•did i make any new friends while in Vancouver? •how did i feel about the experience of being escorted out of Vancouver? From the Perspective of a Person on the Komagata Maru

[Your Name] [Your Address] [City, Province] [Date] Dear [Recipient's Name], My name is Baldev Singh, a 27-year-old male from the village of Hoshiarpur, Punjab. I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. I wanted to share my story with you, as it is a piece of history that should not be forgotten, for it exemplifies the struggles of many hopeful immigrants like myself. Seeking a better life for myself and my family, I longed to come to Canada as I believed that it promised ample opportunities and economic prosperity. I sought to escape the poverty and hardships that persisted in India under British rule. Fueled by the positive stories from those who had already set sail to Canadian shores, I embarked on the voyage with great hope and excitement. I boarded the Komagata Maru ship on April 4, 1914, from Hong Kong, and began my journey toward what I believed would be a better life. After sailing for nearly two months, we finally arrived in Vancouver on May 23, 1914. As we approached the harbor, my heart swelled with anticipation, imagining all the opportunities that awaited me. Unfortunately, that feeling was short-lived. Upon our arrival to Vancouver, our ship was met with resistance from Canadian immigration authorities who refused to let us disembark, citing discriminatory immigration policies against South Asian immigrants. The two months we spent anchored in Vancouver's harbor was riddled with fear, confusion, and uncertainty. Our living conditions on the cramped ship were squalid and resources were scarce. We had been filled with hope but now faced disillusionment. Finally, on July 23, 1914, under the escort of the Canadian navy, our ship was forced to leave Vancouver. I felt a mixture of despair and anger as I watched the shoreline fade into the distance. Our dreams of a better life in Canada had been crushed, and we were left with the bitter taste of rejection and discrimination. We were forced to disembark the ship in Budge Budge, Kolkata, on September 29, 1914. Upon arrival, we were met with further hostility when the British colonial police attempted to forcibly send many of us to the Punjab region. This led to a violent confrontation known as the "Budge Budge riot," where several passengers were killed, and many others, including myself, were apprehended. After spending time in prison, I was eventually released and made my way back to my home village in Punjab. Though I had failed to find the prosperity I sought in Canada, I returned home with a burning desire to fight against injustice and discrimination in all forms. My experience on the Komagata Maru taught me the importance of challenging unfair policies and advocating for equal rights and opportunities for all individuals, no matter their origin. I hope that by sharing my story, more people will understand the human impact of these historical events and appreciate the struggles that immigrants endure in the pursuit of a better life. Yours sincerely, Baldev Singh