By Balwant Sanghera

Recently, my wife Baldev and I, along with some of our relatives, had a very enjoyable trip to California as well as the Baja and Guadalajara area of Mexico. California is one of the biggest states of U.S.A. stretching from Mexico in the south to Oregon in the north. This more than 900 miles of terrain is very diverse and fertile. California is the most populous state of America with more than 39 million residents. It is the third largest state of the United States by area. California is one of the most culturally and linguistical diverse part of America. It is very famous for its vast fruit farms of almonds, grapes, and a variety of other fruits. Its Bay area, near San Francisco, was well known around the globe as the Silicon Valley. One of America’s largest cities, Los Angeles, is home toHollywood , one of the oldest and largest film industries in the world.

One of the outstanding features of California is the progress and the contribution that the Indo-American community in general and the Punjabis in particular have made here. Some of the prominent Punjabis are well known as Almond King, Raisin King etc. and dominate the farming sector in the state. Not only that, but Punjabis also dominate various business-like trucking, taxis, manufacturing and other enterprises. The warm and Punjab like climate in California is a great asset to the state. It certainly is aboon to the farming community. It is not only in farming that Indo-Americans dominate. There are also top-notch professionals and politicians in very high positions as well. Thus, it was a great experience for us to visit our friends and relatives all around the state and feel proud about their achievement. It was California that elected the first Punjabi Dalip Singh Saund to the U.S. Congress.

I think it was in the mid 1950s or early 1960s when Dalip Singh Saund visited India and was given a very warm welcome by the people and government of India. Stockton, in California, is another historic city for the South Asian community. Stockton Gurdwara, built in 1912 played a prominent role in promoting the Ghadar movement in the States and Canada. It has been reported that our freedom fighters used to meet here from other parts of the States and Canada and plan their campaign for India’s independence. Visiting places like this Gurdwara is like a pilgrimage to pay homage to our GhadariBabeys who put everything on the line in securing India’s independence from the British.

At this place of worship, it was a delight to see the pictures and other paraphernalia of these brave souls fighting for India’s independence. The Gurdwara management committee has done an excellent job in preserving these historical artifacts and memories. From the collage of pictures of freedom fighters, one stood up for me. It was the picture of Baba Bhagat Singh Bilga, a very prominent revolutionary. Baba Bhagat Singh Bilga’s younger son Prem Singh was my class fellow at then National High School Bilga(now Government Higher Secondary School). As such, I would see them regularly at their home and farmhouse.As their farmhouse was on my way from my hometown Pharwala to the school near Bilga railway station I would often stop over at their farmhouse for a chat with Baba ji. He was always very kind and affectionate to me. I came to Canada in 1966. A few years later when I visited India it was an honour for me to visit Baba Bhagat Singh Bilga at Desh Bhagat Hall in Jalandhar. Visit to Pacific Coast Khalsa Diwan Society Gurdwara in Stockton brought back all those pleasant memories. 

Balwant Sanghera is a retired School Psychologist and Community Activist.