en Tukdoji Maharaj

Tukdoji Maharaj
Tukdoji Maharaj
	Tukdoji Maharaj on a 1995 stamp of India
Born	Manikdev Banduji Ingale (Bhaat); 30 April 1909; Yawali, Central Provinces and Berar, British India
Died	11 October 1968 (aged 59); Gurukunj Ashram, Amravati District, Maharashtra, India
Nationality	Indian
Other names	Rashtrasant
Notable work	Gramgeeta, Geeta Prasad
Title	Rashtrasant

Tukdoji Maharaj (30 April 1909 – 11 October 1968) was a spiritual saint from India. He was a disciple of Aadkoji Maharaj.^[1] Tukdoji Maharaj was involved in social reforms in the rural regions of Maharashtra, including construction of roads.^{[citation needed]} Tukdoji Maharaj wrote Gramgeeta which means village development. Many of the development programs started by him worked efficiently even after his death.

Biography

Saint Tukdoji Maharaj was born in Yawali, Amravati district, 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 was an 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^[2] and 1944.^[3] He also wrote many articles on Dharma, society, nation and education.^[4] He studied the existing religious sects and other schools of thought and discussed religious and secular problems of the devotees.

Work

In 1941, Tukdoji Maharaj performed individual acts of civil resistance, called satyagraha, and took part in the mass upsurge of the 'Quit India' movement.^[4] 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.^{[citation needed]} Rajendra Prasad, who was the first President of India, bestowed the title of 'Rashtrasant'^{[further explanation needed]} on him.^[4]

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^{[clarification needed]}, 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 died on 11 October 1968.^[4]

Honors

In 2005, the Nagpur University was renamed to Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University. The postal department of India issued a commemorative stamp in his name in 1993.

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
Meri Japan Yatra.

Popular culture

A short documentary depicting Maharaj was written and produced by Manoj Bhishnurkar.^{[citation needed]}
Jeevanyogi, his biography, was written and published by his follower Sudam Sawarkar in the year 1990.^[5]

References

^ सोळंकी, राजेश (8 August 2018). "आडकोजी महाराजांच्या जन्मस्थळाचा लागला शोध". Marathi News (in Marathi). Retrieved 23 February 2024.
^ Kalchuri, Bhau (1986). Meher Prabhu: Lord Meher. Myrtle Beach: Manifestation, Inc. 7. p. 2255.
^ Kalchuri, Bhau (1986). Meher Prabhu: Lord Meher. Myrtle Beach: Manifestation, Inc. 7. p. 2986.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Times, Navhind (29 April 2024). "Remembering Tukodji Maharaj". The Navhind Times | Goa News. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
^ "चिंतनधारा: तुकडोजी महाराजांचा सांगाती- सुदामा". Loksatta (in Marathi). 22 December 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2024.

External links

[1] सोळंकी, राजेश (8 August 2018). "आडकोजी महाराजांच्या जन्मस्थळाचा लागला शोध". Marathi News (in Marathi). Retrieved 23 February 2024.

[2] Kalchuri, Bhau (1986). Meher Prabhu: Lord Meher. Myrtle Beach: Manifestation, Inc. 7. p. 2255.

[3] Kalchuri, Bhau (1986). Meher Prabhu: Lord Meher. Myrtle Beach: Manifestation, Inc. 7. p. 2986.

[:0-4] Times, Navhind (29 April 2024). "Remembering Tukodji Maharaj". The Navhind Times | Goa News. Retrieved 20 January 2025.

[5] "चिंतनधारा: तुकडोजी महाराजांचा सांगाती- सुदामा". Loksatta (in Marathi). 22 December 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2024.

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Tukdoji Maharaj