Kurmi Poets Writers

Tukdoji Maharaj

1909 - 1968   Yavali in Amravati District of Maharashtra

Tukdoji Maharaj, real name Manik Bandoji Thakur was a spiritual kurmi person from Maharashtra, India. He was born in 1909 in a poor family in the village of Yavali in Amravati District of Maharashtra.

He was a disciple of Aadkoji Maharaj of Warkhed gram. Early in childhood, Saint Tukdoji Maharaj performed rigorous penance and spiritual exercises in self-realisation. He also was a great orator and a musician who composed more than 3000 bhajans (spiritual poems) in Hindi and Marathi. He has also written many articles on Dharma, society, Nation and education.

Tukdoji Maharaj was involved in social reforms in the rural regions of Maharashtra, including construction of roads. He studied the existing religious sects and other schools of thought and discussed religious and secular problems of the devotees. He was determined to re-define socio-Spirituality and revitalise and awaken the Nation. He wrote Gramgeeta which describes means for village development. Many of the development programs started by him have continued to work efficiently after his death.

Work of Saint Tukdoji Maharaj In 1941 he performed individual satyagrah and he took part in the mass upsurge of the 'Quit India' movement in 1941. He strongly opposed the inhuman repressive measures, adopted at that time by the British rulers. He was arrested in 1942 and was imprisoned in Nagpur and Raipur Central Jails. After the dawn of Independence, Sant Tukdoji concentrated on rural reconstruction. He established the 'All India Shri Gurudev Seva Mandal' and developed many programmes for integrated rural development. His activities were so impressive that, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, President of Bharat at that time, bestowed the title of 'Rashtra Sant' on Him.

He was one of the founder Vice Presidents of Vishwa Hindu Parishad. He worked on many fronts for National cause - at the hour of the Bengal famine (1945), at the time of the China war (1962), and aggression of Pakistan (1965), the Koyna earthquake devastation (1962). Rashtra Sant Tukdoji Maharaj went with His mission to help the affected and organised constructive relief works.

He took part in Acharya Vinobha Bhave's Bhudan Movement. He attended the World Conference of Religion and World Peace in Japan in 1955. His wisdom lives on in His 'Gram Gita' which provides inspiration for village development and National reconstruction. He worked hard to convert devotion to God into service to mankind and the Nation. He transformed a traditional prayer Organisation into disciplined, broad based groups of devout young men and women who engaged in constructive social works. He left his mortal body on 11 October 1968. Rashtra Sant Tukdoji Maharaj's Jayanti falls on 27 May.We pay obeisance to this son of the soil who combined devotion and action to bring about changes in the society

Tukdoji Maharaj once attended a World Religions and World Peace Conference in Japan.

The postal department of India had honored Tukdoji Maharaj by issuing a commemorative stamp in his name.

Books Written By Rashtrasant Tukdoji Maharaj

• Gramgeeta (Marathi, English, Hindi, Urdu, Gujrati, Sanskrit)
• Sartha Anandamrut
• Sartha Atmaprabhav
• Geeta Prasad
• Bodhamrut