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 Swami
Keshwanand
Swami Keshwanand (1883-1972) was a great saint, freedom fighter
and social reformist of Rajasthan and Punjab in India. He was
born at village Magloona in Sikar district of Rajasthan in year
1883 in a poor Dhaka gotra Jat Hindu family. His father’s name
was Thakarsi and mother’s name Saran. His childhood name was
Birama. Birama did not get the formal primary education, as
there was no school in that desert region in those days of
British Raj.
Swami KeshwanandBirama spent his childhood as a shepherd boy. At
the age of five years Birama along with family left the village
Magloona and moved to nearby city Ratangarh. In Ratangarh his
father Thakarsi used to carry Seths (Businessman) of Ratangarh
to Delhi on his camel. He lost his father at the age of 7 at
Ratangarh in 1890. Birama and his mother moved from here to
there in search of fodder for animals and landed at village
Kelania in Sri Ganganagar district in 1897.
The Rajasthan state was heading for the greatest famine of
history. There was no vegetation left on the ground. There was
no drop of water. All the animals died for want of fodder.
People survived on the bark of Khejri trees and seeds of
grasses. Even that also became scarce. There was nothing like
governance. The ruling Samants were least bothered for the poor
people. Birama’s mother Saran could not bear the natural and
human calamity and died in year 1899 at village Kelania.
Education
The greatest famine of the history, 1899, forced Birama to leave
the desert region and moved to Punjab for livelihood. He
approached Mahant Kushaldas of udasi sect and expressed
willingness to learn Sanskrit. Mahant Kushaldas advised that as
a Jat he would not be allowed to learn Sanskrit. Birama became
sanyasi (saint) to learn Sanskrit language in 1904. He got
education at Sadhu Ashram Fajilka (Punjab). He learnt Hindi,
Gurmukhi and Sanskrit languages at the Ashram. In year 1905 on
the occasion of Prayag Kumbh Mela Mahatma Hiranandji Avadhut
awarded Birama, the title of Swami Keshwanand,.
The Freedom Fighter
Swami Keshwanand felt the heat of Jalianwalla Bagh Massacre. He
started going to the meetings of Arya Samaj and was influenced
by its philosophy. He had a strong desire for the upliftment of
helpless poor people. He started attending the meetings of
congress. He mat Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan at Ahmedabad Adhiveshan
of the congress. Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya influenced him. He
attended Delhi Adhiveshan of congress chaired by Madan Mohan
Malviya in 1919. He joined Indian Independence Movement under
the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. For taking part in
non-cooperation movement of Mahatma Gandhi he was imprisoned for
two years in Ferozepur (1921-1922). The role of Swami Keshwanand
became so important in freedom movement that he was appointed
dictator of Ferozepur district in 1930 to conduct the freedom
movement in that area. He was again arrested in 1930 but
released due to Gandhi-Irvin agreement.
The Social Reformist
Swami Keshwanand felt that the knowledge of Hindi language is
must to keep the country united and to educate the public about
nationality. He started “Vedant Pushp Vatika” library in year
1911 in the Ashram with the support of funds collected in it. In
1912 he started a Sanskrit school in the Ashram. In 1916 he
handed over the charge of Ashram to his guru-bhai Shyamdas
Swami Keshwanand was a great social worker. He always remained
associated with the spread of education, social and village
upliftment. He was connected with the establishment of Sahitya
Sadan, Abohar, Ferozepur district in Punjab (1917-1932). He
started his progrrame of spreading knowledge of Hindi with a
Hindi-forum in Abohar town. He founded ‘Nagari Pracharini Sabha’
institute at Abohar in 1920 that was renamed as Sahitya Sadan,
Abohar.
He started a press ‘Deepak’ at Abohar in 1933 and published
material in Hindi language and got distributed to villagers
either free or at a very nominal price. Sahitya Sadan, Abohar
developed into an institution comparable with Shantiniketan of
Rabindranath Tagore. He organized 30th All India Hindi Sahitya
Sammelan at Sahitya Sadan, Abohar in 1941. He was awarded degree
of “Sahitya Vachaspati” looking to his services for Hindi in
1942.
Swami Keshwanand was connected with Gramothan Vidyapith,
Sangaria (Rajasthan) (1932-1952). He was made director of Jat
School Sangaria in 1932 that was just to close for want of
funds. He went from village to village and to the Seths of
desert region who were in Calcutta and far off places and
collected funds. He became instrumental in starting hundreds of
schools in the desert region. The Jat School Sangaria was
renamed as Gramothan Vidyapith, Sangaria in 1948. He developed
here a beautiful museum with collection of rare documents,
ancient items, paintings etc. brought from various places.
Large-scale plantations were done in this arid area with the
help of people and students of the Institute. Gramothan
Vidyapith, Sangaria had become center of inspiration for
educationists from India and abroad.
Swami Keshwanand , an orphan, illiterate, nomadic man who never
got formal education in a school was the founder of more than
300 schools, 50 hostels, so many libraries, social service
centers and museums. He got 100 books translated from other
languages or wrote himself. With the great efforts of 11 years
he got published the Book “History of Sikhs” in Hindi in 1954.
He had deep understanding of society in the desert region. He
tried all his life with full devotion to remove social evils
like untouchability, child marriage, woman illiteracy, indebt
ness, poverty, backwardness, intoxication, dissipation, bad
customs etc. An idea about his visionary and logical thoughts
can be had from the book he has published- “Maru Bhumi Seva
Karya” in Hindi. In this book he has explained the peculiarities
of the Desert region, identified the problems and suggested
proper solutions.
Swami Keshwanand, born in a Jat Hindu family, Sadhu of Udasi
sect propagated by Srichandji, son of Sikh guru Nanakdevji, was
a unique example of communal harmony. He organized celebrations
in honour of Sikh, Bisnoi, Namdhari and Jain gurus. Gramothan
Vidyapith, Sangaria being adjoining to Pakistan felt the heat of
1947 division of the country. He got admitted the wounded
Muslims in hospitals and arranged food and shelter for them.
Swami Keshwanand was member of Hindi Sahitya Sammelan,
Allahabad. He was imprisoned several times in satyagraha
movements of Mahatma Gandhi. He was presented “Abhinandan
Granth” by the chief minister of Rajasthan on March 9,1958. He
was first elected to the Rajya Sabha of India in 1952 and was
re-elected to the House in April, 1958. He remained member of
Rajya Sabha till 1964. He died on September 13,1972 at Delhi.
Department of Posts, Government of India, has issued a
commemorative postage stamp on "India's Struggle for Freedom" on
Swami Keshwanand on August 15, 1999. |
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