Page:Bengal Celebrities.djvu/12

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was a good athlete, a good rider and a very skilful swordsman. His passion for music was very great and in later times he used to spend his leisure in singing and listening to devotional songs. After completing his education in the schools, Mohshin set out on his foreign travels in Persia and Arabia. He travelled through India, Persia and Arabia and passed on to Egypt and Turkey. If it is true, as it undoubtedly is, that travel in grown up men is a sort of education, Mohshin was the most educated man of his times in India. He spent a good many years abroad and learnt much about many foreign countries and nations. About this time his sister, Mannuja Khanum, became a widow and Mohshin had to hasten back to his native land. Mannuja's husband held an extensive landed property in Jessore and Khulna and all this property was now placed under the supervision of Mohshin. In 1803 Mannuja died after making her brother her heir. But Mohshin undertook only to supervise the property, leaving its use to the poor of the land. He chose to lead the life of a faquir amidst riches and devoted his all to the service of God and his native land. He was a cosmopolitan in his charity. Hindus as well as Mahomedans equally enjoyed the benefit of his munificence. But he did not let his left hand know what his right hand did. He used to go about at night visiting the poor and helping them unperceived. In 1812 Haji Mohammad Mohshin died. Before his death he had made over his entire property to the British Government and appointed it to be employed "all in the service of God." It is needless to say that Government has taken upon it the task of employing the proceeds of the property according to the desires of the saintly donor. He serves God best who serves man most, and the splendid gift which was dedicated solely to "the service of God" is being utilised in the service of man by endowing colleges and hospitals and institutions of public charity all over the country.