institutions on a smaller scale may be erected in the principal towns of the State as funds permit. (4) To establish and maintain Demonstration Farms, showing modern methods of cultivation and machinery employed for the purpose. The organisation of exhibitions to show to the people how to secure better housing conditions, and better sanitary and healthy surroundings are also intended. (5) The publication of a newspaper and other periodicals to educate the people and to spread among them wholesome and progressive ideas. It is intended to make illustrated journalism a feature of this branch of work. (6) To work in co-operation with the Government in their efforts to bring about the progress of the State. The Sangha now owns a press which does printing in both English and Canarese, a building worth Rs. 30,000, with a hostel for one hundred boys on a site given by Government, and a newspaper, the Vokkaligara Patrika, one of the best in the State. The aim of the movement is to get the peasant boys to come for education. They live at the hostel; those who can afford it pay; those who cannot are paid for by the Society. The boys attend the Government schools; there is the closest coöperation and good will between the Government and the Peasants' Movement. The best methods of Western organization have been adapted to the needs of the organization and the spirit of service dominates all the work. After seven years, with its position now well established, the Peasants' Movement realizes how much work is yet to be done. The special development now to be undertaken is the improvement of agricultural education and methods, and the simple, sober, religious, intelligent character of the peasants makes them good material on which to work. Four Conferences have been held. Lecturers go into the interior on the occasions of fairs and festivals where large numbers of people collect to make known to them the aims and objects of the Association, to enrol new subscribers for the Association's newspaper, and also new members of the Association.1 6. THE BHARATA DHARMA MAHAMANDALA A bold attempt has been made during recent years to gather together the whole of the Hindu people in a single organization, partly in self-defence, partly for further instruction in religion. · 1. By the year 1890, as a result of the work of the Ārya Samāj, of Rāmakṛishṇa and the Theosophists, there was a general uprising of the educated Hindu spirit in defence of Hinduism. Out of this widespread desire to strengthen the old faith there sprang a number of organizations. In the Panjab the movement was started by a Brahman, who had been a cook, but is now known as Pandit Dīn Dayal Sarma. Infuriated by the attacks of the Arya Samaj on orthodox Hinduism, he attacked the Samaj in turn, and taught the people to retain their idols. and live in orthodox fashion. He had had no Sanskrit training nor English education, but he was a brilliant speaker and he was so successful that a number of pandits and titled men gathered round him. Then in 1895 they founded the Sanatan Dharma Sabha in Hardwar and Delhi. In 1896 Svāmī Gyānānandaji started in Muttra a movement called the Nigamāgama Maṇḍali. In Bengal the Dharma Mahāmaṇḍali2 arose. In Southern India Pandit Sāstrīji Pade founded the Bharata Dharma Mahāparishad. All these organizations aimed at defending orthodox Hinduism, but they were not connected with one another.3 1 See ISR., May 17th, 1914, pp. 435 and 438. 2 A Sanatana Dharma Rakshinī Sabhā had been formed in Calcutta as early as 1873. See Dayanand Sarasvati (Natesan) 28. Mahamandal Magazine, vol. I, no. 4, pp. 1-2. By 1900 these movements had made so much progress that a national Conference was held at Delhi under the presidency of the Mahārāja of Darbhanga. One noteworthy episode in the Conference was a great procession in which the President walked barefooted, carrying a copy of the Vedas, and attended by nearly a hundred thousand people.1 2. In 1902 it became possible to unite the various bodies in one large organization, and the Bhārata Dharma Mahāmaṇḍala was formed at Muttra. Svāmī Gyānānandaji became Organizing Secretary, and Gopīnāth, a graduate, worked along with him. Pandit Dīn Dayal continued to do very valuable work for the movement. The Mahāmaṇḍala was registered, and a constitution was drawn up. In 1905 the headquarters of the Association were moved to Benares, where they are to-day. The following are said to be the objects of the Association: (a) To promote Hindu religious education in accordance with the Sanatan Dharma, to diffuse the knowledge of the Vedas, Smritis, Purans and other Hindu Shastras and to introduce, in the light of such knowledge, useful reforms into Hindu Life and Society. (b) To promote and enrich the Sanskrit and Hindi literatures in all the branches. (c) To introduce such useful reforms as may be warranted by the Shastras in the management of the Hindu Charitable and religious institutions and Tirthas, i.e. sacred places. (d) To establish, affiliate and control Branch Sabhas in different parts of India. (e) To found and maintain new and to support the existing Hindu Colleges, Schools, Libraries and publishing establishments in consonance with the object of the Association. 1 Madras Decennial Missionary Conference Report, 306–7. (f) To adopt all proper and lawful means and measures to carry out the above objects. The work of the Association is distributed among five departments, The Preaching Department, The Religious Endowments Department, The Department of Sacred Learning, The Library and Research Department, and The Publishing Department. The Mahāmaṇḍala publishes an Anglo-Hindi monthly, the Mahamandal Magazine, and several provincial magazines, in the vernacular; and the Research Department has its own organ, called Vidya Ratnakar. One of the chief difficulties of the Association is to find preachers "worthy of the name": an attempt is being made to meet this need by means of a training-school at headquarters. The Mahamandala advertises a long list of books for sale; and the following note comes at the end of the advertisement: For UPANISHADS VEDAS SMRITIS PURANAS TANTRAS HINDI PHILOSOPHICAL WORKS and all kinds of Sanskrit and Hindu religious books, Numerous booklets for free distribution are also appearing. Under the general supervision of this great national body come a number of Provincial Associations, and under these in turn are some 600 local societies, called Sabhās in the towns and villages. There are provincial offices and organizations in Calcutta, Bombay, Lahore, Ajmere, Muttra and Darbhanga. There is no provincial organization in Madras. For eight years the newly formed organization enjoyed abounding prosperity under the guidance of Svāmī Gyānanandaji. In 1910, however, he decided to retire from the position of organizing secretary. He was able to give a very satisfactory account of his stewardship during the eight years. The Association had been recognized as a body representing the whole Hindu community by the heads of the chief Hindu sects and religious orders. Some 600 branches had been opened, and about 400 institutions had become affiliated. Nearly 200 preachers were employed; a considerable literature had been put into circulation; and large sums of money had been subscribed. The Mahamandala has never recovered from the loss of this organizer's work. For two years after his retirement there was constant weakness, and bickering. In 1912 the chief secretary was forced to resign through vigorous action taken by the Bengal Provincial Organization, and Mr. Sarada Charan Mitra, who was until recently a Justice of the High Court of Calcutta, became Chief Secretary in his place; and it is hoped that work will now go on satisfactorily. The Mahārāja of Darbhanga is the General President of the Mahāmaṇḍala, and by his wealth and prestige adds greatly to its strength; but the leading personality in the movement at present is Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, who is one of the most prominent men in the United Provinces as an educationalist and politician, and who has been the leading spirit in all that has been done to found a Hindu University. 3. Through its extreme orthodoxy the Mahāmaṇḍala has won the adherence of numerous ruling princes and sectarian pontiffs; and tens of thousands of young Hindus are ready to applaud both its theological position and its propaganda; but of the many thousands who shout approval there are very few indeed who are willing to lay a |