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vol. title: Vol Four of The Theosophical Society of The Arya Samaj of Arya-wart vol. period: Sept 1878 – Sept 1879 pages in vol.: 350 |
< Meerut (continued from page 8-224) >
Arya Samaj or Aryan National and Religious Society. The so-called Society was established about the end of September last in the Parlour Hall or Diwan Khana. It secured the patronage of a well-known and opulent zamindar of this station, Baboo Ram Saran Das Vaisa. The Samaj consists of the following office bearers:—
1.—Pandit Gaindan Lal, B. A., Master, Zila School.—President.
2.—Lala Ram Saran Das, Zamindar.—Vice-President.
3.—Babu Cheddi Lal, Commissariat Godown Agent.—Treasurer.
4.—Pandit Jagan Nath, Zamindar.—Librarian.
4.—Babu Anund Lal, Clerk, Adjutant General’s Office.—Secretary.
6.—Pandit Amba Shankar, clerk Irrigation Office.—Assistant-Secretary.
The work of the Samaj is managed by a Special Committee composed of the following five members:—
1.—Ajudhia Prasad, Resident, School-Master Sadar Bazar.
2.—P. Pali Ram, Teacher, Normal School.
3.—Lala Ganga Sahai, Resident Druggist.
4.—Babu Oodoy Chunder Banerjee, Assistant-Commissioner’s Office.
5.—P. Pran Nath, Clerk, District Engineer’s Office.
It contains about 80 ordinary members, most of them are residents of the Station and the District. The Samaj meets every Sunday evening, when lectures are delivered, Holy books read and Divine Service performed according to the Vedic principles. The Society is opened too all—Hindus, Moslems and Christians—and any one who can embrace the Vedic religion can join it freely. There is no restriction for the general public to hear the lectures or to witness the proceedings of the Samaj. I am glad to remark that the Samaj is progressing fairly and rapidly amidst a population consisting mostly of the uneducated class. Lessons in Sanskrit are given every night in the hall of the Samaj. Steps are being taken by the members of the Samaj to encourage female education. In short, the Samaj is doing a vast deal of good here and if it continues to work its way it cannot fail to effect a happy religious and social change in the condition of the people here. About the beginning of the present month Colonel H. S. Olcott, President, and Countess H. P. Blavatsky, Secretary, of the Theosophical Society of the Arya Samaj of Arya-varta, of New York, America, honored this Samaj with a visit and stayed here for a week or so. Colonel Olcott delivered a lecture in the Cantonments (a copy of which will be published shortly) which was attended pretty largely by members of all sects and creeds. During the last week a few members were adorned with yogapavita or diploma of learning in Sanskrit. The ceremony was performed with the same rites which the ancient Rishis used to observe in the golden ages. This yoga has made a deep sensation among the orthodox Hindus, especially of the Vaisa Sect, the leaders of which have, being actuated with prejudice, jealousy and hatred ex-communicated a few members of the Samaj. I deem it necessary to add here that some Brahmin members of the Samaj who shared in the pudding-feast given by the members in the Aryan Hall have incurred the deep displeasure of the orthodox community here. A Punchayet will be held here to discuss their case and most probably they will be thrown out of caste.
The Arya Samaj of Bombay
The Eighteenth of May, Eighteen hundred and seventy-nine will be marked as a most important date in the history of the Arya Samaj of Bombay. On that day an event took place, which must produce great results. That day cleared a misunderstanding, settled a difference, and exposed a humbug, while it vindicated and established the position both of the Arya Samaj of Bombay and the Theosophical Society of America. In order that our readers may fully understand the drift of these remarks, we shall, with their permission, endeavour to unravel what to them wears an air of mystery.
Our readers doubtless remember a curious communication, which we published in our columns some weeks back, from the Secretary of the Arya Samaj of Bombay. It was a narrative of the proceedings of an extra-ordinary general meeting of that body and of the expulsion of Mr. Hurrichand Chintaman from his office of presidentship. The details were so minutely and circumstantially given, that we never for a moment doubted the good faith of the communication. But we wished, at the same time, to see justice meted out to Mr. Hurrichand. We wrote, that a grave charge was hanging on that gentleman’s head, and that we waited for an explanation before we condemned him. That explanation never reached us. But still we restrained ourselves from making any comments on this unintelligible conduct of one who was so directly accused and so publicly of a grave charge. The other newspapers, however, transferred the narrative into their own columns from the Indian Spectator, and they were all surprised at the silence of Mr. Hurrichand. People publicly discussed the scandal. Conjectures, surmises were circulated freely, and the friends of Mr. Hurrichand saw that further silence would be construed into tacit admission of the charges brought against him so methodically. But they adopted a curious way and took up a suspicious track;—they did not for a moment attempt to meet the charge, but questioned the validity of the proceedings of the extraordinary general meeting of the Arya Samaj. This did not bring the affair to an end. Meanwhile Mr. Hurrichand’s name was freely connected with that of the Theosophists, who recently came to Bombay. People guessed, and the narrative we published in these columns gave a colour to the guess, that these Theosophists had much to do with the disgrace of Mr. Hurrichand. And Mr. Hurrichand supported this story in his letter to the Native Opinion. In this letter he said, that the Theosophists had sent him certain sums from New York for the use of the Arya Samaj; these sums he was charged as having suppressed and not given over to those for whom they were intended. Mr. Hurrichand said in explanation that these sums he had kept back at the express command of Pundit Dya Nund Saraswati, the founder of the Arya Samaj. It must be here noted that Mr. Hurrichand sent his side of the story to the Native Opinion, two months after we published the communication from the Secretary of the Arya Samaj; that the Theosophists were then absent from Bombay, <... continues on page 8-226 >
Editor's notes
- ↑ The Arya Samaj of Bombay by unknown author, Indian Spectator, The, Sunday, May 25, 1879