Sahajanand Saraswati

Sahajanand Saraswati Biography

Sahajanand Saraswati was a scholar, sanyasi and revolutionary during British rule in India. He was also recognized as a peasant leader, writer, historian, social reformer and historian. Born in UP, most of his activities were centralized in Bihar. His intellectual transformation from a revolutionary to a monk makes him a distinguished person and popular among many sectors of Bihar, though his significant contributions have been forgotten by many. He is also known as a linguist, polymath, sociologist, philosopher, grammarian, ascetic, Marxist, and politician.

Swami Sahajanand Saraswati was born as Naurang Rai on February 22, 1889 in Ghazipur of UP. He was the last and sixth son of a farmer named Beni Rai. He lost his mother at a younger age. He studied English from German Mission High School. He was attracted to religious practices at a younger age. However he didn’t like superstitious and fake practices. He got married at a younger age but lost his wife before the marriage flourished and he accepted sanyasa. He was initiated into holy orders and took the name of Swami Sahajanand Saraswati. He also left his school studies though he continued learning about religions. He was influenced by Gandhiji and was drawn to politics and peasants’ movements.

By 1920 he got actively involved with peasant movements of Bihar, politics and Gandhi. However he ended the 14-year association with Gandhi in 1934. Same year he was associated with relief operations in Bihar following an earth quake. He was associated with the Congress Socialists for the formation of the All India Kisan Sabha and also with the Anti-Compromise Conference of Subhas Chandra Bose. But he kept himself away from politics. Sahajanand was a Dandi Sanyasi who carried a bamboo stick in hand always and it later became the symbol of peasant resistance. Swami Sahajanand Saraswati died on June 25, 1950 in Patna at the age of 61.

Published: N/A

Updated: August 12, 2014