Tukdoji Maharaj
{{Short description|Indian freedom fighter (1909–1968)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Tukdoji Maharaj
| image = Tukdoji Maharaj 1995 stamp of India.jpg
| caption = Tukdoji Maharaj on a 1995 stamp of India
| birth_name = Manikdev Banduji Ingale (Bhaat)
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1909|04|30}}
| birth_place = Yawali, Central Provinces and Berar, British India
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1968|10|11|1909|04|30}}
| death_place = Gurukunj Ashram, Amravati District, Maharashtra, India
| nationality = Indian
| other_names = Rashtrasant
| alma_mater =
| organization =
| notable_works = Gramgeeta, Geeta Prasad
| title = Rashtrasant
| spouse =
| awards =
}}
File:Tukdoji Maharaj Square, Nagpur.jpg]]
Tukdoji Maharaj (30 April 1909 {{spaced ndash}} 11 October 1968) was a spiritual saint from India. He was a disciple of Aadkoji Maharaj.{{Cite web |last=सोळंकी |first=राजेश |date=2018-08-08 |title=आडकोजी महाराजांच्या जन्मस्थळाचा लागला शोध |url=https://www.esakal.com/maharashtra/vardha-news-136291 |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=Marathi News |language=mr}} Tukdoji Maharaj was involved in social reforms in the rural regions of Maharashtra, including construction of roads.{{cn|date=August 2018}} 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 1937Kalchuri, Bhau (1986). Meher Prabhu: Lord Meher. Myrtle Beach: Manifestation, Inc. 7. p. 2255. and 1944.Kalchuri, Bhau (1986). Meher Prabhu: Lord Meher. Myrtle Beach: Manifestation, Inc. 7. p. 2986. He also wrote many articles on Dharma, society, nation and education.{{Cite web |last=Times |first=Navhind |date=2024-04-29 |title=Remembering Tukodji Maharaj |url=https://www.navhindtimes.in/2024/04/30/magazines/buzz/remembering-tukodji-maharaj/ |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=The Navhind Times {{!}} Goa News |language=en-US}} 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. 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|date=January 2025}} Rajendra Prasad, who was the first President of India, bestowed the title of 'Rashtrasant'{{explain|date=October 2020}} 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{{clarify|date=October 2020}}, 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.
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.{{cn|date=April 2017}}
- Jeevanyogi, his biography, was written and published by his follower Sudam Sawarkar in the year 1990.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-22 |title=चिंतनधारा: तुकडोजी महाराजांचा सांगाती- सुदामा |url=https://www.loksatta.com/sampadkiya/columns/loksatta-chintandhara-tukdoji-maharaj-damodar-savarkar-amy-95-4114752/ |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=Loksatta |language=mr}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Tukdoji Maharaj}}
- [https://www.tukdojimaharaj.com Official Website of Shri Shetra Gurukunj Ashram, Tiwsa, Amravati]
- [https://www.tukdyadas.in Official website of Rashtrasant Tukdoji Maharaj by Shri Sunilbhau Gainkar, Gurudev Seva Mandal, Wardha]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maharaj, Tukdoji}}
Category:20th-century Hindu religious leaders