 (Photo courtesy: Photo Division, Government of India)

"

Dr Ho Chi Minh.....

"Remember, the storm is a good opportunity for the pine and the cypress to show their strength and their stability. "

(Dr Ho Chi Minh)

“Here I was face to face , sitting on the dining table and listening to some wonderful thoughts from a fatherly figure known world over as Ho Chi Minh . He was  a statesman , a great leader , a communist who created the  Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945. A man who believed in unification,integration and order. His faith and religion remained humanity. A widely travelled man , a leader who lived in France , UK , USA , China  , USSR and many countries and above all a  great visionary . He was the  leader who fought for the removal of French colonial rule from Vietnam . A  revolutionary in his ideas but  I found him   a saint at Heart . So Impressive in thought , mannerism and style .I was touched by his simplicity and sincerity of purpose “

(Dr Karan Singh)

In 1958,  Dr Karan Singh attended a dinner hosted by Indira Gandhi for Dr Ho Chi Minh, president Democratic Republic of Vietnam  . Dr Karan Singh was joined by  Maharani Yasho Rajya Lakshmi  and eminent jurist ,M. C. Chagla.

Dr Ho Chi Minh ' s  possessions as president of Vietnam were;  one bed, one table ,three chairs, a mat , a drinking water bucket ,two glasses  , two pens ,paper , a radio set, a watch , four sets of clothes ,two sandals and two shoes. No bank balance and no cars . 

In addition to being a selfless politician, Hồ Chí Minh was also a writer, journalist, poet and polyglot.Dr. Ho Chi Minh (1890-1969) was President of Vietnam from 1945-1969. He visited India in 1958.  

In his Book " Today's Pasts ..A Memoir " Bhisham Sahni writes ,

“Going to Vietnam was like going on a pilgrimage . I also saw the ordinary little shack , The former home of the Nation’s Great leader Ho Chi Minh : More splendorous than the biggest of Mansions . His walking stick , umbrella , Hat and jacket were still hanging in one corner of the shack.It seemed like he had gone out for a little while and would return anytime now. ”

I conclude this mini post with  poem  " Autumn Night"  by Dr Ho Chi Minh..

(Autumn Night)

At the gate stand the guards, 

each with rifle;

Far above sails the moon,

 with shredded drifted cloud banks.

Swarms of bedbugs manoeuvre like tanks,

Squadrons of mosquitoes attack and retreat, 

with us they trifle.

My heart travels towards my land,

Sadness overpowers me, 

my dreams go round and round.

Though I am an innocent man:

 in chains I am bound,

On captivity I write poems – tears flowing on the inkstand.

 

( Avtar Mota )

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