The Prime Minister inaugurated the year-long celebrations commemorating the 200th birth anniversary of Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati, at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Delhi on Februay 12, 2023. He also released a logo for commemoration.
About Dayanand Saraswati
- Dayanand Saraswati was born on February 12, 1824 in Tankara, Gujarat as Mool Shankar to Karshanji Lalji Tiwari and Yashodabai.
- In Mathura, Swami Virajananda entrusted Mool Shankar with the task of spreading Vedic knowledge throughout the society and rechristened him as Rishi Dayanand.
- On 7 April, 1875 Dayanand Saraswati formed the Arya Samaj at Bombay. It was a Hindu reforms movement, meaning “society of the nobles”.
- He made the clarion call, “Back to the Vedas!”“Krinvanto Vishvam Aryam was the motto of the Samaj, which means, “Make this world noble”.
- Arya Samaj has played a crucial role in the cultural and social awakening of the country through its emphasis on social reforms and education.
- He revoked the practice of idol worship and considered them a contamination introduced by the priesthood for their own benefit.
- He was against other social evils like superstitions and caste segregation.
- The Samaj launched programs to support widow remarriage in the 1880s.
- Maharishi Dayanand also underlined the importance of educating the girl child and opposed child marriage.
- He advocated the concept of Swarajya, meaning a country free of foreign influence, resplendent in the glory of fair and just.
- The Shuddhi Movement was introduced by Maharishi Dayanand to bring back the individuals to Hinduism who were either voluntarily or involuntarily converted to other religions like Islam or Christianity. participants.
- Paropkarini Sabha was established by Maharishi himself and propagates Vedic traditions today through Gurukuls and publications as mediums.
- Satyarth Prakash is an 1875 book written originally in Hindi by Dayanand Saraswati.
- Inspired by his beliefs, teachings and ideas, his disciples established the Dayanand Anglo Vedic College Trust and Management Society, after his death in 1883.
- The first DAV High School was established at Lahore on June 1, 1886 with Lala Hans Raj as its headmaster.
