Dayalbagh

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Dayalbagh or Dayal Bagh means 'Garden' (bagh) of 'Merciful' (dayal), inferring "Garden of the Merciful", is a locality in metropolitan Agra in western Uttar Pradesh, India was founded by fifth revered sant satguru of the Radhasoami faith, Param Guru Sahab Ji Maharaj [1] on Basant Panchami Day in 1915. It is the headquarters of the Dayalbagh subsect of the Radha Soami sect [2] [3] or Radhasoami Satsang Dayalbagh where the 8th revered leader lives and presides over the satsang.

Contents

Dayalbagh is also known as the "Lungs of Agra" because of its green belt and eco-friendly community [4] . It is a self-sustained colony, where its inhabitants lead an active, disciplined and co-operative community life, conforming to the spiritual ideals of their faith. It has affiliated educational institutes such as the Dayalbagh Educational Institute affiliated to Dayalbagh University (deemed). Radhasoami Satsang Sabha is the chief working committee of Radhasoami Faith Dayalbagh.

Demographics

As of the 2001 India census, [5] Dayalbagh had a population of 3324. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. In Dayalbagh, 8% of the population is under six years of age.

History

The colony of Dayalbagh was founded on the Basant Day (translation: first day of spring) on 20 January 1915 by Sir Anand Swarup (Huzur Sahab Ji Maharaj), the Fifth Revered Leader of Radha Soami sect, as an ashram or a spiritual home for the followers of the faith, by planting a mulberry tree. The colony was built by the voluntary contribution (by money as well as labor) of the early residents, who considered it as Sewa (social service). The fields near Yamuna river were also acquired by Dayalbagh and as a daily practice, residents and devotees coming from outside leveled the uneven landmass and irrigated it, making it a fertile land from the barren desert. Today also, the devotees give their voluntary contribution everyday in agricultural activities in the fields.

Community life

The colony is laid out in an open garden setting. The land where the colony was established once consisted of sand dunes. For more than 60 years residents of the colony - men and women, young and old - have worked with quiet dedication in a vast programme for reclamation of land launched in 1943 by Huzur Mehtaji Maharaj, the sixth Revered Leader of the Faith. The result is a lush green 1,200-acre (4.9 km2) farm where food-grains, oil-seeds, fodder, and vegetables are grown.

Shrubs are planted around houses, as part of the environmental protection movement Dayalbagh residency 002.jpg
Shrubs are planted around houses, as part of the environmental protection movement

No individual owns property in Dayalbagh, as the land, houses and institutions belong to the community. People live and work as a community. For example, the residents share various responsibilities like cleaning up the colony and arranging night security. The colony has its own water supply, electricity distribution, and civic services. The colony's dairy provides most of the milk that is needed, and a community kitchen that supplies food at a very nominal cost (no-profit, no-loss basis) to pilgrims. The residents can also obtain meals from there and free themselves from household chores. [6]

A typical house in the residential streets of Dayalbagh. Dayalbagh residency.jpg
A typical house in the residential streets of Dayalbagh.

Soami bagh

Soami bagh is an area adjacent to Dayalbagh. The land was purchased by Soami Ji Maharaj. Soami Ji's Samadhi [place of achieving Nirvana] has been under construction since building began in 1905 by Guru Maharaj Saheb, and continues till today. [7] [8]

The construction involves magnificent piece of art work. A variety of fruits, vegetables and flowers are carved out on walls and pillars on Marble stone.

Health care

There is a hospital called as "Saran Ashram Hospital" with a maternity ward. Facilities exist for ophthalmic and dental treatment, ultrasound, ECG, and pathological and X-Ray testing. All consultations and treatment are free for everyone. The majority of patients are from outside Dayalbagh. There are also homeopathic and ayurvedic dispensaries.

Peacocks are common in the residential areas of Dayalbagh Dayalbagh Peacock.jpg
Peacocks are common in the residential areas of Dayalbagh

The day in Dayalbagh begins with congregational prayers, followed by physical fitness exercise and work on the farms and in colony by way of service, where after people go to their respective vocations. The day ends with prayers in the evening.

Industries

Small-scale industries known as the Model Industries were established in 1916 to provide employment and a source of livelihood to the persons residing in the colony. It has done some pioneering work in the country. The industries have now been decentralized and cottage scale production of goods of daily necessity is taking place in units set up by Satsangis all over the country.

The Radhasoami Urban Cooperative Bank and the Dayalbagh Mahila Bank cater to the financial requirements of various organizations and individuals in the colony. The Dayalbagh Printing Press prints Holy Books and the two Satsang weeklies, one in English (also available in its e-version) and the other in Hindi.

Dayalbagh Educational Institute

The foundation of a school was laid after 2 years of the foundation of the colony in 1917. The school has grown in course of time to become a Deemed University-Dayalbagh Educational Institute-with various faculties with facilities for research. In 1981 the Ministry of Education, Government of India, conferred the status of an institution deemed to be a University on the Dayalbagh Educational Institute, to implement the new program of undergraduate studies. Prof. M. B. Lal Sahab, a former Vice Chancellor of the Lucknow University, founded this institution and was also the first director of DEI The education system followed is unique and provides value-based multi-disciplinary education with work experience. In addition, the colony has a diploma level Technical College, a Women's Polytechnic, a nursery, primary level schools and secondary level colleges for boys and girls; a school of Languages; a School of Art and Culture; a Tailoring School; a School of Dress Designing and Interior Decoration; a Day Boarding School; a Training Center for Indian Music; and a Leather Working School. The campus is situated in Dayalbagh, away from the noise of the city. It is situated at a distance of about two Km. from the city of Agra on its northern periphery. It is conveniently connected to the railway stations and bus-stands by the city bus, rickshaws, auto-rickshaws and taxi(s).

The institute gained national attention [9] [10] when Neha Sharma, a PhD. scholar was found murdered [11] in the nano-biotechnology lab. [11] Students of the Dayalbagh Educational Institute protested on the streets of Agra to demand justice. [12] [13]

Other colonies in Dayalbagh suburb of Agra

New residential colonies have developed around Dayalbagh, such as Tagore Nagar, Adan Bagh, Sarla Bagh, Heera Bagh, Mehar Bagh, Kabir Nagar , Saraswati Puram, Punjabi Bagh Pushpanjali etc. The residents of these new colonies follow religions and faiths of their choice and not necessarily Radha Soami faith. This area is also called New Agra where many people have settled down around 100 ft Road.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radha Soami</span> Sant Mat based Spritual Movement or Faith

Radha Soami is a spiritual tradition or faith founded by Shiv Dayal Singh in 1861 on Basant Panchami Day in Agra, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shiv Dayal Singh</span> Founder and First Sant Satguru of Radha Soami Faith

Shiv Dayal Singh, known by the honorific "Param Purush Puran Dhani Huzur Soami Ji Maharaj" by his disciples and devotees, was an Indian spiritual guru and founder of Radha Soami, a 19th-century spiritual sect.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sawan Singh</span> Second Satguru of Radha Soami Satsang Beas

Sawan Singh, also known as The Great Master or Bade Maharaj ji, was an Indian Saint or Sant. He was the second spiritual head of Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB) from the death of Jaimal Singh in 1903 until his own death on 2 April 1948.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anand Swarup</span> Fifth Sant Satguru of Radhasoami Faith and Founder of Dayalbagh

Sir Anand Swarup, also known as Param Guru Huzur Sahabji Maharaj, was the founder of Dayalbagh. He was the fifth revered leader, or Sant Satguru, of the Dayalbagh branch of the Radha Soami sect, who succeeded Sarkar Sahab in 1913. He also laid the foundation of Radha Soami Educational Institute, a co-educational middle school which opened in 1917 and later expanded and developed as Dayalbagh Educational Institute. He wrote many holy books on the Radha Soami sect, explaining the concepts of Surat Shabd Yoga and objectives of Radha Soami in general.

Julian P. Johnson (1867–1939) was an American surgeon and author of several books on Eastern spirituality. He spent much of 1932 to 1939 in India, was associated with the Radha Soami Satsang Beas spiritual society and Surat Shabd Yoga, and wrote five books as a result of his experiences.

Radha Swami Satsang, Dinod (RSSD) is an Indian spiritual organisation with its headquarters in Dinod village in the Bhiwani district of Haryana state. It promotes the Radha Soami sect that was founded by Shiv Dayal Singh on Basant-Panchami day in January 1861. The Radha Swami Satsang at Dinod (RSSD) was founded by Tarachand.

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Prem Saran Satsangi is the current sant satguru of Radha Soami Sect, Dayalbagh or Radhasoami Satsang Dayalbagh who succeeded Param Guru Lal Sahab, seventh Sant Satguru in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radha Soami Satsang Sabha</span> Indian religious and charitable organisation

Radhasoami Satsang Sabha also written as RaDhaSvaAaMi Satsang Sabha is the Chief Working Committee of Radhasoami Satsang Dayalbagh. Sabha was founded in 1910 and came to be registered under the Charitable Societies Registration Act. The teachings of Radha Soami sect are based on the spiritual teachings of Shiv Dayal Singh. The Present spiritual head of Radha Soami Satsang Sabha is Param Guru Prof. Prem Saran Satsangi Sahab who is also the eighth and current sant satguru of Radhasoami Satsang Dayalbagh and a system scientist and physicist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gurcharan Das Mehta</span> Sixth Sant Satguru of Radhasoami Faith

Gurcharan Das Mehta, also known as Param Guru Mehta Ji Maharaj, was the Sixth Revered Sant Satguru of the Radhasoami Faith or Radha Soami Satsang Dayalbagh. He was born on 20 December 1885 in Batala, to a respectable Punjabi family. His father was Shri Atma Ram Sahab Mehta. He studied from Thomason College of Civil Engineering, Roorkee and served in Punjab Government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Makund Behari Lal</span> Seventh Sant Satguru of Radhasoami Faith and Indian Zoologist

Makund Bihari Lal Sahab popularly known as "Param Guru Huzur Dr. M.B. Lal Sahab" was the Seventh Revered Sant Satguru of the Radha Soami sect or Radhasoami Satsang Dayalbagh, living at and presiding over Dayalbagh in Agra. He was also a zoologist who served as a professor in the Department of Zoology and subsequently as the Vice-Chancellor of University of Lucknow from 1968 to 1971. He was also the Founder Director of DEI and the master architect of its education policy ,1975.

Satsang is an audience with a Satguru for religious instruction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kamta Prasad Sinha</span> Fourth Sant Satguru of Radhasoami Faith and Founder Radhasoami Satsang Sabha

Kamta Prasad Sinha, also known as Param Guru Sarkar Sahab, was the fourth revered sant satguru of the Radhasoami faith. He was the Spiritual Guru and Head of Radhasoami Satsang, from 1907 to 1913. He succeeded Maharaj Sahab in 1907. He was succeeded by Anand Swarup. His discourses composed in form of Prose and Poetry in holy book known as "Prem Samachar" and "Four Letters".

Maharaj Sahab commonly known as Param Guru Maharaj Sahab, was the third revered Sant Satguru of the Radhasoami faith. He was the spiritual Guru and head of Radhasoami Satsang from 1898 to 1907.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radhasoami Satsang Dayalbagh</span> Indian Spritual organisation

Radhasoami Satsang Dayalbagh is century old spiritual organization considered as one of the main sect of Radhasoami spiritual tradition with its Headquarter in Agra. Radhasoami Satsang was founded by the first sant satguru, Param Purush Puran Dhani Soami Ji Mahraj on Basant Panchami Day in 1861 in Agra. The permanent satsang headquarter " Dayalbagh" were established on Basant Panchami Day in 1915 by Fifth Sant Satguru Param Guru Sahab Ji Mahraj. Radhasoami Satsang Sabha is its the Chief Working Committee since 1910.

References

  1. User, Super. "History". Dayalbagh Educational Institute. Retrieved 14 June 2024.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  2. "Radhasoamis" (PDF). Juergensmeyer.org. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  3. Juergensmeyer, Mark (31 December 1995). "Radhasoami Reality: The Logic of a Modern Faith". Princeton University Press. p. 50. Retrieved 30 October 2018 via Google Books.
  4. "Agroecology @DEI" (PDF). dei.ac.in.
  5. "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
  6. "Home". Dayalbagh.org.in. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  7. "Soami Ji Maharaj's Holy Samadh". Radhasoami-spirit.com. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  8. "Agra temple, 113 years in the making, inches towards completion". The Times of India . 8 June 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  9. "Question Hour: Another Nirbhaya murdered". News Nation. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
  10. "College Trust Chairman's grandson arrested for killing girl in Agra over one-sided Love!". India TV. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
  11. 1 2 "Laboratory of murder clues". Indian Express.
  12. "Agra: Neha murder case solved". INextLive. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
  13. "Agra Murder Case: Student protest in Agra". India TV. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.

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