MAHATMA HANS RAJ
An Indian
educationist and a follower of
Arya Samaj movement founded
by Maharishi Swami Dayanand.
19th April 1864 to15th Nov. 1938.
Hans Raj was
born in a small town, Bajwara, in district Hoshiarpur
on April 19,1864.He lost his father before he was 12
and had to be looked after and educated by his elder brother who drew a meager
salary of Rs. 40 per month. The family moved to
As
Arya Samaj took deeper roots in
Hindus were
being converted forcibly to Islam and at this stage Swami Shradhanand dreading
the extinction of Hindu race generated a legacy of revitalization of Hindus
made an appeal to save the “Dying Race” “Marti hui Hindu kaum ko
bacho” Under the leadership of Hansraj ji’s and his
comrades-in-arms who had opened relief camps, notwithstanding adverse
circumstances succeeded in reconverting to the Vedic dharma more than 2500
Kerala Hindus who had been forcibly made Muslims in the Mopla rebellion.
Hansraj ji,
even before he earned the loving and respectful prefix `Mahatma’ was a perfect
motivator of men par excellence. He would achieve the unachievable through
perfect teamwork. Every member of the team carried on his duties assigned by
Hansraj ji as if it was a struggle for his own survival.
The
influence of the Arya Samaj was widespread in
``When my
father died, I became fatherless,
When my
mother died, I became motherless,
Today on the
death of Lala Hansraj, I am
Reduced to
the state of an ORPHAN.’’
Hans Raj did
by leading the country from the darkness of ignorance to the enlightenment of
knowledge. He devoted his whole life serving the DAV institutions and also
served as president of Arya Samaj Lahore and Arya Pratinidhi Sabha Punjab.
Because of his services, sacrifice and simplicity people called him as Mahatma.
Mahatma
Hansraj preached well. He practiced what he preached. ``Sandhya’’ (Vedic
prayer), ``Swadhyaya’’ (self study), ``Samaj Satsang’’ (weekly religious
session of the Arya Samaj), ``Swadesh,’’ (loyalty to the motherland) and
``Sewa’’ (service of man) were the five precepts he lived by. He would exercise
his body through morning walks and take an occasional break by retreating to
the hills. Mahatma Hansraj had unflinching faith in the Vedic Dharm as
propounded by Swami Dayanand Saraswati. He lived a full life, served the DAV
institution for 25 years without accepting a paisa as pay and devoted another
25 years to the service of mankind. Indeed Lala Hansraj was a Mahatma par
excellence who motivated men to touch the sky with glory.
The
end came on November 14, 1938 and his sons, daughters, grandchildren and
innumerable friends were around him.
Kewal Ahluwalia.