Dr Ramji Lal — A flag-bearer of Arya Samaj

Ranbir Singh

According to well-known Arya Samaj leader Lala Lajpat Rai, “The man who deserves the greatest credit for spreading and popularising Arya Samaj principles in Hisar, Rohtak, and Delhi region is Dr Ramji Lal (MM Juneja and Kulbir Singh, The Diaries of Dr Ramji Lal Hooda, 1989)”.

Ramji Lal was born in the family of Zaildars of Sanghi (Rohtak) in 1864. He had his early education at District Board Primary School, Sanghi, and District Board Middle School, Rohtak. He passed matriculation and FSc examinations from DAV High School and DAV College, Lahore, respectively. This exposed him to the influence of Arya Samaj. 

Later on, he joined Panjab Medical School, Lahore, for getting Licentiate of State Medical Faculty and started the career of a Government Medical Practitioner at Hisar in 1892. However, he resigned from service after he was transferred to Rajanpur (Dera Gazi Khan, now in West Pakistan) in 1906 as punishment for his deep involvement in the activities of Arya Samaj and close association with Congress leaders like Lala Lajpat Rai. Thereafter, he started private practice at Hisar in 1906 but gave priority to the promotion of the Arya Samaj movement in Haryana. 

Although Ramji Lal had close relations with Arya Samaj leaders from the Bania caste like Lala Chandulal, he won over a large number of Jats for joining the Samaj and opened its branches at Narwana (Jind), Narnaul (Hisar), Sangh (Rohtak) and Rewari (then in Gurgaon district) and at other places in the Haryana region.  Jats were not considered Kashtriyas by the upper castes during those days. It was Arya Samaj that fulfilled their quest for social mobility by recognising them as Kashtriyas.

He used the services of ‘Bhajnik’ (singers), ‘Updeshak’ (preachers) and ‘Parachark’ (propagandists) of Arya Samaj for the purpose.  He also used social service techniques of Christian missionaries and opened orphanages, helped widows, provided famine relief and gave free medical advice and medicines to poor patients.  He also played a key role in opening and managing Chandulal Anglo Vedic School and Arya Pathshala for Girls at Hisar. He even accommodated girl students from rural areas at his residence.

Ramji Lal not only adopted traditional techniques like ‘Sudhi’ (converting Muslims to Hindus), ‘Sangathan’ (organisation) and ‘Preeti Bhoj’ (community dining) but also the modern techniques of organising ‘Jalsa’ (public meetings) and ‘Parbhat pheri’ (morning processions).  He also made use of the Jat Maha Sabha for this purpose. Besides, he tried to win over Jats for Arya Samaj by telling them that the Samaj recognised them as Kashtriya and allowed them to wear ‘Janeu’ (sacred thread), learn Sanskrit, perform havan, recite Gayatri Mantra, perform ‘Sandhya’ (offering evening prayers). Besides, he encouraged Jats towards education and played a key role in the establishment of Jat Anglo-Sanskrit School at Rohtak and Jat High Schools at Hisar and Sanghania (Rajasthan). He tried to end differences between Deswali (son of the soil) and Bagri (migrants from Rajasthan) Jats by encouraging intermarriage.  Lala Lajpat Rai had observed in this context: “Dr Ramji Lal is without a second. I have not seen another English knowing Indian who would mix up with his uneducated brethren so unreservedly and affectionately”.

However, unlike other Arya Samaj Jat leaders from Haryana such as Matu Ram and Baldeo Singh, Ramji Lal did not join the traditional Gurukul faction of Arya Samaj. He remained associated with the DAV group of the Samaj, which was modernistic in character.

But despite his sympathy for the national movement and the Congress party, as is evident from his diaries, Ramji Lal did not support these openly because that would have hindered his primary mission of spreading the Arya Samaj movement in the Haryana region.

(The writer is former Dean, Social Sciences, Kurukshetra University)