DeenDayal Katha : Reliving Deendayalji

A unique experiment was conducted in Delhi in the form of ‘Deendayal Katha’ by presenting different aspects of Deendayal Upadhyaya’s life through an impressive digital display as part of his birth centenary celebration

You have heard the stories of Sri Krishna, Sri Ram, Srimadbhagvat from saints and great people. Now here is the Deedayal Katha. The people of Delhi were fortunate to have the first chance to listen to this Katha.
The Katha was held at Deendayal Research Institute (DRI) from February 9 to 11. This was a unique occasion in which each of the incidents of the Katha were narrated by Shri Alok Kumar, senior leader and Sah Prant Sanghchalak of RSS Delhi Prant to a large gathering of apt listeners. The speciality of the story-telling was that each incident was accompanied by digital display on the large screen which increased the interests and curiosity of the audience.

During this 3-day event the first day was devoted to Deendayalji’s life. He was born on September 25, 1916 at Naglachandrabhan (Mathura). His father was a station master and as such got little time to stay at home. At the age of 2 and half years he went to his grandparent Chunnilal’s house in Rajasthan. After this he never returned back home. His father died when Deendayal was just three. His mother suffered from TB and succumbed to that disease when he was seven year old. Following this his grandfather looked at them giving up his job. He too died when Deendayal was just 9.

Then they shifted to their maternal uncle Radharaman’s house. This shifting affected his education. He was admitted to a school at the age of 9. His maternal uncle fell ill when he was studying in class 2. He was taken to Lucknow by Deendayal who was just 10 year old then. After treatment both of them returned in February. Deendayal appeared for the annual examination in March and got the highest marks in the class.
He studied in that school up to class IV after which he stayed in a hostel in Kota and completed his schooling up to class 7. From Rajgarh he completed class 8 and 9 and for 10th exam he stayed with his another uncle in Sikar. In the 10th board exam he secured top position in the Rajasthan Board.
Impressed by his talent Maharaja Kalyan Singh congratulated him and offered help. Deendayal said he wanted only his blessings rest the Almighty would take care of. This shows how Deendayal was matured enough from his childhood. The Maharaja gave him a gold medal and Rs 250 and announced a scholarship of Rs 10 per month. This scholarship helped him in his advance education. For Intermediate he went to Pilani. His cousin Banwarilal was in his class. At that time the financial position was not good to buy books for both. So, one set of books was purchased. Deendayal used to read at night in the light of a candle so that others won’t get disturbed. Banwarilal used to study in the day time.

Deendayal was aniket the one who does not have any house. By the time he completed 25 years, he changed 11 places. He stayed with his father, grandfather, maternal uncle and hostel and completed his studies in Allahabad, Kanpur and Pilani.

In spite of all the difficulties he secured first position in the Intermediate Exam. G D Birla came to
his school and offered him a job. But Deendayalji refused it with all humility and expressed his desire to study further. Birla had to bow down to the resolve of this young student and granted him Rs 250 plus a gold medal and a scholarship of Rs 10 per month. Deendayalji went to Kanpur to pursue BA and started living with Sundar Singh Bhandari and Balwant Mahashabde. During those days he used to attend meetings of Bhaurao Deoras and Balwantji. When Bhauraoji asked who would work with him to take Bharatmata to the highest place of glory, Deendayalji willingly accepted. This Deendayalji joined the RSS Shakha on Makar Sankranti day in Kanpur. He met the RSS founder Dr Hedgewar at Kanpur. Later he came to Agra for PG in English and secured admission in St John’s College. Here he and Nanaji Deshmukh used to share the room. When he was in MA final his cousin sister fell ill and the illness deteriorated further and even the members of the family neglected her. This posed a serious dilemma for Deendayalji. He wanted to study but could not neglect his sister. He opted for the later and served his sister who left this mortal world after some time.
 After that he completed his MA. After completing his MA he went to Allahabad to do LT course. There he was moved by seeing the plight of the poor students and started teaching them free. He formed the ‘Zero Association’ for those students who would secure zero marks. He appeared for a government job, cleared the written test and was asked to appear for an inter view. For this he had to make a suit but had no money. So he went for the same wearing traditional dhotikurta. The interview was successful and he stood first. Now the members of the family were happy that he would get a job and thus their financial position would improve. But Deendayalji was thinking otherwise. He was pondering over Bhaurao Deoros’ poser “who would work to take this country to the highest pinnacle of glory? Finally, he opted to work for the country and did not join the job. He became a Pracharak of RSS. He was sent to Lakhimpur to start Sangh work. One day he burnt all his certificates with a logic that he needed them no longer as he won't be going for any job. He was not interested in his own glorification. His only interest was country should get the respect.
A very inspiring incident of those days was narrated when he was Managing Director of Rashtradharma Prakashan. Due to shut down there was no electricity and printing machine was not working. When he came to know of this he operated the machine manually to the dismay of all. They came rushing and requested him to allow them to operate the machine. He refused to take rest. Not only this he would paste the address slips on the issues of Rashtradharma before posting and would carry the bundles on a cycle up to railway station. He struggled hard during the ban on RSS and played a important role in framing the constitution of RSS.
After Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s resignation from the Nehru’s ministry’s, the possibilities of new political party was explored. This formed the background for formation of Bharatiya Jansangh. During this time Deendayalji had many meetings with Sri Guruji and then Jansangh was formed. That time he was just 36. Jansangh had no office, no workers and no popularity. In spite of this he started working for Jansangh. He became its president too. Under his guidance Jansangh carried out agitations for Goa liberation, Berubadi, Kutch, Cow slaughter ban, etc. Meanwhile, Dr Mookerjee died in mysterious circumstances. The new party did not get any success in the elections either. Some people suggested to merge Jansangh in Hindu Mahasabha or Ramrajya Parishad. But he resolved to establish Jansangh in the cultural ethos of Bharat. Today the BJP is ruling the country following that very ethos.
He died in mysterious circumstances while travelling from Lucknow to Patna on February 11, 1968. The railwaly administration in Mughalsarai placed his body as unidentified. But for one of the karyakartas who saw the body and identified it as Deendayalji. Then only the country came to know of his tragic death.
The next day various facets of Integral Humanism were explained including the western dimensions and concepts of happiness and desires. This was followed by a discussion of body, mind intellect and spirit and their unified presence in a human form. Then individuals and society, society and nature, dharma and four purusharthas and earnings were also discussed.
Deendayalji used to say that the country and society formed the body of the nation and devotion towards the country formed the mind of the nation. The Vedas, and religious texts of the Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs are the intellect and Chiti is the spirit of the nation. That nation which works in accordance with its Chiti only march on the way of progress and those that does not gets destroyed. Therefore, we need to review our history once again. This was also stated during the Katha that people of all religions have faith and devotion to this country. On the third day it was told that Bharat is our country, this is one nation and this land is our mother. Some people say that Bharat is an oldest nation, some say Bharat is a nation in the making and some others say it is not a nation at all.         

 Arun Kumar Singh