Tukdoji Maharaj

Tukadoji Maharaj (30 April 1909 – 11 October 1968) was a spiritual saint from Maharashtra, India. He was born in 1909 in a poor family in the village of Yavali in Amravati District of Maharashtra. He was a disciple of Aadkoji Maharaj. Tukdoji Maharaj was involved in social reforms in the rural regions of Maharashtra, including construction of roads. He wrote Gramgeeta which describes means for village development. Many of the development programs started by him have continued to work efficiently after his death. He was once even claimed as a mad by one of the British officers.

Tukdoji Maharaj
Tukdoji Maharaj on a 1995 stamp of India
Born
Manikdev Banduji Ingale (Bhaat)

(1909-04-30)30 April 1909
Yawali (Shahid), Amravati, Maharashtra
Died11 October 1968(1968-10-11) (aged 59)
Gurukunj Ashram, Amravati, India
NationalityIndian
Other namesRashtrasant
Notable work
Gramgeeta, Geeta Prasad
TitleRashtrasant
Statue of Tukdoji Maharaj at Nagpur

Tukdoji Maharaj once attended a World Religions and World Peace Conference in Japan.

Biography

Saint Tukdoji Maharaj was born in Yawali, Maharashtra. He received spiritual initiation from Samarth Adkoji Maharaj of Warkhed gram. Early in childhood, Saint Tukdoji Maharaj performed rigorous penance and spiritual exercises in self-realisation. He also was a great orator and a musician who composed more than 3000 bhajans (spiritual poems) in Hindi and Marathi, having performed for the spiritual teacher Meher Baba in 1937[1] and 1944.[2] He has also written many articles on Dharma, society, nation and education.

He studied the existing religious sects and other schools of thought and discussed religious and secular problems of the devotees. He was determined to re-define socio-Spirituality and revitalise and awaken the nation.

Work

In 1941, Tukdoji Maharaj performed individual acts of civil resistance, so-called satyagraha, and took part in the mass upsurge of the 'Quit India' movement. He was arrested in 1942 and was imprisoned in Nagpur and Raipur Central Jails. When India had become independent, he concentrated on rural reconstruction, establishing the 'All India Shri Gurudev Seva Mandal' and developing programmes for integrated rural development. Rajendra Prasad, who was the first President of India, bestowed the title of 'Rashtrasant' on him.

He took part in Acharya Vinoba Bhave's land reform movement, known as the Bhoodan Movement, and he worked with relief aid at the time of the Bengal famine in 1945, at the time of the Sino-Indian War in 1962, and the Koyna earthquake in 1967.

He attended the World Conference of Religion and World Peace in Japan in 1955.

He was one of the founder Vice Presidents of Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

He died on 11 October 1968, and his Jayanti falls on 30 April.

Honors

The postal department of India had honored Tukdoji Maharaj by issuing a commemorative stamp in his name. Former Nagpur University is renamed as "Rashtrasant Tukdoji Maharaj Nagpur University" in his honor.

Books written
  • Gramgeeta (in Marathi; later translated by others in English, Hindi, Urdu, Gujrati, and Sanskrit.)
  • Sartha Anandamrut
  • Sartha Atmaprabhav
  • Geeta Prasad
  • Bodhamrut
  • Laharki Barkha Part 1, 2 & 3
  • Anubhav Prakash Part 1, 2 and 3
  • A short documentary depicting life of Tukdoji Maharaj was directed by Amoly Raut.[3]
  • A play titled "Rashtrasant Tukadoji" was written and directed by Manoj Bhishnurkar.
  • A short film titled "Tukadyadas" depicting childhood life of Tukadoji Maharaj was written and produced by Manoj Bhishnurkar.
  • Jeevanyogi, his biography, was written and published by his follower Sudam Sawarkar in the year 1990.

References
  1. Kalchuri, Bhau (1986). Meher Prabhu: Lord Meher. Myrtle Beach: Manifestation, Inc. 7. p. 2255.
  2. Kalchuri, Bhau (1986). Meher Prabhu: Lord Meher. Myrtle Beach: Manifestation, Inc. 7. p. 2986.
  3. "Rashtrasant" on YouTube
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