Khaksar movement

The Khaksar movement was a  social movement based in Lahore, British India, established by Allama Mashriqi in 1931 to free India from the rule of the British Empireand establish a Hindu-Muslim government in India.

 Khaksari Flag

                                               

The Khaksar movement began at a time when the Indian economy was experiencing the effects of The Great Depression  This placed an unprecedented amount of stress on all classes of Indian society. After the second Round Table Conference on March 5, 1931 Mahatma Gandhi's civil disobedience movement was halted with the signing of the Gandhi–Irwin Pact. 

Around this time  Allama Mashriqi, a charismatic Muslim intellectual whom some considered to be of anarchist persuasion,  revisited the principles for self-reform and self-conduct that he had laid out in his 1924 treatise, entitled Tazkira. He incorporated them into a second treatise, Isharat, and this served as the foundation for the Khaksar movement,  which Roy Jackson has described as being "... essentially to free India from colonial rule and to revive Islam, although it also aimed to give justice and equal rights to all faiths." They took their name from the Persian words khak and sar, respectively meaning dust and life and roughly combined to translate as "humble person". 

Adopting the language of revolution,  Mashriqi began recruiting followers to his cause in his village of Ichhra near Lahore. An early report said that the movement began with 90 followers. It quickly expanded, adding 300 young members within a few weeks.  By 1942 it was reported that the membership was four million and Jackson remarks that it was "phenomenal in its success." 

In 1934 Mashriqi had founded Al-Islah, a weekly newspaper for the Khaksar movement. 

On 4 October 1939 after the commencement of the Second World War, Mashriqui, who was then in Lucknow jail, offered to increase the size of the organization to help with the war effort. He offered a force of 30,000 well drilled soldiers for the internal defense of India, 10,000 for the police, and 10,000 to provide help for Turkey or to fight on European soil. His offer was not accepted. 

Mashraqi was released from Vellore Jail on January 19, 1942, but his movements were restricted to Madras Presidency. He remained interned until December 28, 1942. Mashraqi arrived in New Delhi on January 2, 1942. 

Allama Mashriqi disbanded the Khaksar Tehrik on July 4, 1947.  He was referred as one of the two legends of Pakistan. 

In October 1947, after the creation of Pakistan, Mashriqi founded the Islam League. Khaksar Tehrik was revived after his death and now operates in different parts of Pakistan. 

 Mashriqi had said in 1931 that the Khaksar movement had three distinct objectives; "to emphasize the idea of superiority of God, unity of the nation and service to mankind" In addition Mashriqi outlined twenty-four principles on November 29, 1936 in an address to a Khaksar camp at Sialkot.  This initial speech and subsequent set of principles  encouraged members of the movement to serve the people regardless of their caste or religion; and Khaksars were expected to convince others to join the movement through "love and affection". 

On March 14, 1937 Allama Mashriqi again addressed a camp of Khaksars at Lahore to deliver the fourteen points that became the foundation of the movement.  These points solidified the notion that the movement was both dictatorial and militaristic. At this point its aims were to establish rule in India, and then perhaps over the entire world. However the success of Muslim rule in India necessitated certain conditions, such as: "(a) "regard for the religious and social sentiments of the various communities that live in this county: (b) maintenance of their particular culture and customs, and (c) general tolerance

All members, regardless of rank, wore the same uniform; a khaki shirt with khaki pyjama secured with a belt, together with military boots. The khaki colour was chosen because it was "simple and unpresuming" and "cheap and available for all", although in practice the uniforms were paid for by the Khaksar organization. They wore a red badge (akhuwat) on their right arm as a symbol of brotherhood. On their heads Khaksars wore the white handkerchief of the Arabs and Hajis, consisting of a white cloth the length and width of one and one-half yards which was secured around the head with a cotton string. 

All Khaksars carried a belcha (spade) as a sign of unity and strength and in imitation of Muhammad.  In addition the spade represents humility, in the same way that a spade is used to level the ground, the Khaksars used it as a symbol of the "leveling" of society. 

The flag of the Khaksars is a modified Muslim symbol; a crescent moon and star on a red background

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Khudai Khidmatgar

Khudai Khidmatgar   literally translates as the servants of God, represented a non-violent freedom struggle against the British Empire by the Pashtuns (also known as Pathans, Pakhtuns or Afghans) of the North-West Frontier Province.

Also known as "Surkh Posh" or "Red shirts", it was originally a social reform organisation focussing on education and the elimination of blood feuds known as the Anjuman-e-Islah-e Afghania (society for reformation of Afghans). The movement was led by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, known locally as Bacha Khan or Badshah Khan. 

It gradually became more political as it was being targeted by the British Raj, by 1929 its leadership was exiled from the province and large numbers were arrested. Seeking allies in India it approached the Muslim League and Indian National Congress, rebuffed by the former in 1929 the movement formally joined the Congress party. Due to pressure across India, the British government finally released Bacha Khan and lifted restrictions on the movement. As part of the Government of India Act 1935, limited franchise was for the first time introduced in the North-West Frontier Province. In the subsequent election, Bacha Khan's brother Dr.Khan Sahib was elected Chief Minister.

The Khudai Khidmatgar (KK) movement faced another crackdown for its role in the quit India movement after 1940, in that period it started facing increasing opposition from the Muslim League in the province. Its Congress affiliate won the 1946 election again, however it faced an increasing protest by supporters of the Pakistan movement. Amidst negotiations for the British departure from India, the Congress party agreed to the partition of India on the provision that a referendum was held to ascertain whether NWFP would prefer to be part of the new state of Pakistan or India. Realising they were in an untenable position the KK movement decided to boycott the referendum which allowed an easy victory for the Pakistan vote. The KK movement faced a backlash from the new Pakistani government following partition, its government was dismissed and the movement banned.

At the beginning of the 20th century Pashtun society was colonized, stagnant, violent, worn down by feuds, inequalities, factionalism, poor social cooperation, and plain ignorance.  Education opportunities were strictly limited. Pashtuns are Muslims; and religious leaders and Mullahs were known to have told parents that if their children went to school, they would go to hell. Khan stated that “the real purpose of this propaganda” was to keep Pashtuns “illiterate and uneducated”, and hence his people “were the most backward in India” with regard to education.  He also stated that by the time Islam reached his people centuries earlier, it had lost much of its original spiritual message.

Formed out of the society for reformation of Pashtuns (Anjuman-e-Islah-e-Afghan), it initially targeted social reformation and launched campaigns against prostitution. Bacha Khan as its founder seemed to be influenced by the realisation that whenever British troops were faced with an armed uprising they eventually always overcame the rebellion. The same could not be said when using non violence against the troops.

The movement started prior to the Qissa Khwani bazaar massacre, when a demonstration of hundreds of non violent supporters were fired upon by British soldiers in Peshawar. Its low point and eventual dissipation was after Pakistan's independence in 1947 when the Muslim League Chief Minister Abdul Qayyum Khan banned the movement and launched a brutal crackdown on its members which culminated in the Babra Sharif massacre. At its peak the KK movement consisted of almost 100,000 members.

Initially the movement focussed on social reform as a means of improving the status of Pashtuns against the British. Ghaffar Khan founded several reform movements prior to the formation of the Khudai Khidmatgar, the Anjumen-e Islah ul-Afghan in 1921, the farmers' organisation Anjuman-e Zamidaran in 1927 and the youth movement Pashtun Jirga in 1927. Trying to further spread awareness on Pashtun issues Abdul Ghaffar Khan founded the magazine Pakhtun in May 1928. Finally in November 1929, almost on the eve of the Qissa Khwani bazaar massacre the Khudai Khidmatgar were formed. 

Khan drew his first recruits from the young men who had graduated from his schools. Trained and uniformed, they served behind their officers and filed out into various villages to seek recruits. They began by wearing a simple white overshirt, but the white was soon dirtied. A couple of men had their shirts dyed at the local tannery, and the brick-red colour proved a breakthrough, it was this distinctive colour that earned the Khudai khidmatgar movement activists the name "the Red shirts" or surkh posh.

Volunteers who took the oath formed platoons with commanding officers and learned basic army discipline. The volunteers had their own flags: red in the beginning, later tri-colour and bands: bagpipe and drums. The men wore red uniforms and the women black. They had drills, badges, a flag, the entire military hierarchy of rank and even a bagpipe corps.

Khan set up a network of committees called jirgas, named and modelled after the traditional tribal councils. Villages were grouped into larger groups, responsible to district-wide committees. The Provincial Jirgah was the ultimate authority.

Officers in the ranks were not elected, since Khan wanted to avoid infighting. He appointed a salar-e-azam or commander-in-chief, who in turn appointed officers to serve under him. Other ranks included Jarnails (Generals). The army was completely voluntary; even the officers gave their services free. Women were recruited too, and played an important role in the struggles to come.

Volunteers went to the villages and opened schools, helped on work projects, and maintained order at public gatherings. From time to time they drilled in work camps and took long military-style marches into the hills.

Under the influence of Abdul Ghaffar Khan the movement advocated non-violent protests and justified their actions through an Islamiccontext. Khan did not find Islam and non-violence as incompatible. Despite that the movement was intrinsically non-sectarian. In more than one occasion when Hindus and Sikhs were attacked in Peshawar, Khidmatgar members helped protect their lives and property.

“The Holy Prophet Mohammed came into this world and taught us ‘That man is a Muslim who never hurts anyone by word or deed, but who works for the benefit and happiness of God's creatures.’ Belief in God is to love one's fellow men.” – Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan

“There is nothing surprising in a Muslim or a Pathan like me subscribing to the creed of nonviolence. It is not a new creed. It was followed fourteen hundred years ago by the Prophet all the time he was in Mecca.” – Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan

Pledge of the Khudai Khidmatgar

Example 1 

• In the name of God who is Present and Evident, I am a Khudai Khitmatgar.
• I will serve the nation without any self-interest.
• I will not take revenge (badla) and my actions will not be a burden for anyone.
• My actions will be non-violent.
• I will make every sacrifice required of me to stay on this path.
• I will serve people without regard to their religion or faith.
• I shall use nation-made goods.
• I shall not be tempted by any office.

Example 2 

In the presence of God I solemnly affirm that:

1. I hereby honestly and sincerely offer myself for enrollment as a Khudai Khitmatgar.
2. I shall be ever ready to sacrifice personal comfort, property, and even life itself to serve the nation and for the attainment of my country's freedom.
3. I shall not participate in factions, nor pick up a quarrel with or bear enmity towards anybody. I shall always protect the oppressed against the tyranny of the oppressor.
4. I shall not become member of any other organization, and shall not furnish security or tender apology in the course of a non-violent fight.
5. I shall always obey every legitimate order of my superior officers.
6. I shall always live up to the principles of non-violence.
7. I shall serve all humanity equally. The chief objects of my life shall be attainment of complete independence and religious freedom.
8. I shall always observe truth and parity in all my actions.
9. I shall expect no remuneration for my service.
10. All my services shall be dedicated to God, they shall not be for attaining rank or for show.

The Oath of the Khudai Khidmatgar

• I am a Servant of God, and as God needs no service, serving His creation is serving Him,
• I promise to serve humanity in the name of God.
• I promise to refrain from violence and from taking revenge.
• I promise to forgive those who oppress me or treat me with cruelty.
• I promise to refrain from taking part in feuds and quarrels and from creating enmity.
• I promise to treat every Pasthun as my brother and friend.
• I promise to refrain from antisocial customs and practices.
• I promise to live a simple life, to practice virtue, and to refrain from evil.
• I promise to practice good manners and good behavior and not to lead a life of idleness.
• I promise to devote at least two hours a day to social work.
• I put forth my name in honesty and truthfulness to become a true Servant of God.
• I will sacrifice my wealth, life, and comfort for the liberty of my nation and people.
• I will never be a party to factions, hatred, or jealousies with my people; and will side with the oppressed against the oppressor.
• I will not become a member of any other rival organization, nor will I stand in an army.
• I will faithfully obey all legitimate orders of all my officers all the time.
• I will live in accordance with the principles of nonviolence.
• I will serve all God's creatures alike; and my object shall be the attainment of the freedom of my country and my religion.
• I will always see to it that I do what is right and good.
• I will never desire any reward whatever for my service.
• All my efforts shall be to please God, and not for any show or gain.

Anthem of Khudai Khidmatgar

We are the army of God
By death or wealth unmoved,
We march, our leader and we,
Ready to die!

In the name of God, we march
And in his name, We die
We serve in the name of God
God's servant are we!

God is our king,
And great is he,
We serve our Lord,
His slaves are we!

Our country's cause
We serve with our breath,
For such an end,
Glorious is death

We serve and we love
Our people and our cause
Freedom is our aim,
And our lives are its price.

We love our country
And respect our country
Zealously we protect it
For the glory of God

By canon or gun undismayed
Soldiers and horsemen,
None can come between,
Our work and our duty. 

British troops employed a wide variety of tactics against KK activists.

"The British used to torture us, throw us into ponds in wintertime, shave our beards, but even then Badshah Khan told his followers not to lose patience. He said 'there is an answer to violence, which is more violence. But nothing can conquer nonviolence. You cannot kill it. It keeps standing up. The British sent their horses and cars to run over us, but I took my shawl in my mouth to keep from screaming. We were human beings, but we should not cry or express in any way that we were injured or weak." -- Musharraf Din (Baldauf).

Another tactic employed against non-violent protesters who were blocking roads was to charge them with cars and horses.

In 1930, soldiers of the Garhwal Rifles refused to fire on non-violent protests led by Khudai Khidmatgars in Peshawar. By disobeying direct orders, the regiment sent a clear message to London that loyalty of India's armed forces could not be taken for granted to enact draconian measures. However, by 1931, 5,000 members of the Khudai Khidmatgar and 2,000 members of the Congress Party were arrested.  This massacre was followed by the shooting of unarmed protestors in Utmanzai and the Takkar Massacre followed by the Hathikhel Massacre.

In 1932, the Khudai Khidmatgar movement changed its tactics and involved women in the movement. This unnerved many Indian officers working in the region as in those days of conservative India it was considered a grave insult to attack women, more so in a conservative Pashtun society. However the brutality increased and in one case five police officers in Benares had to be suspended due to "horrific reports about violence used against young female volunteers".

The British bombed a village in the Bajaur Valley in March 1932 and arrested Abdul Ghaffar Khan as well as more than 4,000 Red Shirts. The British bombardments in the border area continued up till 1936-1937 because, “India is a training field for active military training which can be found nowhere else in the Empire", a British court concluded in 1933.

Other tactics ranged from poisoning to the barbaric as castrations were used against some Khudai Khidmatgar activists. 

After the anti-war resignation of Dr. Khan's Ministry in 1939 because of the events of World War 2, British tactics towards the movement changed to employ divide-and-rule tactics through the instigation of sectarian and communal tensions over brute force. Governor George Cunningham's policy note of 23 September 1942, called for the government to ‘continuously preach the danger to Muslims of connivance with the revolutionary Hindu body. Most tribesmen seem to respond to this’, while in another paper he commented about the period 1939–1943: ‘Our propaganda since the beginning of the war had been most successful. It had played throughout on the Islamic theme.

The movement was facing intense pressure by 1930 and the leadership under Ghaffar Khan was actively seeking political allies in India to help reduce the pressure on it by the British authorities. Previously in December 1928, Barrister Muhammad Jan Abbasi invited Bacha Khan to attend a Khilafat conference. The session ended badly with Maulana Shaukat Ali nearly being attacked by one member from the Punjab.

Despite the initial closeness between Ghaffar Khan and Ali, the harshness of their critique of Gandhi contrasted poorly with the patience shown by Gandhi in Ghaffar Khan's eyes. Another attempt was made by senior KK leaders to approach Sir Fazli Hussain a senior Punjabi leader of the Unionist party pleading for assistance against the crackdown which was dismissed.

The Congress subsequently offered all possible help to the Pathans in exchange on their part to joining the Congress party for the freedom struggle for India. This offer was put forth in the Frontier province, and was accepted by the Khudai Kidmatgars on August 1931. The move shocked the British authorities who were forced to ease pressure on the KK.

More, with the introduction of provincial autonomy under the Government of India Act 1935, The first limited election were held in NWFP in 1936. Ghaffar Khan was banned from the province. His brother, Dr. Khan Sahib, led the party to a narrow victory and became Chief Minister. Ghaffar Khan returned to Peshawar in triumph on August 29, 1937 on what the Peshawar daily Khyber Mail called the happiest day of his life. During the two year stint of the Congress party under Dr Khan Sahib as Chief minister, major reforms were introduced including land reforms, promotion of the teaching of Pashto and the release of political prisoners.

On Congress directive the ministries in eight out of eleven provinces resigned in protest against Britain's not promising India independence after the War. The decision to resign proved a pivotal moment in Indian history, in the Frontier it was instrumental in giving those groups that opposed the Khudai Khidmatgar movement the opportunity to broaden their constituency.

The KK's activists role in helping Subhash Chandra Bose's escape in 1943 has largely been ignored till recently. In 1943, Amir Khan Khattak along with four other people received Subhash Chandra Bose at Nowshera Railway Station. He had come to make his escape to Germany via Afghanistan. Disguised as a Muslim, Subhash was taken to Khattak's village Dak Ismailkhel on the request of Mian Akbar Shah from Faqir Chand's house in Peshawar. He stayed with him for two days before leaving in a Pashtun attire for the German Embassy in Kabul leading to his journey to Germany and finally Japan.Agha Haider Ali of the Afghan National bank, helped Bose get in touch with the Kabul authorities and with his travel plans. 

The increasingly liberal movement faced an increasing backlash from conservatives because of its support for the Congress party amidst growing support for the Pakistan movement. The decision of Dr. Khan Sahib to support his daughters marriage to a Sikh soldier led to some senior associates of Bacha Khan to leave. 

Similarly his son, Ghani Khans criticism of feudal landlords angered many conservative "Khans" and Nawabs, some formerly sympathetic to the movement. 

This coincided with a determined effort by the British Raj to discredit the movement with the assistance of mullahs and ulema allied with the British. The British Governor, Cunningham, instructed the big khans to meet each mullah on individual basis and tell him to serve the 'cause of Islam' for which he would be duly paid. The Mullahs were told that in case of good progress they would also be considered for government pension. A Cunningham policy note of 23 September 1942 reads: 'Continuously preach the danger to Muslims of connivance with the revolutionary Hindu body. Most tribesmen seem to respond to this', while in another paper he says about the period 1939-43: 'Our propaganda since the beginning of the war had been most successful. It had played throughout on the Islamic theme.

The Khudai Khidmatgar movement decline can be traced back to two decisions the first was the Congress decision in 1939 to resign from power in protest against British World War II policy. This move gave an opportunity to the Muslim League to develop and for the British authorities to alter their strategy.

In 1940, a split occurred within the Pakhtun Zalmey, the youth organisation affiliated with Bacha Khan's Khudai Khidmatgar movement. It occurred after Bacha Khan refused to accept the results of the internal party 1940 elections in which Salar Aslam Khan of Kohat won the contest as president of Pakhtun Zalmey with overwhelming majority. The refusal by Bacha Khan to accept Salaar Aslam caused a great damage to the party in southern districts of the province where Khudai Khidmatgars won all the seats of the provincial as well as national assemblies in the previous elections. Salar Aslam was also a member of the Forward Block and Bacha Khan's argument was that he could not trust anyone but his elder son, Ghani Khan, whom he wanted to lead Pakhtun Zalmey. "It was a mistake of Bacha Khan. He was not happy about his decision later, but had to argue that at that sensitive stage of the political struggle, he could only trust Ghani Khan. 

The party also faced attempts by the British Raj to discredit it by portraying it as an irreligious group trying to promote a pro Hindu and pro communist agenda.  Despite these attempts, the movements political wing contested and won the 1946 provincial elections.

An exception to the rule of non-violence occurred when Badshah Khan's son Ghani Khan on 26/27 April 1947 founded the breakaway group Zalmai Pukhtoon (Pashtun Youth), a militant, organisation of Pukhtoon youth, carrying fire-arms, the aim of which was to protect the Khudai Khidmatgars (Servants of God) and members of the Congress Party from violence feared at the hands of Muslim League activists. It had no connection as such with the Khudai Khidmatgars. Nehru’s fateful visit to the Frontier in October, 1946, and its tragic aftermath in a gradual erosion of the popular base of the incumbent Khan Sahib Ministry. Despite this, the movement stayed true to its non-communal leanings, when the red shirts came out to protect thousands of sikhs and Hindus worried they would be attacked in the increasing pre-partition violence between Hindus and Muslims. 

Pakistan's Independence in August 1947 marked the beginning of the end of the Khudai Khidmatgar movement. While the Congress government remained in power briefly it was eventually dismissed by the Governor under the orders of Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Dr. Khan Sahib was replaced by former Congressite Abdul Qayyum Khan. He successfully stopped an attempted rapprochement between Ghaffar Khan and Muhammad Ali Jinnah by stopping a planned meeting between the two citing security threats. With that, Jinnah gave Qayyum Khan a free hand in dealing with the Congress and the Khudai Khidmatgars. The crackdown that followed culminated with the Babra Sharif massacre. Despite the provocation and its obvious ambivalence over Pakistan's creation, the Khudai Khidmatgar leaders reconvened at Sardaryab on 3 and 4 September 1947 and passed a resolution  that stated "The Khudai Khidmagars regard Pakistan as their own country and pledge that they shall do their utmost to strengthen and safeguard its interest and make every sacrifice for the cause; The dismissal of Dr. Khan Sahib’s ministry and the setting up of Abdul Qaiyum’s ministry is undemocratic, but as our country is passing through a critical stage, the Khudai Khidmatgars shall take no step which might create difficulties in the way of either the Provincial or Central Government; After the division of the country the Khudai Khidmatgars sever their connection with the All-India Congress organization and, therefore, instead of the Tricolor, adopt the Red Flag as the symbol of their party."

You have thrown us (Khudai Khidmatgar) to the wolves.

—Bacha Khan addressing the Mahatma after Partition of India.

However Qayyum Khan and the central government had already decided that there would be no accord with the movement. The Khudai Khidmatgar organisation was declared unlawful in mid-September 1948, mass arrests followed and the centre at Sardaryab (Markaz-e-Khudai Khidmatgaran), built in 1942, was destroyed by the Provincial Government. This crackdown ultimately led to the Babra Sharif massacre. 

The movement was also hit by defections as party members switched sides out of fear or for benefit. Those members that wished to survive politically rallied behind a former ally, turned opponent of Qayyum Khan, the Pir of Manki Sharif. The Pir created a breakaway Muslim League, however, it proved no match for Qayyum who engineered his re-election in 1951. 

The movement lingered on till 1955 when it was again banned by the central government because of Ghaffar Khan's opposition to the One Unit. An aborted attempt was made to bring Ghaffar Khan into the government as a Minister as well as turning the KK movement into a national organization, however Ghaffar Khan turned down the offer. 

Although the ban on the movement was lifted in 1972, the Khudai Khidmatgar movement had been broken.

Criticisms

The Khudai Khidmatgar movement was a success in the terms of its opposition to British rule. However, the social effects of the movement have not survived. While the Ghaffar Khan family maintains a hold over the political philosophy of the movement, its history has largely been wiped out from official memory in Pakistan. The movement has also been criticized for its opposition to partition, and by that virtue the creation of Pakistan. 

As a result it has been seen as a secessionist movement in Pakistan, and in the 1950s and 1960s it was also perceived as pro communist, an argument that was used by conservative elements to discredit it as anti-Islam. The movement's claim to total non-violence seems flawed as well; some critics argue that while the movement proved a success against the British, it like other non-violent movements would not have proved a success against another Imperial power. This is supposedly proved by its failure to pose a challenge to the Pakistani government amidst a crackdown that was far more brutal than any done by the British.  Others have also suggested that the Khudai Khidmatgar movement was not in fact as non-violent as its supporters would argue. Writers like Schofiled and Bannerjee have documented cases of attacks on British personnel and soldiers.

Kripalu Maharaj

Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj   (born October 1922) is a Hindu spiritual leader from Allahabad, India. 

He is the preceptor of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, a worldwide Hindu non-profit, religious, educational and charitable organization with 5 main spiritual centers  four in India and one,  in the USA. JKP Radha Madhav Dham is one of the largest Hindu Temple complexes in the Western Hemisphere,  and the largest in North America. 

A spiritual master and a poet-saint of modern times, Shree Kripaluji Maharaj has influenced thousands of devotees around the world in the path ofBhakti Marg, the path of love or devotion to God.  He received the title of Jagadguru (world teacher) at the age of 34 by Kashi Vidvat Parishad (the oldest and most recognised body of Varanasi's intellectuals) on Makar Sankranti day, January 14, 1957.

Kripaluji Maharaj was born on the full moon (Purnima) in October 1922 as Ram Kripalu Tripathi in Mangarh, near Allahabad, in India. He received his preliminary education in Hindi and Sanskrit in the local school. He went on to study advanced Sanskrit and Ayurved in Indore and Varanasi and spent a year or more around Chitrakoot. After completing his formal education, at the age of 16, he entered into self-imposed banbas.  He found his way to Vrindavan and the next year he emerged as a Guru  known affectionately as Shree Maharajji.  When he was 17 years old, he led a 6 month continuous chanting of the "maha mantra". 

Later he began to take part in meetings of Sanskrit scholars in different cities including Varanasi.  People were amazed by his perfect pronunciation of shlokas and the ready way he quoted sources without referring to any books. Today his devotees number in the thousands across the Hindi-speaking heartland of India. 

In 1955 Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj organized a religious convention in which prominent spiritual leaders of India gathered.  Mahamahopadhyay Giridhar Sharma, President of the Kashi Vidvat Parishad had also come and was impressed by Kripaluji Maharaj's learning and scriptural knowledge.  In another convention organized in Kanpur in 1956, Shree Raj Narain, Shat Shastree, the Chief Secretary of the Kashi Vidvat Parishad, happened to hear Kripaluji Maharaj's discourses.  After returning to Kashi, he invited Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj to give a spiritual discourse to the scholars of Kashi Kripaluji Maharaj then went to Kashi in 1957. 

The congregation had scholars of Vanarasi and many from all over the India.  His speeches lasted for seven days,  after which he was formally installed as the fifth Jagadguru. He was 34 years old when given the title "Jagad Guru" (world teacher) on January 14, 1957, by the Kashi Vidvat Parishad, a group of Hindu scholars which is the oldest and most recognised body of Varanasi's intellectuals.  The Kashi Vidvat Parishad had 500 of India's foremost scriptural scholars.  The "Jagadguru" title is only given to a Saint who inspires a spiritual revolution in the world through his Divine teachings. The Kashi Vidvat Parishad also conferred on him the titles Bhaktiyog-Ras-Avtar and Jagadguruttam. 

According to Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj, "the desired goal of the soul is to attain the selfless Divine love of Radha Krishn who are eternally related to you".  He teaches that Radha Krishnaare the supreme 'form' of God and the 'form' of Divine Love  and are eternally related to us. 

 Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj is an authoritative orator and his religious discourses are attended by huge gatherings.  These discourses are broadcast every day on TV channels such as Aastha,Sadhna TV, Sahara Samay and Sanskar TV.  His discourses are also broadcast every weekday on TV Asia in the USA.  In his TV discourses, Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj quotes the chapter and verse of everything he cites.  

He accepts the Shat Sandarbh of Jeev Goswami and teaches that the Bhagwatam is the true explanation of the Upanishads and Brahma Sutras.  He reconciled the differences that appeared in the philosophies of the other Jagadgurus and the Darshan Shastras and established the consolidated theme of all the Hindu scriptures. For this work, the title ofNikhildarshansamanvayacharya was conferred upon him (meaning the supreme Acharya who has reconciled the philosophies of all the Darshan Shastras). Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj teaches that "The essence of all doctrines is to love Lord Krishna, the supreme form of God, and to meditate on his Divine form with an increasing desire to serve him. This is the true ultimate knowledge. 

He is quoted as saying, "The Bhakta has only to surrender himself and do nothing else but he has to do a lot for doing nothing". 

All the works by Jagadguru Shree Kripalu Ji Maharaj known as "Bhaktiyog Tattvadarshan", is based on the philosophy as enunciated in the Vedas, Puranas and other scriptures.

• Prem Ras Siddhant - The philosophy of Divine love. It was first published (in Hindi) in 1955. Later it was published is several other languages of India. It has been described as an Incredible Book by Swami Sivananda among others.
• Bhakti Shatak - The concise philosophy of the Upnishads, Gita, Brahm Sutra and the Bhagwatam in an easy to understand style
• Radha Govind Geet - Printed in two volumes, with eleven thousand one hundred and eleven couplets of Radha Krishn leelas and the devotional philosophy

• Prem Ras Madira - 1008 songs (pad) of Radha Krishn leelas, devotional philosophy and humbleness
• Yugal Shatak - One hundred kirtans of Radha Rani and Krishn
• Yugal Ras - Kirtans of Radha Krishn
• Shree Krishn Dwadashi and Shree Radha Trayodashi - Twelve pad in which he has fully described the beauty and the decorations of Krishn, and thirteen pad about the beauty and the decorations of Radha Rani

Renditions of Shree Maharajji's bhajans and kirtans have been recorded by well known singers in India such as Manna Dey  and Anuradha Paudwal.  Anup Jalota met Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj in Mumbai and agreed to release several CDs of his compositions. 

Kripaluji Maharaj is the founder of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, a worldwide Hindu non-profit religious organization with 5 main ashrams worldwide – four in India (Rangeeli Mahal, Barsana; Bhakti Dham, Mangarh; Shyama Shyam Dham, Vrindavan and Jagadguru Dham, Vrindavan) and one in the USA (Radha Madhav Dham, Austin).^[4] Besides these 5 main ashrams, Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat has established a number of satsang centers in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Fiji Island, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Nepal, Ireland, Scotland, Singapore, Trinidad, West Indies, United Kingdom and in many cities throughout India and USA. 

He has also established four temples  - Shree Raseshwari Radha Rani Temple, Austin; Bhakti Mandir, Mangarh; Prem Mandir, Vrindavan  and Kirti Maiya Mandir, Vrindavan.

The Hindi magazine "Sadhan Sadhya" is published three times a year, on auspicious occasions of Guru Poornima, Sharat Poornima and Holi. It contains the current activities of the Ashrams of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat and the teachings and satsang of Shree Maharajji. It also publishes the excerpts of Shree Maharajji's discourses.  There is also a monthly JKP newsletter. 

Prem Mandir is a religious and spiritual complex in Vrindavan. Construction of Prem Mandir began on January 14, 2001 and the inauguration will take place Feb 15 - 17 2012. More than 800 craftsmen, artisans and specialists from various parts of India have been toiling day and night to create the pure marble temple. 30,000 tons of Italian marble have been used in the construction and carved with unique machines like KUKA robotics. It is a massive marble structure with three feet thick walls, all pure marble and the presiding deity will be Yugal Sarkar (Radha Krishn). The leelas of Radha Krishn and life history of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj are being displayed on the walls of the temple. A 73,000 square feet, pillar-less, dome shaped satsang hall is being constructed next to Prem Mandir, which will accommodate 25,000 devotees at a time. 

Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj has established three modern well-equipped hospitals: one in Mangarh, one in Barsana and one in Vrindavan, which provide modern methods of diagnosis and medicines to the poor free of charge. The multi facility hospitals provide free & round the clock services of general physicians, gynecologists, physiotherapists, orthopedic & ophthalmic surgeons, naturopathic & homoeopathic doctors. The Barsana and Mangarh hospitals are serving rural populations of 1,000,000 within their catchment radii of 80–100 km each and each treating 600 – 700 patients daily. All JKP Hospitals are equipped with state of the art imaging and laboratory equipment and in-house 24-hour pathology labs. The expenses of In-Patient Services, Out-Patient Services, Medicines, X-Rays, ECG, Ultrasound, Pathology Investigations, any Surgeries, etc. are all borne by Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat.  In addition, Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat is active in Disaster Relief,  vehicle donation where needed,  and cataract camps. 

Shree Maharajji is also the founder and patron of JKP Education, which runs three colleges for girls in Kunda, Uttar Pradesh (Kripalu Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Kripalu Balika Primary School and Kripalu Balika Intermediate College).  These colleges provide 100% free education for students from Kindergarten to Post graduation. An Annual Report called Gyan-Vigyan details the current activities of these colleges, and an annual function called Utthaan (the rising) showcases the students' talents and achievements. The Dec 2011 function was attended by chief guests High Court Justice Dilip Gupta, Chief Income Tax Officer G N Pandey and Doordarshan Directorial General S M Khan, was broadcast live on Aaj Ki Khabar, and was widely covered in the Indian press. 

Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj's senior disciple, Swami Mukundananda, founder of the Jagadguru Kripalu Yog Trust, is establishing the Jagadguru Kripalu University of Spiritual Science inBhubaneswar, Orissa. This will be spread over 250 acres of land near Banki. The main campus aims at catering, in a phased manner, to the needs of 10,000 students in spiritual, yogic and secular disciplines. The signing of a MoU between the state Government and the Jagadguru Kripalu Yog Trust, which has been widely reported in the media, means that the Government will provide 110 acres of land in the first phase and the remaining 140 acres in the second phase and extend the necessary facilities like power and water supply. 

The University will provide courses in Bachelor of Ayurved in Naturopathy (B.Nat), Bachelor of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences, Rural Economics, Rural Development on health, human values, rural management, BA, Social Work, Business Administration and Master of Oriental Learning. A number of satellite projects such as a healthcare centre, a yog ashram and a hospital will be established in the university vicinity.

Bharat Sevashram Sangha

Bharat Sevashram Sangha  is a Hindu charitable non-governmental organisation in India. It was founded in 1917  byAcharya Srimat Swami Pranavanandaji Maharaj.  The Sangha has hundreds of ashrams in India and other countries including the United Kingdom,Canada, and Bangladesh.  It has initiated several missions to African countries, Malaysia, and Indonesia; monks from the Sangha have accompanied United Nations delegations to Syria and Lebanon. 

The Sangha has responded to natural calamities in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa states, the Bengal famine of 1943, the Bhopal disaster, the 2001 Gujarat earthquake, and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.  At times of political unrest such as the Partition of India, the Sangha has set up refugee camps and war evacuee camps in the border areas. 

It has organised several projects to help impoverished Indian tribal people. One such project involved providing schooling for children of the Sabar tribeand providing them with housing and healthcare.  It also hosts courses to train youths in information technology to enable them to find jobs which require IT skills. 

Following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, the Sangha's monks proposed to set up a school for orphans at a cost of Rs. 42.50 lakhs, an orphanage at Rs. 60.20 lakhs, and 200 houses at Rs. 3 crores on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.  In Tamil Nadu state, where the tsunami killed more than 7,000 in the districts of Cuddalore,Nagapattinam and Chennai, the Sangha was one of the first to begin massive relief operations by building nearly 200 new houses at Sonankuppam village in Cuddaloer. Fishing boats and nets were also distributed to locals who had lost everything to the sea. 

The Sangha actively provides shelter, food, medical treatment and public safety services to pilgrims at various places of worship and religious fairs in India, such as the Kumbha Mela. ^] It operates free hospitals at Barajuri and Kolkata, mobile dispensary and medical units in sixty-four locations, a free residence for patients and their families in Navi Mumbai, and four hospitals and homes for leprosy patients.  A 500-bed hospital at Joka, Kolkata was inaugurated in 2010 by the Indian Finance Minister as an example of private-public partnerships in healthcare.

Pranavananda Maharaj (also known as Yugacharya Srimat Swami Pranavananda Ji Maharaj, 1896–1941 ) was the founder of the organization known as the Bharat Sevashram Sangha.  He is remembered for his pioneering efforts to bring the modern Hindu society into the new age without compromising the essential values of ancient traditions of Hindu spirituality. Swamiji was one of the greatest spiritual leaders of modern India. He is still revered very much for his message of universal love, compassion for all humanity and social reform without giving up the nationalist zeal, the love of mother land.

He was born on 29 January 1896, the auspicious day of Magha Purnima (16th Magha, 1302), in Bajitpur, a village in Faridpur District in undivided India (presently in Bangladesh). His parents Bishnu Charan Bhuia and Saradadevi were very pious and blessed by Lord Shiva to have a son for the mitigation of human suffering and universal emancipation. He was affectionately named Jaynath by his father at birth and later in his boyhood he was called Binode. Binode showed uncommon philosophical inclinations since childhood and often could be seen in deep contemplation at the village school. He was popular with the children of the locality because of his helpful nature.

He visited Gorakhpur in 1913 and met Yogiraj Baba Gambhirnathji Maharaj. This meeting proved to be a landmark event in his life and he was formally initiated by Baba Gambhirnathji Maharaj into the world of spirituality.

Pranvananda launched a mission to carry out social services and spread his spiritual ideas in the tradition of Hindu (Sanatan Dharma) religion. The mission took a formal shape as Bharat Sevashram Sangha on the Maghi Purnima day in the year 1917. He wanted this organization to strive tirelessly and selflessly to awaken and unite all sections of the people to build strong India. Overseas missions were also founded to spread the traditional Hindu message of universal love and devotion to all humanity. The Sevashram built many cottage industry centres, monastic schools, primary schools and free dispensaries in urban and rural areas in east India. Branches were started in different parts of the country for various humanitarian tasks, including relief work at the time of flood, famine, earthquake and pestilence. One can not fail to notice the [Bharat Sevashram Sangha] volunteers dressed in saffron robes and wearing traditional Hindu turbans at every major religious or cultural congregations and fairs, guiding devotees, pilgrims, tourists and lending helping hand to local civic authorities in traffic management. They also run many non-profit guests houses, clinics and hospitals all over India, helping any body that shows up to seek help, irrespective to any discrimination of religion, caste and creed.

Swamiji was an avid traveller and has contributed to the enrichment of knowledge by taking a pilgrimage to Kailash Man-sarovar in Tibet and chronicling minute details about the geography and culture of the land.There he also took the liberty of making extensive tours through Tibet with the aim of finding the real confluence of the Brahmaputra .This discovery of the true confluence of the Brahmaputra and the detailed documentation done by him proved SVEN HEDIN's conclusions wrong.The Royal Geographical Society as a result honoured him with a honorary membership.They also took his contour drawings as pretty much accurate.He also discovered the real confluence of the Sutlej river. Swamiji also camped on site at the Manas lake in order to find out the exact depth of the Manas lake and Rakas lake.

He had always been a source of great inspiration to many freedom fighters of India, extending moral and material help to them. He continued to work tirelessly till the last day of his life (January 8, 1941) — awakening, uniting, and strengthening the people of India. The great Acharya propagated practical spirituality in preference to theoretical philosophy. Though the literature on his teaching is not elaborate, the essential truths have been codified as the "Sangha Geeta". This book offers adequate guidance to his followers in achieving self-realization. He emphasized in the ideals of sacrifice, self-discipline, truth, and continence. He urged his followers to shun all idleness, procrastination, slumbering habits and lust.