Arya Samaj is a monotheistic Indian Hindu reform movement that promotes values of based on the belief in the infallible authority of the Vedas. The samaj was founded by Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati on 10 April 1875. Members of the Arya Samaj reject idolatry.
Several contemporary groups, collectively termed Hindu reform movements or Hindu revivalism, strive to introduce regeneration and reform to Hinduism, both in a religious or spiritual and in a societal sense. The movements started appearing during the Bengali Renaissance.
The Arya Samaj was the first religious, cultural and educational Fiji Indian organisation established in Fiji. From its inception, in 1904, it attracted the young, educated and progressive Hindus into its fold. During the first three decades of the twentieth century, it was the sole voice of the Indian community in Fiji and as Fiji Indians won political rights, it was not surprising that first Indian members of the Legislative Council were all Arya Samajis. The influence of Arya Samaj over the Indians in Fiji gradually waned as other organisations representing Indians were established but it remained the dominant force in politics until 1959. The modern day Arya Samaj in Fiji still speaks out on issues affecting its members and its activities are visible through the numerous educational institutions that it manages.
Thakur Kundan Pal Singh Kush (1881–1967) was an Arya Samaj missionary and teacher who arrived in Fiji, from Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India in 1928. He first taught at the Dharamshala School in Nausori where he later became the founding Head Teacher of Vunimono Arya School in 1929. He taught in a number of Arya Samaj schools which included Gurukul Primary School near Lautoka in 1939, Arya Samaj Girls' School in Saweni, Lautoka, from 1940 to 1945, Swami Shraddanand Memorial School in Suva, Vunikavikaloa Arya School in Ra, and Veisari Primary School near Suva.
The Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji is the national body for all the Arya Samajs in Fiji. It was formed in 1918 and registered as a religious body through the efforts of Manilal Doctor, who was in Fiji from 1912 to 1920 at the behest of Mahatma Gandhi to provide legal assistance to the Fiji Indians. Its first President was Swami Manoharanand Saraswati who had arrived in Fiji, from India, in 1913. The Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji is affiliated to Sarvadeshik Arya Pratinidhi Sabha based in New Delhi.
Suriname has possibly the highest proportion of Hindus who are Arya Samajis, compared to any other country. In Suriname, the Hindu population had split, with roughly 20% following the teachings of Swami Dayanand Saraswati, founder of the Ārya Samāj, and 80% following the Sanatan Dharm. According to the census of 2012 the number of Ārya Samājĩs is 16,661. The arrival of Arya Samaj preachers in Suriname, in 1929, caused a rift in the Hindu community, between the followers of Sanatan Dharm and the Ārya Samāj.
Arya Samaj is a Hindu reform movement in South Africa. Like other parts of the world where people of Indian origin are settled, the teachings of Swami Dayananda Saraswati, founder of the Arya Samaj, made their way to South Africa during the beginning of the twentieth century. The Arya Samaj encouraged Indian South Africans to take pride in their heritage and culture and promoted education and social reform.
The Arya Samaj was founded in Nairobi on 5 July 1903, at a meeting at the home of Jai Gopal attended by forty-five people. The small group of Arya Samajis immediately began plans for a centre for its members and on 11 September 1903, the foundation for the first Arya Samaj building in East Africa was laid. Today there is a seven-storey building on this site.
Arya Samaj in Tanzania had been in existence since the early 1900s and prior to independence the whole of East Africa was served by a single Arya Samaj. After independence a separate Pratinidhi Sabha was formed in Tanzania on 19 July 1974.
Arya Samaj has existed in Singapore since 1927 and runs Hindi classes at its premises through the Dayanand Anglo-Vedic Schools System.
Arya Samaj was formed in Mozambique following the visit by Arya Samaji preacher, Bhawani Dayal, when Hindus in the capital, Lourenço Marques, formed the Bharat Sabha in 1933, on the basis of Vedic teachings. A Veda Mandir (temple) was built in 1937 and many Arya Samaji preachers visited the Mandir in subsequent years.
Arya Samaj is a Hindu reform movement in Mauritius. Established in 1911, the Arya Paropkarini Sabha was officially registered in 1913. Since its creation Arya Samaj has had a great influence on the religious, social, educational and political lives of the people of Indian origin on the island. It has endeavoured to uphold the principles and ideals set forth by Maharishi Dayanand and his reformist movement. Some of the more notable ideals are women parity and free access to education. It has provided Hindus with a choice of progressive Hinduism, has promoted education with particular emphasis on Hindi and established orphanages, primary schools, colleges and tertiary institution.
Arya Samaj was first established in the cities of Mandalay and Rangoon in Burma in 1898. By the time the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Rangoon was formed in 1930, there were twenty-two Arya Samajs in Burma. The separation of Burma from India in 1937 was a setback for the Arya Samaj and the onset of the Second World War completely disrupted its activities.
The earliest efforts to establish the Arya Samaj in Trinidad and Tobago were made by visiting missionaries in the beginning of the 20th century. In the 1930s their activities led to the establishment of a new organisation, which first was called the Arya Samaj Association, but later was renamed Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Trinidad. The main activity of the sabha was giving support to the construction of Aryan temples and schools. Unfortunately the organisation was frequently plagued by split-offs, which caused a decrease of its membership.
The teachings of Swami Dayanand reached Guyana in the early 1900s but it was the arrival of missionary Bhai Parmānand in 1910 that led to the growth of Arya Samaj throughout the Colony. The Ārya Samāj doctrine rejects the idea of caste and the exclusive role of brahmins as religious leaders. The movement preaches monotheism and opposition to the use of images in worship as well as many traditional Hindu rituals.
Pundit Ganga Prasad (1871-1968) was an Arya Samaji writer and a member of Indian National Congress who was solely responsible for bringing anti-conversion laws to negate the Christian missionary activities. He also believed in Aryan invasion theory. He opposed the Partition of India and was a staunch and ardent follower of Mahatma Gandhi. He served as professor of Meerut College at Allahabad University and as chief judge at Tehri, Garhwal District, from which post he retired to serve the Arya Samaj full-time. He was the father of Swami Satya Prakash Saraswati, another notable Arya Samaji author.
Nanji Kalidas Mehta was an industrialist and philanthropist from Gujarat. He founded the Mehta Group of Industries in British East Africa, now having its head office in India. His son Mahendra Mehta, daughter in-law Sunayana Mehta and grandson Jay Mehta are the current owners of the Mehta Group
Viresh Pratap Chaudhry was an Indian social worker, politician and the president of Arya Anthyalay, a non governmental organization. He was born in 1938 in Delhi and after joining Indian National Congress, he became the general secretary of Indian Youth Congress. He left the party to join Janata Dal and became the president of the Delhi Pradesh unit. Later he quit Janata Dal and became a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He was involved in many social activities, primarily under the aegis of Arya Anthyalay of which he was the president of the Delhi Pataudi House unit. Chaudhry was honored by the Government of India, in 2002, with the fourth highest Indian civilian award of Padma Shri He died on 5 September 2013 at Delhi, leaving behind his wife, Bala, and daughter Sangeeta and son, Nitinjya.
Sarla Bedi, née Kapila,, was an Indian priestess who spent life in three continents. She established the Arya Samaj, a Hindu reform movement, in Toronto, Canada and promoted social causes.
Sanātanī (सनातनी) is a term used to describe Hindu movements that incorporate various teachings from the Vedas, Upanishads, and other Hindu texts such as the Ramayana and Bhagavad Gita, which itself is often described as a concise guide to Hindu philosophy and a practical, self-contained guide to life.
