Good persons are born Good;
this saying applies almost on all of the great personalities of this world.
very few among the great ones are like Swami Shraddhananda whose initial days
of life were in complete darkness like a sun covered by the clouds while as the
clouds of ignorance shattered his life shined like a sun to set a perfect
example for those who are still in darkness and wants to get inspiration from
the great ones. This is a series of article on Swami Shraddhananda for the
readers to know about his great life , his great works and his beliefs.
He was born on 22 February 1856 in the village of Talwan in the Jalandhar
District of the Punjab Province of India.
Age of Darkness
Munshiram (Swami Shraddhananda) youth was full of ups and downs. His father
Shri Nanakchand was gifted police inspector post as rewards of his service to
Britishers in 1857 revolt against freedom fighters. The police job was honoring
but family was engaged in constant moves between Banaras, Mirzapore, Banda,
Mathura and Bareilly. This disturbed the studies of Munshiram and instead of
pursuing good in studies he landed up in company of rich friends who engaged
him in cruel clenches of lust, alcohol, bhang, pan, meat eating, gambling etc.
the young mind was easily influenced by his environment “when in Rome, do as
the Romans do”, was his motto. At last he passed mukhtari exams and started his
law practice to become a well known lawyer. This was a period when the son of a
pious father landed up in atheism. Munshiram used to visit every night to a
temple. One day the police prevented him and other devotees from entering the
temple. A noble lady was doing her prayer, and nobody was allowed inside until
she finished. Munshiram was terribly upset, started thinking seriously about
temple and idol worship. He was assailed by grave doubts. At this stage he met
a catholic priest. Under his influence he started going to church, and decided
to prepare himself for baptism. This plan however came to an abrupt end. One
day he went to visit The Father, but he was not in his room. Munshiram, on
looking inside, saw to his horror another father in what seemed to him a
compromising situation with a nun. After this his feet’s never turned to the
church in his life. (AUTO P-34-35) When his father Nanakchand was posted in
Banaras a girl died at home of a Muslim lawyer, as there was a suspicion of
murder, the remains of the girl was held by the police for a post mortem
examination. Another Muslim lawyer trained at Aligarh College and with help of
Sir Syed Ahmed khan’s influence managed to have the investigation stopped. Case
was transferred to Allahabad and his father was duly acquitted. This lead to
his father’s transferred to Ballia. This experience leads Munshiram to turn
away from Islam. (AUTO P-21) Munshiram joined his father for a while in
Mathura. Here he had a close experience of corrupt Hinduism. He saw the
disgusting gluttony of the chaube Brahmins to whom his devout father donated a
feast, and during a visit to the temples of gosains, he witnessed the attempted
rape of a young female devotee by one of these sensuous pontiffs of the Krishna
cult (AUTO P-43) As the atheism grew in him as his life drowned in alcohol. His
lot of time was wasted in friends circle, reading novels, playing chess
neglecting his studies.
Encounter With The Revolutionary Yogi
At this grave moment the light of hopes arrived in form of Swami Dayanand visit
to Bareilly. His father was in charge of police arrangements for his lectures
and public debate with Rev. Scott. He asked Munshiram to visit and attend his
lectures. Munshiram went with his friends in order to spoil the arrangements
but when he saw Rev. Scott and other eminent personalities attending his
lectures he was deeply impressed. He was impressed by his strong personality
and his skill in controversy. He even secretly shadowed the swami on his
regular early morning walk and watched him in meditation. Perhaps he was hoping
to find a chink in his armor. He admired the fearlessness of Dayanand, who
shrugged aside veiled threats that he would prevented from lecturing if he
attacked Christianity, and dared to harshly condemn a high official for keeping
a courtesan. He reports that he had two private discussions with the swami on
the subject of the existence of god. He confessed to the swami that he could
not counter his logic, but that his arguments nevertheless had not given him
real faith in god’s reality. The swami smiled and answered, “Look, you asked
questions, I gave answers that were a matter of logic. When did I promise that
I would make you believe in god? Your faith in god will only come when the lord
himself makes you a believer.” (AUTO P-51-54)
Wife Shiva Devi Contribution
Munshiram rewarded in his autobiography contribution of his wife in the period
of darkness with deep respect. Once evening he drinks heavily with his friends
and while he was vilely drunk, he found himself within the establishment of
prostitutes. Somehow he got out, stumbled home and was helped by an old servant
inside, where he collapsed in a drunken stupor. His young wife sat with him
through that night, without food, cleaning and comforting her husband. When he
finally emerged from his alcoholic daze, he realized the callousness of his
behavior in contrast with the spontaneous and natural dedication of his wife.
The next day, when an enormous bill arrived from the liquor shop, Shivadevi
simply offered her bridal ornaments, the most precious possession of a Hindu
wife, in payment. Munshiram was shamed once more into another attempt of
ordering his pitiful life. (AUTO P-55)
Last Night Of Darkness
Once in Jullundur Munshiram went for drinking with his friends. On that
particular night one of his friends was too paralyzed to get by himself.
Munshiram somehow dragged him to home. Once they had arrived, they got on the
bottle again until finally Munshiram sent his companion to bed. Shortly
afterwards he heard a shriek, and found his friend was about to rape a young
girl of the house. Munshiram got the girl safely sway, and felt suddenly
blindingly sober. He looked at himself in utter disgust, and resolutely broke
the last bottle in front of him, never to touch alcohol again in his life.
(AUTO P-63)
Almighty god was making him now a believer.
Excess Of God Grace Overpowered Him
After completing his law studies Munshiram started practicing as a lawyer in
Jullundur. He also joined Aryasamaj and was influenced by Lala Devraj
personality. One of his first religious decisions was his total abjuration of
meat eating. From childhood meat had been part of his diet, as was the case
with many of his friends. The decision was a sudden one, brought on by the gruesome
sight of a butcher boy’s basket full of meat, after the reading of the chapter
on diet in the Satyarth Prakash. That evening Munshiram stunned his dinner
companions by throwing his plate of food, which included some meat, against the
wall in a typical gesture of defiance and finality. In fact, he admitted that
it was for lack of real courage that he had to make this gesture so
dramatically. He felt he did not have the strength of character to say farewell
to meat in a quiet and composed fashion.
From Atheism to Theism
Munshiram apart from practicing as a lawyer engaged slowly in work of local
Aryasamaj. He soon visited Lahore Aryasamaj and was deeply influenced by the
young scientist pt. Gurudatta Vedic legacy. The Aryasamaj was in its infancy
and local Hindus started agitating against it. In 1886 a panchyat of learned
Brahmins was called to declare aryas of Jullundur as outcaste. However the four
prominent Brahmins involved happened to be very vulnerable as upholders of
dharma, they either had a concubine, were known gamblers, or secret consumers
of liquor and meat. Devraj and Munshiram visited one of them and made clear
that if they participated in the panchyat, their conduct would be publicly
exposed, on the day of the meeting the pundits judged it safer to stay away and
the threat to samaj collapsed.
Arise Of a Leader
Pundit Shyam dass of Amritsar throw a debate on Vedas which Munshiram accepted
and handled the debate effectively. This led him to ascend to leadership level.
Munshiram started weekly Saddhrmpracharak in Urdu for propagation of Vedic
philosophy. He published his first track on varnavyastha. He started morning
nagar kirtan (street preaching) and organized Aryasamaj anniversary in which
Lala Saindas, Gurudatta, Lala Hansraj and two Swamis were part from Lahore
delegation. The successful function put Jullundur Aryasamaj branch on map. The
main influence on Munshiram character was that he not only emerged as a leader
but also most of his time apart from lawyer practice was devoted to the missionary
zeal of Aryasamaj. His engagements kept him away from dark company of friends.
“MY LIFE WAS NO MORE MY OWN. IT NOW BELONGED TO ALL PEOPLE”
Pioneering Women Education
Women education was first bold step taken by Munshiram in field of social
enlistment. Once he was reading book at his home when he heard song from his
daughter mouth saying Christ is your lord Krishna, Christ is your lord rams.
This stroked him and he started thinking that Christian missionary schools were
diverting minds of youth to their sects. In 1889 he withdraws his daughter from
the Christian school, and decided that the Jullundur aryas should set up girl’s
school of their own. In 1889 he started an important series of articles about
female education in the second issue of Saddhrmpracharak entitled ADHURA INSAF
or half justice in which he pleaded for the education of women on the basis of
equal rights of males and females (HIST 1 P-200). His thought was influenced by
the revolutionary teaching of Satyarth Prakash in which Swami Dayanand has
advocated female education. Indeed Swami Dayanand was first to roar like lion
in public platforms for female education giving evidences of women rishis like
Gargi and Matraiyi. The opposition was strong, and the going very hard; the
first three attempts fell through mostly on account of the lack of pupils. The
maximum resistance was by staunch Hindus who thought that it would be a real
havoc if females would chant Vedic mantras. Locals protested against both of
them and even tried for physical abuse many a times. Even Christian
missionaries were indirectly involved as they were losing green pastures of
conversion to Aryasamaj. But finally in July 1891, firm foundations were laid
and the school was off to a good start. The tribune of 16th march 1892 reported
the opening of a refuse fund, and its issue of 6th July of same year reported
with praise that about forty girls had been enrolled. Girls were given
incentives of cloths and money to attend school. tribune 6 Feb.1895 reported
that the school had nearly a hundred pupils in 1895 in march a boarding house
was inaugurated, the kanya ashram , and by the end of the same year it had
attracted girls not only from Punjab but also from north-west provinces and
even from Poona. (Arya dharma p- 215) this showed that some people were now
ready to trust the school even with the moral education and protection of their
daughters. The Indian social reformer (dated 18 Nov. 1917) commented with high
praise that it was the first such institution on India pioneering female
education. In June 1896 Devraj and Munshiram finally attained their goal. They
inaugurated kanya mahavidyalaya high school for girls. They really transformed
it into major institution of female education.
(Womanhood of our country is in
debt of revolutionary Sanyasi like Swami Dayanand and Swami Sharddhananda for
right of education)
Widow Remarriage Revolution
Our country was eloped in childhood marriage and natural epidemics lead to
rising of brigades of child widows who had never even seen the faces of their
grooms. SWAMI DAYANAND in SATYARTH PRAKASH first advocated remarriage of widow.
Following his message people started widow remarriage but so called staunch
Hindus opposed this move. They were ready to keep an innocent girl for whole
life either at their home or in Banaras, Mathura to land up in prostitution or
sexual exploitation but not ready to remarriage her. In those days female was
considered as a curse. Aryasamaj started widow remarriage with missionary zeal.
In 1895 one Diwan Sant Ramdas arranged the remarriage of his daughter, who had
been married in early childhood, but had been widowed long before that marriage
could be consummated. Many orthodox Hindus argued that this remarriage of a
widow was against Hindu dharma, and chopra community of akalgarh published a
treatise pressing for the total excommunication of the Diwan. Munshiram
undertook his defense. He published a pamphlet entitled kshatra dharma palan ka
gair mamuli mauka (an unusual opportunity to defend the dharma of the khatris)
first he showed that the harsh condemnation was ear from universal among the
Hindus. Next he accused the Hindus community of incest, abortion. Adultery,
drunkenness and theft committed by high caste Hindus without ever calling upon
their head even the faintest threat of sanction from their caste. He supported
widow remarriage and supported his claim by texts from Vedas and Manu smriti.
Pamphlet closed with a passionate appeal to all Hindus to do all they could to
accept remarriage of widows in all cases where the Hindu religion allowed it.
Munshiram struggled for his whole life for the upliftment of widows. At last in
1925 he got success in his mission. At a regional widow remarriage conference
held in his own town of Jullundur, addressing as chairman of conference, he
passed resolution of disapproval of marriage of boys before they were twenty-
five years old and of girls before the age of sixteen, such unions were in
violation of the shastras. It was also stated that no widower should marry a
virgin, nor should a widow marry a bachelor, and that the marriage of virgin
widows should be celebrated in exactly the same manner as that of virgin
brides. Moreover, children born from the union of widow and widowers should
enjoy the same legal rights and privileges as those born in the first marriage.
These were indeed revolutionary resolutions, worthy of the radicalism of Swami
Dayanand himself. (Leader, 15oct. 1925)
New Dream of Gurukula
Munshiram felt many a time that the education pattern of the D.A.V. schools
will not produce a truly national adult, who was prepared to structure his life
according to that Vedic ideal, and devote his formative years to its study. The
main thrust of the instruction was therefore to be the study of the Vedas and
of all the linguistic and historical disciplines necessary for that study.
Situation of present schools in midtowns subjects pupils to all kinds of
pernicious influences, both moral and physical. The gurukul situated among
forests with teachers as in loco parentis taking responsibility for physical,
intellectual and moral growth of their pupils. The syllabus included Sanskrit
as its main curriculum supported with subjects like English, science, math and
history. Munshiram first in may 1900 opened its small branch in Gujranwala but
was not satisfied by its location. He was donated land for gurukul by Munsi
Amar Singh near village Kankhal; Haridwar. Finally on 2 March, 1901 Munshiram
opened his dream gurukul. It was first two bighas of open space in the midst of
thick jungle, two rows of thatched huts, a small cabin, and cattle shed. That
was the beginning. Fifteen years later on 12th April 917 when Munshiram entered
sanyas the gurukul was a large complex of brick buildings housing a school with
276 pupils, university section with sixty four students, and staff of thirty
five teachers. There were ample classrooms, dormitories, a library, science
laboratories, a hospital, workshops, an agricultural institute, a guest house
etc. at that time other gurukul branches were also opened in Multan, Kurukshetra,
Indraprastha, and Rohtak. It was later followed by hundreds of gurukuls all
over country both for boys and girls. Gurukul system of education was a
revolutionary step in field of education. It was education based on Vedic
knowledge with ancient pride of our country filled in the veins of all
students. Gurukul did not accept any government grant, started any government
syllabus and gave any government recognized degree. It was self dependent in
its every aspect in British ruled India. C.F.Andrews was so influenced by the
gurukul atmosphere that he wrote about his impressions in the modern review of
March as “here was the India that I has known and loved- the India of my dreams
only in decay, but ever fresh and young with the spring time of immortal
youth…here in the gurukul was the new India.” (Ref- Gispert-sauch, ed., god’s
word among men, Delhi, 1973, p. 75)
Savior of Aryasamaj and the Gurukula
Arrest and Deportation of Lala Lajpat Rai fell like a bombshell among aryas.
Britishers assumed activities of Aryasamaj as a plot to overthrow the
government. Munshiram immediately took up defense of Aryasamaj. He produced
constant stream of articles from the punjabee newspaper of 12 June 1907 to
large works like the Aryasamaj and politics, a vindication in 1910. He proved
that Aryasamaj was a purely religious body, not a political one, and that it
had no connections with any political grouping. He said that Dayanand’s
writings had no reference to politics. He said he had no sympathy whatsoever
with any political group or action which the government may have considered
seditious. But at the same time Munshiram publicize the way government and army
officers were unjustly harassing the aryas. He even mentioned such list of
harassment of aryas in his book the vindication. On 23 august 1907 he suggested
that Lord Minto should send for some leaders of the samaj and talk freely with
them. So, that his Excellency may come to know who are the real enemies of the
government and how the government can protect itself against them (SVNUP 1907
P-443). He advocated that Aryasamaj should not send a deputation like beggars
to Britishers. When Munshiram was called by Sir John Hewitt he asked him to
issue a proclamation declaring that no person shall be declared disloyal simply
because he is an aryasamajist. (SVNUP 1908 P-959). He appealed lord Minto not
to give credence to malicious informants. (SVNUP 1908 P-945).he even defended
Lajpat Rai in the punjabee of 12th June 1907 “we believe that these gentlemen
were advocates of constitutional agitation only, and that sedition had no place
in their minds”. When the others remained silent, he repeated that fearless
expression of his opinion of Lajpat Rai innocence in civil and military gazette
of June 1907 and in his Lahore speech of Nov. 1908. (Vindication p-78). Even
gurukul kangri was considered as centre of sedition. Munshiram invited British
officials to the gurukul. In 1913 Sir James Meston, Governor of U.P. visited
the gurukul. C.F.Andrews visited the gurukul in 1913 and praised it as real
India. Friendship sprang between him and Munshiram. C.F.Andrews was close to
Viceroy Lord Harding. His relations helped to create good atmosphere between
gurukul and the government. Other eminent personalities to visit gurukul were
Ramsay MacDonald and finally Viceroy Lord Chelmsford in Oct. 1916. In April
1915 gurukul attended Mahatma Gandhi as its special guest.
The Patiala Case
On 11th and 12th Oct. 1909 the Patiala police rounded up 75 Aryasamaj members
and imprisoned them in a camp to be tried for sedition by a special tribunal.
This action by Maharaja of Patiala shocked whole of Aryasamaj. Those who were
weak hearted left the membership of Aryasamaj. Many reputed lawyers refused to
handle the case. Munshiram took out his lawyer’s license from his drawer, where
it had lain for years, and taken up the defense of the accused. (Inside
congress p-38)
On 18th Jan. a petition was presented to the Maharaja by the lawyers for the
defense, in which the accused affirmed they were never seditious, apologized
for any actions that may have given such an impression, and promised to be
careful in the future. Even a suggestion came from govt. of India to end this
trial as it was becoming more and more embarrassing. On 17th February the
Maharaja finally declared in answer to the petition as “it was never meant to
infer that every member of the Aryasamaj in India or that society was
seditious… I am willing to accept this apology and the assurance given and
order that the trial of the accused be stopped and proceedings against them
withdrawn”. (Vindication p-231). Although it was a considerable victory for the
defense but the last sting of order was that all the accused that were in the
employ of the state were summarily dismissed, and also banished from the state.
All Indian newspapers condemned Maharaja of detention of aryas for four months
on mere suspicion only. Munshiram not only saved Aryasamaj organization in this
hour of trial but he also saw it as great opportunity to revitalize the
institution.
The encounters with the government proved Munshiram as the real defender of his
faith with characteristic passion and enthusiasm. Overall it leads to elevation
of Munshiram as strong leader of Aryasamaj at national level.
Munshiram Transformation into Swami Sharddhananda
On 12th April 1917, Munshiram took sanyas in the presence of 20,000 witnesses.
The ancient ceremony symbolized the final severance of the bonds of the old
life. He performed his own funeral rites and shed the garments characteristic
of mahatma Munshiram. The outward indication of the entrance into new state of
life was the shaving of head and beard, the assumption of the ochre robe, and
the acceptance of a new name. Munshiram expressed himself in his biography
(p-451-452) on sanyas “it is faith (shraddha) that was the inspiration of the
life I have led so far. Faith has always been the revered goddess of my life.
Today also it is faith that has driven me to enter the state of sanyas. That is
why, invoking as witness this sacrificial fire, I name Sharddhananda, so that I
may succeed in filling my future life too with that same faith”
Normally the candidate named another sanyasi as his guru, who then conducted
part of the ceremony, Munshiram declared god to be his guru, and performed all
rites himself. He cut of all his ties with family, professional career, power
structure of Aryasamaj, personal property. As sanyasi he was totally free
individual not answerable to any demands of the social or ritual power
structures of Hinduism.
Swami Sharddhananda and Mahatma Gandhi
C.F. Andrews visit to gurukul and friendship with swami Ji brought him contact
with Rabindranath Tagore and especially Mahatma Gandhi. When in 1913-1914
Gandhi asked Gokhale to collect funds to support South Africa Satyagraha, the
gurukul has responded admirably, by foregoing some extra food and doing manual
work at dam construction site students collected 1500 rupees for the fund.
Gandhi wrote a personal letter of thanks to Munshiram, telling him how C.F.
Andrews description of the gurukul and its principal made him want to visit him
soon. When the pupils of the phoenix ashram came to India, they spent several
months at the gurukul, and in April 1915 Mahatma Gandhi himself arrived of his
first visit. He said, ‘I am worthy of teaching anybody, but I yearn to learn
myself from anyone who is a servant of his country. (BIO p-368-373)
Swami Sharddhananda in Politics
Until 1919 swami ji has remained completely aloof from active politics unto
that time. He did not have faith in political games. He considered them to be
mere show. But when Gandhi ji entered the arena of politics with an approach to
politics that included self-denial, the swami was deeply attracted .In response
to Gandhi ji Rowlett bill protest (4 March, 1919) his joining of politics was
instantaneous, and was sealed in his conversation with the mahatma the
following day (Mere pita p-199).Overnight with his son Indra and Dr Ansari he
addressed his first mass meeting followed by Bombay, Baroda, Surat, Broach and
Ahmadabad.
The Brave Sanyasi
On 30th march in Delhi a peaceful hartal turned into violent riots near railway
station and chandni chowk leading to death of five persons and fourteen
injured. Swami Ji arrived at both places after shooting and a peaceful public
meeting was held as papal park. Swami Ji followed by large crowd were walking
back home along chandni chowk. On the way group of Manipuri soldiers approached
from the opposite direction. Accidentally a shot was fired, and the crowd moved
in apprehension and indignation. The swami advanced towards the soldiers who
were perplexed and scared by the threatening mass of people. Apparently their
officers were not present and they also had difficulty understanding Hindi.
They pointed their rifles at the swami, who bared his chest and invited them to
fire. Luckily a European officer arrived on the scene and defused the
situation. This incident firmly established the swami in people’s mind as an
intrepid leader. It also planted in the swami’s mind the firm belief that he
was able to control the crowd even in its ugliest mood. He wrote that the crowd
could contain itself no longer and was about to rush, when a wave of my hand
and a short appeal to their vow stopped them (INCO p-60). This day was
considered as “The Day of Delhi Martyrs”
History in Making
On April 4, 1919 prayers were to be offered at the Jama Masjid for the victims.
Muslim dignitaries went to fetch the swami, brought him to the mosque, and
requested him to preach to the congregation from the pulpit. It was an unbelievable
and never to be repeated scene. A Hindu sanyasi in his ochre robes preaching
from the very pulpit of the greatest mosque in India. Even the greatest
follower of Hindu Muslim unity mahatma Gandhi did not have opportunity of
addressing from Jama Masjid pulpit. It was followed by addressing from
Fatehpuri Masjid on 6th April, 1919.
His theme of martyrdom in his famous speech at the Jama Masjid and Fatehpuri
Masjid was same. Starting with famous Vedic Mantra “OM VISHWANI DEV” he said “O
god of the Hindus and Mohammedans. The innocent blood of Hindus and Mohammedans
should not flow in vain…grant us patience and perseverance so that we may not
be deterred by the sight of the blood of the innocent, but may offer thanks to
thee that the innocent were granted power to sacrifice their lives. Their
sacrifice has saved the world from bloodshed. Whatever has happened, in that
lies thy secret. Grant us power that we may not be afraid of worldly strength;
that we may regard military power as worthless and may recognize the piety of
the martyrs. May we be prepared to sacrifice ourselves for the freedom and
progress of our Country. Grant power unto us Asiatics. Give to thirty-two
crores of asiatics the strength of sixty-four crores that we may oppose the
power of all materialists and bring forth the reign of peace and tranquility.”
(Government of India file, political b, may 1919.nos 268-273)
His speech from Masjid had national repercussions. For full twenty days it
appeared that Ramraj had set in…Goondas had ceased to exist; every Hindu woman
was treated like his own mother, sister or daughter by every Muslim and vice
versa. (INCO p-65, 67) Baring his chest to the soldiers and sermons at Jama
Masjid, both events had that apocalyptic aura, which aroused in him the faith and
commitment of a savior of the people.
Holding Amritsar Session
After the massacre of jallianwala bagh of Amritsar (1919) there was tension in
whole Punjab. Congress committee yearly session was earlier planned in Amritsar
but due to tension in Amritsar venue it was decided to be shifted to other
place. Swami Ji went to Allahabad in congress working committee meeting. He
strongly argued that yearly venue of session should not be shifted and should
remain in Amritsar. A committee comprising Swami ji, Motilal Nehru and Madan
Mohan Malviya ji was appointed to inquiry into Punjab occurrences.
(P.Sitaramayya, the history of the Indian national congress 1885-1935 p- 293)
Swami Ji tour to Punjab witnessed at close hand the misery and heart break that
the excesses of the martial law regime had brought to his homeland. His
reluctant decision to accept the office of chairman of the reception committee
for the 1919 Amritsar session was partly caused by that experience, but the
other reasons that prompted his acceptance clarify his attitude to politics at
that time. He himself spelt out these reasons in his opening address at the
congress session, “I am not standing on this platform today on account of a
political movement, but for the fulfillment of a different type of duty.” the
first reason why he was there was that he had been urged to take up this task
by the imprisoned Punjabi leaders, and had been implored to do so by the wives
of the political prisoners. The second reason he called my ashram and its
duties, explaining it thus, up to today this Indian national congress has been
carrying out normal political work, but today it has to climb to the summit of
religion.
(Quotations from original Hindi texts of the swami’s Amritsar conference
address obtained from Gandhi memorial museum, Delhi) This conviction of the
religious dimension of the movement had been strengthened by the advice Gandhi
ji had given him in a letter saying “my conviction is that as long as we do not
enter into the political field with dharmic aims, so long will we be unable to
succeed in the pure and true amelioration of India. If you become the chairman
of the reception committee, you will be able to introduce dharmic feelings
within the congress” (INCO p-103)
Thus we understand that it was a religious crusade that propelled the swami ji
to political platform.
Differences with the Mahatma
With the passage of time in political scenario differences between Swami Ji and
Mahatma Gandhi appeared on various issues. May it be the difference on participation
in hunter commission or about Montague Reforms. Swami Ji was dissatisfied by no
cooperation movement, burning of foreign cloths, Bardoli Satyagraha, monopoly
of Gandhian methods of working, decision without consulting committee etc. etc.
These were minor issues but the main difference was on the issue of the
untouchability and the Hindu Muslim relations.
Swami
Sharddhananda and Untouchability
Our country history is full of leaders who are from dalit background and have
devoted their life for dalit upliftment but we found rare personalities like
Swami Dayanand Saraswati and Swami Sharddhananda ji who were not from dalit
background but worked for whole life for dalit upliftment from the platform of
Aryasamaj. Swami Dayanand reputed work Satyarth Prakash was first to declare
equal rights for lower castes, the right for education, right for reciting
Vedic mantras, right for interdinning, right for marriage, right to fetch water
from common wells. According to Swami Dayanand ji any caste or Varna was purely
based on characteristics not on the basis of birth. Aryasamaj from its
beginning propagated this Vedic teaching of Swami Dayanand.
Since his joining politics swami ji was continuously motivating Indian national
congress to deal with the problem of untouchability at national level with
extensive measures. In his chairman address of Amritsar congress (1919) he
strongly expressed his feelings as “Is it not true that so many among you who
make the loudest noises about the acquisition of political rights, are not able
to overcome their feeling of revulsion for those sixty millions of India who
are suffering injustice, your brothers whom you regard as untouchable ? How
many are there who take these wretched brothers of theirs to their heart?…give
deep thought…and consider how your sixty million brothers-broken fragments of
your own hearts which you have cut off and thrown away- how these millions of
children of mother India can well become the anchor of the ship of a foreign
government. I make this one appeal to all of you, brothers and sisters. Purify
your hearts with the water of the love of the motherland in this national
temple, and promise that these millions will not remain for you untouchables,
but become brothers and sisters. Their sons and daughters will study in our
schools, their men and women will participate in our societies, in our fight
for independence they will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with us, and all of us
will join hands to realize the fulfillment of our national goal” (Quotations
from original Hindi texts of the swami’s Amritsar conference address obtained
from Gandhi memorial museum, Delhi)
Swami Ji difference with Gandhi Ji increased with the passage of time when he
draw attention of the congress towards the harassment of Christian chamars by
police in environs of Delhi who had accepted Suddhi and returned back to
Hinduism by Aryasamaj. In April 1919 he published a booklet of eighty pages
entitled ‘jati ke dinon ko mat tyago’ (do not abandon the poor of our nation).
Books first seventy pages dealt with the methods used by Christian missionaries
in India. Nearly half of the book was taken up by translations from an article
in the theosophist about the nefarious activities of Portuguese missionaries
and the inquisition, followed by an indictment of protestant missionary work,
in particular that of the Delhi Cambridge mission. Thus nearly ninety percent
of the pamphlet was aimed at demonstrating missionaries had always used unfair,
immortal and underhand mean. The last ten pages deled with constructive point.
Since the untouchables were becoming Christians for other than religious
reasons, the way to prevent those happenings was by educating their children,
by protecting them from the police, and by helping them to achieve social
uplift. Since the orthodox would not take up that task, it had become a duty of
the aryas to be a crucial one because the greatest danger of the conversion of
the untouchables to Christianity was that they became denationalized and
supporters of the raj. The swami wrote “if the seven crores of untouchables of
India, exasperated by the attitude of the twice born, become Christian , then
our orthodox leaders, supporters of independence, will not be able to do
anything, except be very sorry.” (Jati ke dinon ko mat tyago. P-72)
In 1920 Calcutta congress session Swami Ji proposed three-point program with
special section on the untouchables, but congress declared consideration of
this inopportune.(shraddha 13 august,14,17 sept. 1920). Swami Ji writes in
liberator that “even Mahatma Gandhi had not realized its importance and was
taken up with his resolution of non-violent non-cooperation resolution had been
passed by the khilafat committee and Mahatma Ji threatened to sponsor it
outside the congress, if it was not passed there. I thought it to be a
misfortune if Mahatma Ji would be obliged to sever his connection with the
oldest political movement in India” (INCON-p 121)
Swami Ji was surprised on hearing Maulana Shaukat Ali’s doings in Calcutta
session in hearing of more than 50 persons, while the merits of non-violence
were being discussed. Maulana said “Mahatma Gandhi is a shrewd bania. You do
not understand his real object. By putting you under discipline, he is
preparing you for guerilla warfare. He is not such an out-an-out non-violencist
as you all suppose” (INCO P-122) Swami Ji forwarded his message to Gandhi Ji
secretary that his motives were being misrepresented by his trusted colleagues.
The next year 1921 Nagpur session Swami Ji again noticed the same pranks being
played by the big Ali brothers. In Delhi the Aryasamaj had been working for the
depressed classes, and the swami tried to get the local congress to allow them
access to the wells. But it was in vain………..
Swami Ji reached Delhi on 17th august, 1921 and found that the question of
removal of untouchability was becoming very acute. He called a few of chief
chaudharies and asked the full story. They gave the following story- “The
secretary of the Delhi congress committee called the chaudharies of the chamars
and requested them to give to the congress as many as four-Anna paying members
as they could. The reply of the elders was that unless their grievance as
regards the taking of water from the public wells was removed, they could not
induce their brethren to join the congress. The secretary was a choleric man of
hasty temper and said they wanted Swarajya at once but the grievance of the
chamars could wait and would be removed by and by. One of the young men got up
and said-our trouble from which we are suffering for centuries must wait
solution, but the laddu of Swarajya must go into your mouth at once! We shall
see how you obtain Swarajya immediately!!”
He wrote to Gandhi Ji after Nagpur session in sept. 1921-
“I wired from Lahore that I would apply for financial aid through the Delhi
provincial congress committee but on reaching the deli I found that the uplift
of the depressed classes through the congress was difficult. The Delhi and Agra
chamars simply demand that they be allowed to draw water from wells used by the
Hindus and Mohammedans and that water be not served to them through bamboos and
leaves. Even that appears impossible for the congress committee to accomplish.
Not only this; a Muslim trader of sadar went to the length of saying that even
if Hindus allowed (these man) to draw water from common wells, the Muslims
would forcibly restrain them from drawing water because they (the chamars) ate
carrion. I know that there are thousands of these chamars who do not either
drink wine or eat flesh of any kind and few of them who eat carrion are being
weaned by the aryasamajists from that filthy habit. But I ask – do Hindu and
Muslim meat eaters devour flesh of living cattle? Do they not eat the flesh of
the cattle when they are dead?
At Nagpur you laid down that one of the conditions for obtaining Swarajya
within 12 months was to give their rights to the depressed classes and without
waiting for the accomplishment of their uplift, you have decreed that if there
is a complete boycott of foreign cloth up till 30th September, Swarajya will be
an accomplished fact on the 1st of October. The extension of the use of
Swadeshi cloth is absolutely necessary but as long as six and half crores of
our suppressed classes are taking refuge with the British bureaucracy so long
will the extension of Swadeshi be impossible”. (INCO.P-134,135)
Swami Ji in his letter dated June 30th 1922 wrote to general secretary of all
India congress committee that the following demands of the depressed classes
ought to be complied with at once namely that -
1. They are allowed to sit
on the same carpet with citizens of other classes
2. They get the right to
draw water from common wells and
3. Their children get
admission into national schools and colleges and are to mix freely with
students drawn from the so-called higher castes.
Swami Ji went to the Lucknow A.I.C.C. meeting of June 1922 especially to push a
plan of action for the removal of untouchability. His proposal to appoint a
sub-committee on untouchability was accepted, but some parts of it were
amended. The sum of two lakhs of rupees was first substituted for the original
five lakhs proposed and then even that was watered down by substituting the
phrase ‘as much as could be spared’. But misunderstandings kept cropping
orally, but when he started preparatory work and asked for some money, he was
informed that the working committee had appointed until a report had been
received from the sub-committee. It was all a sorry mess, letters came and
went, nothing was being done, and the swami resigned in disgust. His postscript
to the whole story as follows- The subcommittee did no business in placing the
annual report of the congress before its session at Gaya; the secretary simply
remarked that no work could be done by the sub-committee as no substitute for
Swami Sharddhananda could be found. (INCO.P-181) Swami Sharddhananda did not
receive any support from the congress and Mahatma Gandhi for eradicating the
sin of untouchability. Instead of that he received the message from Cocanada
session of congress in which Maulana Mohammad Ali the president of that session
proposed to divide the so-called untouchables in equal halves between Hindus
and the Muslims. (INCO.p-188)
Swami Ji in South India
Swami Ji first tour to south India was between 27 April to 5th June visiting
Bangalore, Cochin, Mangalore, Calicut and madras. The main theme of his lecture
was untouchability. In Poona he pleaded with the Hindus to abolish immediately
the untouchability and raise the depressed classes to the status of kshatriyas
or protectors of the Hindu religion (leader, 5 may 1924) he presided Andhra
untouchable’s conference at Bangalore and went on to observe Vaikom Satyagraha.
He made it clear that he could not personally take part in the struggle as he
was not a member of congress. He argued against Gandhi’s directive that the
struggle should be kept local, and suggested that a deputation be sent to the
Mahatma to see if he could at least allow the committee to receive outside
help. If the congress gave up the struggle, he said, it should be continued
independently. He offered help and money and even, in that case, to take up the
struggle under the auspices of the Hindu sabha. (Leader -12 may 1924)
Vaikom Satyagraha
Aryasamajists working in the area had converted some depressed class members.
At first these were allowed to use the roads previously closed to them, but
then the authorities, under orthodox pressure, announced that conversion to the
Aryasamaj did not take the convert out of the depressed classes,. The Swami and
Pt. Rishi ram issued a manifesto of protest, “it means that a member of the
depressed classes cannot have his social disabilities removed unless he
forsakes the Hindu society and religion.” The manifesto invited the whole of
Hindu society and in particular Pt. Madan Mohan Malviya as head of Hindu
Mahasabha to take action. (Leader 11, 12 may 1924)
Distressed by the condition of the Hindus of south India he wired Mahatma
Gandhi “Kindly propose that every Hindu member of the all India congress
committee who can afford should engage at least one servant from among the
untouchables for personal service, those not conforming to this rule to vacate
office. If even this is impossible then leave the question of the removal of
untouchability for the Hindu Mahasabha” (leader 27 June 1924)
Palghat Court Verdict
On 13th Nov. 1925 name of Aryasamaj and swami ji published in all major
newspapers of south India. On the opening day of car festival the divisional
magistrate promulgated an order prohibiting Aryasamaj converts from entering
the orthodox Hindu streets. This led to a public protest meeting, which passed
among others the following resolution. That “this meeting begs to express its
unqualified condemnation of the utterly illegal procedure and policy of
religious interference adopted by the madras government in extending its order
of prohibition to the Aryasamaj converts from the depressed classes while such
converts to Christianity and Mohammedanism are not so prohibited ” (leader
19.nov,1924)
The leader of 21st Nov., 1925 condemned the intolerant and wholly short sighted
attitude of the orthodox Hindus and praised Swami Sharddhananda for taking up
their cause and valiantly leading the movement.
Swami Ji in response started a new weekly name liberator in English for special
purpose of communicating his views to the intelligentsia of south India where
the evil of untouchability existed in most objectionable and inhuman form
(leader 5, April 1925) Its aim was strongly stated by swami ji- The uplift of
the untouchables and their assimilation in the Hindu polity is the very plinth
on which alone the edifice of free India can be constructed. Therefore, the
liberator will make the cause of the so-called untouchables its main concern.
This doctrine of untouchability is the gangrene of Hindu polity. Diehard
vanity, deep- rooted prejudice, degenerating ignorance and doping superstition
are the germs that feed this gangrene. Each one of these has to be attacked for
getting rid of this gangrene. (Leader 4, April 1926)
Thus we reach an inference that the later part of swami ji life was devoted
entirely for the upliftment of the depressed Hindus.
The Khilafat and Mahatma Gandhi
Swami Ji have seen the difference in attitudes of Muslims during 1920-1922 on khilafat
movement. Swami Ji got a clue from changes that this movement will change the
focus of Swarajya to Islamic radicalism among Muslims and he was very much
right in his views.
In khilafat conference at Nagpur the ayats (verses) of the Quran recited by
Maulanas on that occasion contained frequent references to jihad against and
the killing of kafirs. But when Swami Ji drew Gandhijis attention to this phase
of the khilafat movement he smiled and said-“they are alluding to the British
bureaucracy.” in reply swami Ji said that it was all submersive of the idea of
non-violence and when revulsion of feeling came, the Mohammedan Maulanas would
not refrain from using these verses against the Hindus (INCO.P-123)
Mohammad Ali telegram to sultan of Kabul was deemed a very unwise move by swami
Ji. In this telegram he had urged sultan to not to make peace with the British
government. (INCO.P-126)
Later In khilafat the Musalmans were not in a mood to listen to the advice of
Mr. Gandhi. They refused to worship the principle of non-violence. They were
not prepared to wait for Swaraj. They were in a hurry to find the most
expeditious means of helping Turkey and saving the Khilafat. And the Muslims in
their impatience did exactly what the Hindus feared they would do; namely,
invite the Afghans to invade India. How far the Khilafatists had proceeded in
their negotiations with the Amir of Afghanistan it is not possible to know. But
that such a project was entertained by them is beyond
Wooing of the Muslims at any Cost
For a long time the congress had been engaged in wooing the Muslims to their
side. The Congress was very anxious to bridge the gulf between itself and the
Muslim League. The ways and means adopted in 1916 for bringing about this
consummation and which resulted in the Lucknow Pact signed between the Congress
and the Muslim League have been graphically told by Swami Sharddhananda in his
impressions of the Congress Session held in that year at Lucknow. Swami Ji in
Liberator, 22nd April 1926 writes “On sitting on the dais (Lucknow Congress
platform) the first thing that I noticed was that the number of Moslem
delegates was proportionately fourfold of what it was at Lahore in 1893. The
majority of Moslem delegates had donned gold, silver and silk embroidered chogas
(flowing robes) over their ordinary coarse suits of wearing apparel. It was
rumored that these ‘chogas’ had been put by Hindu moneyed men for Congress
Tamasha. Of some 433 Moslem delegates only some 30 had come from outside, the
rest belonging to Lucknow City. And of these majorities was admitted free to
delegate seats, board and lodging. Sir Saiyad Ahmad’s anti-Congress League had
tried in a public meeting to dissuade Moslems from joining the Congress as
delegates. As a countermove the Congress people lighted the whole Congress camp
some four nights before the session began and advertised that that night would
be free. The result was that all the “Chandul Khanas” of Lucknow were emptied
and a huge audience of some thirty thousand Hindus and Moslems was addressed
from half a dozen platforms. It was then that the Moslem delegates were elected
or selected. All this was admitted by the Lucknow Congress organizers to me in
private.
“A show was being made of the Moslem delegates. Moslem delegate gets up to second
a resolution in Urdu. He begins: ‘Hozarat, I am a Mohammedan delegate.’ Some
Hindu delegate gets up and a call for three cheers for Mohammedan delegates and
the response is so enthusiastic as to be beyond description.”
To those Hindus who wanted to give their support on the condition that the
Muslims give up cow killing, Mr. Gandhi in young India 10th December 1919 said
“I submit that the Hindus may not open the Goraksha (cow protection) question
here. The test of friendship is assistance in adversity, and that too,
unconditional assistance. Co-operation that needs consideration is a commercial
contract and not friendship. Conditional co-operation is like adulterated
cement which does not bind. It is the duty of the Hindus, if they see the
justice of the Mohammedan cause to render co-operation. If the Mohammedans feel
themselves bound in honor to spare the Hindu’s feelings and to stop cow
killing, they may do so, no matter whether the Hindus co-operate with them or
not. Though therefore, I yield to no Hindu in my worship of the cow, I do not
want to make the stopping of cow killing a condition precedent to co-operation.
Unconditional co-operation means the protection of the cow.”
Soft Corner for Muslims
In 1921 Gandhi ji decided boycott of English cloths. He decided mass burning of
foreign cloths. When swami ji came to know about this he wired to Gandhi ji
saying to not to generate hatred against foreigners and to allow the discarded
cloths to be distributed among the starving and the naked poor of India. (INCO
P-139) C.R.Das, Nehru and others made a bonfire of cloth worth thousands while
the khilafat Muslims got permission from Gandhi ji to send foreign cloth for
use of their Turkish brethren. This again was a great shock to swami ji. While
Gandhi ji stood adamant and did not have the least regard for Hindu feeling
when a question of principle was involved, for the Muslim dereliction of duty
there always a very soft corner in his heart. Swami ji said that “I could not,
for the life of me, understand the ethics of depriving our own poor millions of
the means of covering their nudity, and sending the selfsame cloths to a
distant land” (INCO P-141)
Congress
and Gandhi Ji’s Silence on Moplah Riots
Mr. Gandhi has been very punctilious in the matter of condemning any and every
act of violence and has forced the Congress, much against its will to condemn
it. But Mr. Gandhi has never protested against such murders. Not only have the
Musalmans not condemned these outrages but even Mr. Gandhi has never called upon
the leading Muslims to condemn them. He has kept silent over them. Such an
attitude can be explained only on the ground that Mr. Gandhi was anxious to
preserve Hindu-Muslim unity and did not mind the murders of a few Hindus, if it
could be achieved by sacrificing their lives.
This attitude to excuse the Muslims any wrong, lest it should injure the cause
of unity, is well illustrated by what Mr. Gandhi had to say in the matter of
the Moplah riots.
The blood-curdling atrocities committed by the Moplah in Malabar against the
Hindus were indescribable. All over Southern India, a wave of horrified feeling
had spread among the Hindus of every shade of opinion, which was intensified
when certain Khilafat leaders were so misguided as to pass resolutions of “congratulations
to the Moplah on the brave fight they were conducting for the sake of
religion.” Any person could have said that this was too heavy a price for
Hindu-Muslim unity. But Mr. Gandhi was so much obsessed by the necessity of
establishing Hindu-Muslim unity that he was prepared to make light of the
doings of the Moplahs and the Khilafats who were congratulating them. He spoke
of the Moplahs as the “brave God-fearing Moplahs who were fighting for what
they consider as religion and in a manner which they consider as religious.”
Speaking of the Muslim silence over the Moplah atrocities Mr. Gandhi told the
Hindus:
“The Hindus must have the courage and the faith to feel that they can protect
their religion in spite of such fanatical eruptions. A verbal disapproval by
the Musalmans of Moplah madness is no test of Musalmans friendship. The
Musalmans must naturally feel the shame and humiliation of the Moplah conduct
about forcible conversions and looting, and they must work away so silently and
effectively that such a thing might become impossible even on the part of the
most fanatical among them. My belief is that the Hindus as a body have received
the Moplah madness with equanimity and that the cultured Musalmans are
sincerely sorry of the Moplahs perversion of the teaching of the Prophet.”
The Resolution passed by the Working Committee of the Congress on 16th January
1922 on the Moplah atrocities shows how careful the Congress was not to hurt
the feelings of the Musalmans.
“The Working Committee places on record its sense of deep regret over the deeds
of violence done by Moplahs in certain areas of Malabar, these deeds being
evidence of the fact that there are still people in India who have not
understood the message of the Congress and the Central Khilafat Committee, and
calls upon every Congress and Khilafat worker to spread the said message of
non-violence even under the gravest provocation throughout the length and
breadth of India.
“Whilst, however, condemning violence on the part of the Moplahs, the working
Committee desires it to be known that the evidence in its possession shows that
provocation beyond endurance was given to the Moplahs and that the reports
published by and on behalf of the Government have given a one-sided and highly
exaggerated account of the wrongs done by the Moplahs and an understatement of
the needless destruction of life resorted to by the Government in the name of
peace and order.
“The Working Committee regrets to find that there have been instances of
so-called forcible conversion by some fanatics among Moplahs, but warms the
public against believing in the Government and inspired versions. The Report
before the Committee says:
“‘The families, which have been forcibly converted into Mohammedanism, lived in
the neighborhood of Manjeri. It is clear that conversions were forced upon
Hindus by a fanatic gang which was always opposed to the Khilafat and
Non-co-operation Movement and there were only three cases so far as our
information goes.”
In the Liberator of 26th August 1926 the Swami Ji says:
“The first warning was sounded when the question of condemning the Moplahs for
their atrocities on Hindus came up in the Subjects Committee. The original
resolution condemned the Moplahs wholesale for the killing of Hindus and
burning of Hindu homes and the forcible conversion to Islam. The Hindu members
themselves proposed amendments till it was reduced to condemning only certain
individuals who had been guilty of the above crimes. But some of the Muslim
leaders could not bear this even. Maulana Fakir and other Maulanas, of course,
opposed the resolution and there was no wonder. But I was surprised, an
out-and-out Nationalist like Maulana Hasrat Mohani opposed the resolution on
the ground that the Moplah country no longer remained Dar-ul-Aman but became
Dar-ul-Harab and they suspected the Hindus of collusion with the British
enemies of the Moplahs. Therefore, the Moplahs were right in presenting the
Quran or sword to the Hindus. And if the Hindus became Musalmans to save
themselves from death, it was a voluntary change of faith and not forcible
conversion—Well, even the harmless resolution condemning some of the Moplahs
was not unanimously passed but had to be accepted by a majority of votes only.
There were other indications also, showing that the Musalmans considered the
Congress to be existing on their sufferance and if there was the least attempt
to ignore their idiosyncrasies the superficial unity would be scrapped
asunder.”
This inhuman defending of the barbaric Moplah atrocities prompted Annie Besant
to comment bitterly as MALABAR AGONY in new India 29 nov.1921 as from that date
[August 1] onwards thousands of the forbidden war-knives were secretly made and
hidden away, and on August 20, the rebellion broke out; Khilafat flags were hoisted
on police stations and Government offices. …The misery is beyond description.
Girl wives, pretty and sweet, with eyes half blind with weeping, distraught
with terror; women who have seen their husbands hacked to pieces before their
eye, in the way “Moplahs consider religious”, old women tottering, whose faces
become written with anguish and who cry at a gentle touch and a kind look,
waking out of a stupor of misery only to weep, men who have lost all, hopeless,
crushed, desperate.
… I have walked among thousands of them in refugee camps, and sometimes heavy
eyes would lift as a cloth was laid gently on the bare shoulder, and a faint
watery smile of surprise would make the face even more piteous than the stupor.
Eyes full of appeal, of agonized despair, of hopeless entreaty of helpless
anguish, thousands of them camp after camp. …
Two Pulayas, lowest of the submerged classes were captured with others and were
given the choice between Islam and Death. These, the outcaste of Hinduism, the
untouchables, so loved the Hinduism which had been so unkind a step-mother to
them that they chose to die Hindus rather than to live Muslim. May the God of
both, Muslim and Hindus send His messengers to these heroic souls, and give
them rebirth into the Faith for which they died.
Madhvan Nair, secretary Calicut district congress committee had recorded the
following in his report:
Can you conceive of a more ghastly and inhuman crime than the murder of babies
and pregnant women? … A pregnant woman carrying 7 months was cut through the
abdomen by a rebel and she was seen lying dead with on the way with the dead
child projecting out … Another baby of six months was snatched away from the
breast of the mother and cut into two pieces. … Are these rebels’ human beings
or monsters?
Maulana Modini called the looting and killing of Hindus ‘military necessity’
while the high priest of Khilafat movement itself the then Congress High
Command applauded Moplahs for fighting devotedly for their religious cause in a
way ‘they consider religious’.: Men who consider it “religious” to murder,
rape, loot, to kill women and little children, cutting down whole families,
have to be put under restraint in any civilized society.
One of the favorite myths of the pseudo-secularist is that Moplah atrocity was
actually a rebellion against land-owners who ‘happened to be ‘ Hindus. As
demonstrated by the large number of swords and knives ornamentally decorated in
their handles show how much money and careful planning had gone into these
atrocities against Hindus. Annie Beasant’s report also shatters the myth that
Moplah massacre in which by all moderate counts more than 5000 Hindus perished
and many families dishonored and converted through sword and rapine, was not
against just the ‘high-caste Hindus’ all Hindus -just because they were Hindus
, were killed; infants were slaughtered before their mothers because they were
born of Hindu parents.
Swami Ji in Jail with Akali Sikhs
In august, 1922 a trouble erupted in Amritsar over the ownership of a plot of
land attached to the gurudwara at guru-ka-bagh. The Sikhs considered it as part
of their sacred property and continued to cut wood from it. This led to police
interference, charges, convictions, and imprisonment. The Alkali Sikhs
organized a passive resistance campaign. Groups of Sikhs would go openly to
guru-ka-bagh, and into the land guarded by police. They were systematically
stopped, mercilessly beaten, and arrested. On call of alkalis Swami ji arrived
at Amritsar on 10th September with Ajmal khan and Pt. Pyarelal Sharma. Madan
Mohan Malviya and Lala Lajpat Rai were already there. Swami Ji addressed the
meeting saying people of Delhi, Muslim, Hindus and even Christians were behind
them, and that a telegram from the Alkali committee was sufficient to join the
struggle. He blessed the satyagrahis and wished that they should in that
religious struggle proceed to victory with the same non-violent spirit. When
swami ji about to leave he was arrested and brought to Amritsar jail. Swami Ji
was pushed in a small overflowing jail. Conditions were far from satisfactory
and the old and sick Swami tried his best to make representations to the jail
authorities for some improvement, but with little success. Swami Ji in 22nd
sept. Court was sentenced one year simple imprisonment under section 117 and
four months under section 143, to be served concurrently.
Swami ji was shifted to mianvali jail and was only released on 26th Dec 1922.
The old sick swami with minutiae of food and of toilet provisions painstakingly
recounted his experience in book Bandi Ghar ke Vichitra Anubhav (strange
experiences in jail). Can any other be a better example than this for Hindu
Sikhs unity.
Hindu Sangthan
Dissatisfied from the congress swami ji was attracted to Hindu Mahasabha on
call of pt Madan Mohan Malviya, Ghanshyam Das Birla etc. his eyebrows were
raised on meeting colonel U. Mukherji in Calcutta who said that the problem of
slow but steady decrease in numbers of the Hindu population will lead to
decline of Indo-Aryan race in next 420 years from earth. (Hindu Sangthan by
Swami Sharddhananda p-14-15).
The 2 April 1923 leader took up the idea of Hindu Sangthan and its proposed
conference in Banaras. Swami Ji in his usual fashion announced a three point
resolution for Hindu Sangthan -
1. With a view to do justice
to the so-called depressed classes in the Hindu community and to assimilate
them, as part of an organic whole in the great body of the Aryan fraternity ,
this conference of Hindus of all sects holds-
1. That the lower among the
depressed classes be allowed to draw water from common public wells.
2. That water be served to
them at drinking posts freely as is done to the highest among the Hindus.
3. That all members of the
classes be allowed to sit on the same carpet in public meetings and other
ceremonies with the higher classes and
4. That their children (male
or female) be allowed to enter freely and, at teaching time, to sit in the same
form with other Hindu and non-Hindu children in government, national and
denominational institutions
· All neo-Muslims be taken back and treated
as Hindus.
· In view of the fact that an overwhelming
majority of Indian Muslims and Christians are the descendants of Hindu converts
and in view of the catholicity of the ancient Vedic dharma which absorbed
non-Aryans into the community – this conference resolves that non-Hindus
converted by any sect of the Hindus according to the purification (prayaschitta)
rite prescribed by the representative body of that sect be considered Hindus to
all intents and purposes by the whole Hindu community (Leader 8 august 1923).
Swami Ji dreamed of vast Hindu Sangthan and powerful movement in future for
saving Aryan race. Anti attitude of congress and non corporation of orthodox
Hindus lead to non-achievement of success of this mission. Our country history
of 1947 is best proof that if Hindu Sangthan movement had reached success there
would have been no partition or bloodshed and killing of lakhs of Hindus all
over country.
Suddhi of The Malkanas Saving the Dying Race
Malkanas Rajputs scattered around Mathura, Farrukhabad were nominally Muslims,
but their cultural and rituals were all Hindu practices. There were attempts to
restore relations between Malkanas and Hindu Rajputs. On 13 Feb 1923 in Agra
swami ji established Bhartiya Hindu Suddhi Sabha of which he was elected
president and Lala Hansraj as vice president.
Swami Ji’s appeal for Suddhi appeared in leader dated 23 Feb. 1923 as-
The great arya nation is said at the present moment to be a dying race, not
only because its numbers are dwindling but because it is completely
disorganized. Individually man to man second to no nation on the earth in
intellect and physique, possessing a code of morality unapproachable by any
other race of humanity, it is still helpless on account of its divisions and
selfishness. Lakhs upon lakhs of the best in the race have been obliged to
profess Mohammedanism and thousands have been enticed away to accept
Christianity without the least effort on the neo-Muslim Brahmans, Vaishyas,
Rajputs and Jats have for more than two centuries and more been casting
yearning glances and kept their Hindu faith and prejudices intact in the hope
of being taken back in the bosom of their brotherhood.
A mere chance opened Hindu eyes, The Rajputs Mahasabha announced with a
flourish of trumpets that four and a half lakhs Muslim Rajputs were ready for
becoming Hindus. After having made this misleading announcement the Rajputs
Sabha went to sleep. I call the announcement misleading because an overwhelming
majority of them had never become Muslims in faith and practice. The Hindus
went to sleep, but the Muslims being a living force were roused to action and
scores of their preachers are at work for whose maintenance and propaganda work
money is flowing like water. This after all roused the Hindu community also and
there is now a cry from all sides for absorbing out strayed brethren in the
bosom of the Vedic church, a new Sabha has been organized under the name of the
Bhartiya Hindu Suddhi Sabha with the object of reclaiming those who are willing
to come back to its fold.
Swami Ji in next 2 months marched from village to village claiming thirty
thousand Suddhi’s by the year end. Naturally they became main target of Muslim
agitation against Suddhi, a public meeting in Bombay was organized on 18th
march 1923 by Jamiat-ul-Ulema condemning swami ji. Sensational posters appeared
in many cities, and rumors spread that Muslims in dress of Hindu sadhus were
going about frightening the Malkanas and heaping insults on the swami. Some aryas
were afraid of an attack on their leader, and proposed to arrange a bodyguard
for the threatened swami. But he refused with the words “Parma pita (the father
on high) is my protection”. In Moradabad Swami Ji was barred from making public
speeches and many in other places his addresses were answered by Muslim counter
meetings. (Leader 21-26 march, 1923)
Various leaders gave their personal opinion on Suddhi but none of them
supported swami ji and Hindu Sangthan movement
Pt Motilal Nehru said in leader 8th April, 1923 that I would have been glad if
the movement had not been started at this juncture when feelings are strained
between Hindu and Muslims in the Punjab.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad pointed that individuals had been harassed by Suddhi
workers; the swami ji firmly denied their allegations in leader 5th, 6th may
1923.
Jawaharlal Nehru in leader 13th may.1923 said that it would have been better
for this question not to have been taken up then, and he expressed the wish
that all outsiders left the Malkanas in peace for a while and permitted them to
work along their own lines.
On 31st march the Maharaja of Darbhangha, learned Pundits of Banaras from
Bharat Dharma Mahamandal gave their approval to the reclamation of Malkanas
Rajputs. (Leader 5th April, 1923)
Undoubtly the Suddhi step pioneered by Swami Dayanand ji and adopted by
Aryasamaj under guidance of Swami Sharddhananda Ji saved millions of Hindus not
even from being lost but also opened doors closed from centuries for entry of
countless brothers who were lost with the cruel passage of time.
Mahatma Gandhi and Aryasamaj
On 29th may 1925 Gandhi Ji stated in young India under article Hindu – Muslim
tension: Its cause and cure against Swami Sharddhananda “Swami Sharddhananda Ji
is also disturbed. His speeches, I know, are often irritating. But even he
wants Hindu Muslim unity. Unfortunately, he believes in the possibility of
bringing every Muslim into Aryan fold. Just as perhaps most Muslims think that
every non-Muslim will someday become a convert to Islam. Sharddhananda Ji is
intrepid and brave. Single-handed he turned a wilderness into a magnificent
boarding college on the banks of the sacred Ganges. He has faith in himself and
his mission but he is hasty and easily ruffled. He inherits the traditions of the
Aryasamaj”
Then he remarked on swami Dayanand and Satyarth Prakash
I have profound respect for Dayanand Saraswati. I think that he has rendered
great service to Hinduism. His bravery was unquestioned. But he made his
Hinduism narrow. I have read Satyarth Prakash, the Aryasamaj bible. Friends
sent me three copies of it was residing in the yarvada jail. I have
disappointing book from a reformer so great. He has claimed to stand for truth
and nothing else. But unconsciously misrepresented Jainism, Islam and Hinduism
itself. One having even a cursory acquaintance with these faiths could easily
discover the error into which the great reformer was betrayed. He has tried to
make narrow one of the most tolerant and liberal of the faiths on the face of
the earth. And an iconoclast though he was, he has succeeded in enthroning
idolatry in the subtlest form. For he has idolized the letter of the Vedas and
tried to prove the existence in the Vedas of everything known to science. The
Aryasamaj flourishes, in my humble opinion, not because of the inherent merit
of the teachings of Satyarth Prakash, but because of the grand and lofty
character of the founder. (Mahatma Gandhi (1924), collected works 24:145)
“Is it to be contended that a book that has passed so many editions and has
been translated in most of the languages of the world has been now found to
contain matter which promotes feelings of enmity or hatred between different
classes of his majesty’s subjects”
“So the question for me is not one of the merits or demerits of Satyarth
Prakash but the more fundamental one of not interfering with freedom of writing
and expression” (M.k.Gandhi Sind bans Satyarth Prakash Harijan nov3, 1946)
He continued on Aryasamaj as -
“Wherever you find Aryasamajists, there is life and energy. But having the
narrow outlook and a pugnacious habit, they either quarrel with people of other
denominations or failing that, with one another. Sharddhananda Ji has a fair
share of that spirit. But in spite of all these drawbacks, I do not regard him
as past praying for. It is possible that this sketch of the Aryasamaj and the
Swami Ji will anger them. Needless to say, I mean no offence. I love the
Samajists, for I have many co-workers among them. And I learnt to love the
Swami Ji, even while I was in South Africa. And though I know him better now, I
love him no less. It is my love that has spoken” (Collected works of Mahatma
Gandhi vol 24 p-136-154)
The samaj did not see Gandhi Ji’s words as an expression of love, it took
enormous offence. Protest meeting were held across the country, letters of
protest poured into the papers, and wires were sent to the mahatma. But he did
not relent, or withdraw anything, or express regret about any of what he called
deliberate accusations.
When swami Ji was asked if he would reply to Gandhi’s article he said that -
“ .. He did not think any reply was needed from him. His own statement was
Mahatma Gandhi’s best refutation. It was full of contradictions, and itself
explained the reason why he had fallen foul of the Aryasamaj. The Aryasamaj
could not in any way be injured by his writings. If the aryasamajists were true
to themselves neither the attacks of Mahatma Gandhi nor of any other individual
could put a stop to the activities of the samaj” (Leader 13 June, 1924)
Even after swami jis sacrifice Gandhi Ji remained biased for Aryasamaj and the
father of the nation was not able wide his feelings on swami Sharddhananda. He
responded to Hindu Mahasabha on appeal of memorial for swami Sharddhananda as
“for my part I still remain unconvinced about the need of Suddhi movement,
taking suddhi in the sense it is generally understood. Suddhi of sinners is a
perpetual inward performance. Suddhi of those who can be identified neither as
Hindus nor as Muslims or who have been recently declared do not know even the
meaning of conversion and who want to be known definitely as Hindus is not
conversion but prayaschitta or penance. The third aspect of suddhi is
conversion properly so called. And I question its use in this age of growing
toleration and enlightment. I am against conversion whether it is known as
suddhi by Hindus, tabligh by Muslims or conversion by Christians. Conversion is
a heart-process known only to and by god”
(Ref: collected works of Mahatma Gandhi 32:515)
Aryasamaj and Hindu Muslim Differences
Most of historians and leaders in their works blame Aryasamaj activities like
Suddhi, literary works as a cause of communal tensions in early part of 20th
century. This Is result of half baked stories with real facts hidden, mindset
of authors and up to a point anti stand of congress and mahatma Gandhi against
Aryasamaj.
Since its establishment of Aryasamaj and army of Swami Dayanand saved thousands
of Hindus from conversion which was always and hidden agenda of Muslims as well
as Christians. The Aryasamaj came into scene as it opposed this radical
approach stand by others. Better to say its role was as soldiers of Hinduism
with mission to save the dying race. The narrow minded sects were not able to
bear this and started negative propaganda against Aryasamaj as they considered
Aryasamaj as their biggest opponent in tabligh (conversion) mission.
Swami Ji and Abdul Badri
Swami Ji exposed scam by Abdul Badri in third section of second edition of his
book. Abdul Badri promoted killing of Muslim apostates. He declared about
lawfulness of killing an apostate (khatre ka ghanta p74) Abdul Badri had also
stated that he did not believe that any religion except Islam had the right to
convert, and that Muslims could collaborate with anybody, except those who were
intent on making Muslims into apostates. Abdul Badri had made cutting statement
on swami ji as “are the deeds of Sharddhananda the deeds of the Hindus? As far
as we have come to know from the Hindus, he is not a representative of the
Hindus, neither is he connected with a large organization. He calls himself an
arya, whose number even now is very small…it is a society without religion…it
is our duty to reflect seriously about crushing that little organization that
wishes to destroy Hindu – Muslim unity by the Suddhi movement and about
engaging the help of the other Hindu castes in this holy work (khatre ka ghanta
p 81-82)”
Swami Ji also opened Muslim conspiracy in Urdu tej of 12th sept Painting
conspiracy on a broad historical canvas. Islam inherited its blind faith which
has wrought more havoc on mankind than all the wars waged by kings, from
Judaism, founded on the very principle of aggression. He exposed history of
Sunnis of massacre and looting and their open support even today of killing of
apostate with an example of recent killing in Kabul by stoning to death. Swami
Ji also exposed scam of khojas. By preaching the doctrine that the Aga khan was
the living avatar, they gradually enticed Hindus into Islam; by making these unsuspecting
Hindus bhagata of their leader they surreptitiously submerged them into Islam.
(Kulyat sanyasi p-297-440)
Swami Ji in 1924 even published book name history of the assains, story of von
hammer’s work on Islam and Christian aggression against mankind. Swami ji also
correlated the sudden attacks by Muslims apart from by print media by riots.
Baqar-id disturbances in Delhi in July were followed by destruction of Hindu
temples in Amethi, Sambhal and Gulbarga in august and most pain stacking was
riots of Kohat in which Hindu population have to fled completely for safety (R.C.
Majumdar – struggle for freedom p- 428) A unity conference was proposed in
Delhi with Mohammad Ali, Ajmal khan and swami ji as its initiators. Motilal
Nehru took the chair. Mahatma Gandhi was on fast. The conference passed
resolution condemning all acts of impropriety and called for goodwill and
cooperation but although Gandhi ji ended his fast it had been a futile exercise
without real effect. The real cause of Muslim radicalism was morale boost by
Gandhi ji on name of khilafat which was followed by Moplah riots, killing of
Hindus in riots in various parts of India especially Aryasamaj Suddhi workers
followed by sacrifice of great swami ji himself. Fanatic Muslim leaders have
dreamed of converting the whole country into Islamisthan from Hindustan. They
were not successful at that time due to endless efforts by swami Sharddhananda
and Aryasamaj but at last they got partial success in 1947 by dividing country
into two halves.
The Martyrdom
In March 1926 Swami Ji performed a Suddhi in Delhi that shook the Muslim
community. A Muslim lady from Karachi, Asghari begum, arrived in the capital
and asked Swami Ji to be converted to Aryan faith. She had read a lot about
Hinduism, and had decided to undergo Suddhi and became a member of the
Aryasamaj. Against will of her husband she had secretly left her home and made
her way to Delhi with her children. The ceremony was duly performed; she was
given the new name Shanty Devi, and with her children was put up in the arya
widow’s home. Months later her husband tracked her down in Delhi, and he
attempted to persuade his wife to change her mind. When this proved
unsuccessful, he instituted on 2 sept. a law case against swami ji, shanty
Devi, Swami Ji’s son Indra and Swami Ji’s son in law Dr Sukhdeo, for conspiracy
in the abduction of his wife and children case was finally decided by the court
on 4th December with clear acquittal of all the accused (leader 2 oct. 1926)
During these months Muslim community was in a ferment of indignant animosity
over the incident. Some Muslim papers were violent in their condemnation of the
swami, especially Hasan Nizami in his Darwesh. For months Indra was extremely
concerned about the safety of his father, who stubbornly insisted on ignoring
all threats and continued to take evening walks in the surrounding Muslim
quarter. (PITA p-291)
In December from his trip to Banaras swami ji got very ill. He was diagnosed as
bronchial pneumonia patient by Dr Sukhdeo and Dr Ansari. Swami Ji very weak and
he realized that death has hovered close. Swami Ji said “this body is no longer
capable of service. My wish is that I be reborn in India so that I can serve
her again” (PITA p-638)
On 23rd dec. Indra and others had paid their usual visit to swami ji around
midday, and they left him to have some rest. Around 4 p.m. a Muslim called
Abdul Rashid came to the house and asked to see the swami in order to discuss
some problems of Islamic religion. Dharma Singh, Swami Ji’s personal attendant
was inclined to refuse him access, but the visitor insisted. When the Swami
called his attendant, and was told of the visitor, he invited him in and
explained that he could not help him right away, but would be happy to do so
later. The visitor then asked for a glass of water, and while Dharma Singh was
taking his glass away, he rushed up to the swami ji and fired two bullets
point-black into his chest. Dharma Singh came running and was shot in the
thigh. The commotion brought Dharmpal, the swami’s secretary running. He
overpowered the assassin and held him till the police arrived. (PITA p.283) Indra
arrived within minutes, but the swami had died instantly. As he looked upon his
father’s face, peaceful in death, Indra thought of these words the swami had
uttered not long before. “Yet it is a source of contentment to me that I am
singled out as the one worthy of wearing the crown of martyrdom” (BIO –p.598)
25th dec, 1926 witnessed the last journey of the great swami whose whole life
was dedicated for the Vedic dharma. The crowd was uncontrollable through the
streets of Delhi and his last riots were performed by Indra.
MESSAGE FROM THE LIFE OF GREAT SWAMI SHRADDHANANDA JI
Ram, Krishna, Dayanand were born great souls while life of swami Sharddhananda
ji proves us that even if one is born in darkness or ignorance but with the
grace of the almighty god one can transform his life and shine like the sun of
knowledge. Swami Sharddhananda life is one of the most ideal example for us to learn and
follow in our daily life.
Dr Vivek Arya
