Din Dayalu Sharma
Pandit Din Dayalu Sharma | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | May, 1863 |
| Died | 1937 |
| Education | Government School of Jhajjar |
| Years active | 1880–1930 |
| Known for | Founder : Hindu College, Bharat Dharm Mandal, Sanatan Dharm Sabha, Gau Varnashrama Hitaishini Ganga Dharma Sabha |
Din Dayalu Sharma (1863–1937) was an Indian scholar and key figure in the Sanatana Dharma movement in late 19th-century North India. He is known for defending and promoting Hindu cultural and religious values during a period of significant socio-political change.[1][2][3] He also do poetry under the name 'Khursand' (Happiness).[4]
Early life and education
[edit]Sharma was born in Gaur Brahmin family in May 1863, in Jhajjar, a town in the present-day state of Haryana, India. He is known for its scholarly and cultural contributions. His father, Pandit Ganga Sahai, a scholar of Persian, passed away when Din Dayalu was very young. Sharma's early education began at a maktab, where he studied Urdu and Persian under a Maulvi.[1][2][3]
He later moved to Hasangarh to live with his uncle, a police officer, and continued his education in English at a madarssa. On returning to Jhajjar, he attended a government school, where he completed his middle examinations. Despite his promising academic start, his education was interrupted by his marriage to Anar Devi at the age of eighteen, which led him to take up a job in Hoshiarpur as a superintendent for the census of 1881.[1][2]
Contributions and reforms
[edit]Din Dayalu Sharma's early career included founding the Panchayat-i-Taraqqi-i-Hanud in 1882, a Hindu association aimed at social service, which later evolved into the Society Rifah-i-Am. He also engaged in journalism, editing the monthly paper Hariyana and later starting a weekly Urdu paper, Mathura Akhbar, dedicated to defending Hindu religious principles.
Influenced by his interactions with Vaishnav sadhus and his studies in Sanskrit, Sharma became a prominent defender of Sanatana Dharma.[5] In 1886, he founded the Gau Varnashrama Hitaishini Ganga Dharma Sabha, focusing on the protection of Hindu rituals and the sanctity of sacred sites. He also founded the Hindu College at Delhi in May 15, 1899.[6][7]
In 1887, Sharma founded the Bharat Dharma Mahamandal[8][9] and Sanatan Dharma Sabha on 26, August, 1886.[3] The Mahamandal sought to address religious and cultural concerns and included members from all four varnas.[1][2][10]
Legacy
[edit]Din Dayalu Sharma's efforts extended to various facets of Hindu society, including advocating for the preservation of Sanskrit and promoting Hindi as the language of education and administration. His contributions had a lasting impact on the Sanatana Dharma movement and Hindu reform efforts.[1][2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Mittal, Satish Chandra (1986). Haryana, a Historical Perspective. Atlantic Publishers & Distri.
- ^ a b c d e Jones, Kenneth W. (1989). Socio-Religious Reform Movements in British India. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-24986-7.
- ^ a b c Gupta, Jugal Kishore (1991). History of Sirsa Town. Atlantic Publishers & Distri.
- ^ Gopal, Madan (1986). Balmukund Gupta. Sahitya Akademi.
- ^ Kippen, James (2022-03-30). Gurudev's Drumming Legacy: Music, Theory and Nationalism in the Mrdang aur Tabla Vadanpaddhati of Gurudev Patwardhan. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-351-56472-4.
- ^ Kumar, Praveen. Complete Indian History for IAS Exam: Highly Recommended for IAS, PCS and other Competitive Exam. Educreation Publishing.
- ^ Jaffrelot, Christophe (2010). Religion, Caste, and Politics in India. Primus Books. ISBN 978-93-80607-04-7.
- ^ Indian History. Allied Publishers. 1988. ISBN 978-81-8424-568-4.
- ^ Team, YCT Expert. General Studies & CSAT Solved Papers. Youth Competition Times.
- ^ Cush, Denise; Robinson, Catherine; York, Michael (2012-08-21). Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-18978-5.