MAHAMANA Madan Mohan Malviya Jayanti(Banaras Hindu University)

“The city illumines the truth and reveals reality. It does not bring new wonders into the scope of vision, but enables one to see what is already there. Where this eternal light intersects the earth, it is known as Kashi” Banaras (Varanasi). (Diana L. Eck)

As the name itself , B.H.U(BANARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY) is located in Varanasi. One of the oldest living city in the world. Varanasi, is also called KASHI(ONE OF THE OLD NAME).The word Kashi has its origin from the word Kash. Its means light. Here light does not mean just light. Light here means “Light of knowledge”. For more information please visit :-http://nithinks.com/2020/12/01/dev-deepawali-festival-of-light-city-of-light/

Nalanda, Taxila, and Varanasi were the major centers of education in ancient times.

Archaeologists found an earthen seal during excavations near Rajghat in Varanasi, which is believed to date back to the Gupta Empire.( empire existing from the mid-to-late 3rd century CE to 543 CE)
In this clay seal, one of the Acharya,(GURU) along with his two disciples, is watering the trees. There are many gurukuls (religious schools) in Varanasi even today, these still remind us of the bygone days.

This soil seal is unique in the history of Indian education. This form of Varanasi had almost disappeared during Islamic and British imperialism. Malviya ji attempts to re-establish Varanasi as THE CAPITAL OF ALL KNOWLEDGE” .Bhagwan Buddha gave his first sermon at a place called Sarnath in Varanasi. Varanasi enjoys the pride of birthplace and work place of many sagas, mystics, knowledge’s of ancient India. For More Information Please Visit :-

http://nithinks.com/2020/07/05/the-unknown-life-of-swami-vivekananda/

Renowned American scholar Mark Twain also called Varanasi the seat of learning for the same reason.

India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great- grandmother of tradition. Mark Twain.

For More Information Please Visit:-http://nithinks.com/2019/12/31/oldest-living-city-happy-new-year/

“He found the vast Thought with seven heads that is born of the truth; he recreated some fourth world and became universal . . . . The Sons of heaven, the Heroes of the Omnipotent, thinking the straight thought, giving voice to the Truth, founded the plane of illumination and conceived the first abode of the sacrifice . . . . The master of wisdom cast down the stone defense’s  and called to the herds of light,. . . the herds that stand in the secrecy on the bridge over the falsehood between two worlds below and one above ;desiring light in the darkness, he brought upwards the ray-herds and uncovered from the veil the three worlds; he shattered the city that lies hidden in ambush, and cut the three out of the ocean, and discovered the dawn and the sun and the light and the World of light” . (Rig Veda).

“Satyamev Jayate”

(Truth Only Triumphs) was popularized by Madan Mohan Malaviya. It was taken from the Mundaka Upanishad. 

Malaviya Ji’s name is synonymous with Indian culture. What shall I say I have been a student of B.H.U.I have a wealth of stories related to them.

MAHAMANA :-Title was conferred to him by Rabindranath Tagore .(Poet,Writer,Composer,Philosopher,Painter).He became in 1913 the first non-European as well as the first lyricist to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

An Unbroken Chain

Today I remembered an incident when I was studying in B.H.U. I once read this thing in a book in c.l (Central Library).I feel that this one incident is a link of Malaviya Ji’s efforts, those affected by him,of the sacrifice made for B.H.U.The famous mathematician of India, Dr. Ganeshi Prashad, was the head of the Department of Mathematics of B.H.U in those days.He was also a member of the world-famous Royal Society. (Isaac Newton, Ramanujan, and such scholars have been members of this society)At the same time, a young Indian v. Narlikar was a rising star in the field of mathematics. Those who were doing research work in Cambridge at that time or perhaps were appointed teachers.

Malaviya Ji was also very keen on trying to bring qualified people from all over the world to the university.

In a meeting with Narlikar JI, Malaviya Ji urged him to join the university. Narlikar Ji was also a true patriot and wanted to come back to the country himself.Responding humbly to Malaviya ji’s request, he said that now I leave the math department of Cambridge and come to B.H.U then you should appoint me as the head of the department.Malaviya Ji told him that “At present, there is Dr. Ganeshi Prasad in the post of Chairman of Mathematics Department of B.H.U(Being a world-renowned mathematician, he was also very senior in age and experience.)No one took this incident seriously.A few days later, Dr. Ganeshi Prasad came to know of this incident,He met Malaviya ji,Urged to bring Dr. Narlikar and agreed to hand over the post of Head of Department immediately.He said that a country which is not even independent now needs such talents.Later, NarlikarJi expressed regret over knowing about this incident and said that he had said this in jest.Later NarlikarJi left Cambridge and joined B.H.U(Dr. Ganeshi Prasad was also in the B.H.U then or not, probably it was not mentioned in the book)

Later, an outline of the organization like RSS was also made at Narlikar’s ji residence. Today, RSS comes among the largest non-political organizations of the world and it has contributed a lot in the development of India.MS. Gowalkar was also a student of B.H.U

.In later years the son of Narlikar ji, JV Narlikar who was a student of B.H.U also touched many heights in the field of Mathematics and Science.He was a teacher at Cambridge University and then came to India and was associated with many scientific institutions. (You are also a member of the Royal Astronomical Society London)Currently, you are associated with the Institute of Space Sciences, Pune, you have contributed significantly to the development of this institute.

A few years ago I was listening to the radio (this habit belongs to the hostel days of BHU, which remains till today). The interview of JV Narlikar was being broadcast on the radio, curiosity began to be heard and came to know that JV Narlikar is a visiting professor in the best universities of the world. When asked the question which is the favorite movies So he answered that watching movies is not very much like If he likes to hum, his answer was ” MADHUR MANOHAR ATEEV SUNDER” KULGEET OF B.H.U

This Kulgeet was written by Dr. Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar, a teacher in B.H.U and a renowned Indian scientist. You have also been a member of the Royal Society(Dr. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award, India’s biggest award in science and technology, is named after you.)

This is a link that should never be broken. With this prayer to God, bow to the great soul Malaviya ji.

I implore all Hindus and Mussalmans, Sikhs, Christians and Parsees and all other countrymen to sink all communal differences and to establish political unity among all sections of the people. In the midst of much darkness, I see a clear vision that the clouds which have long been hanging over our heads are lifting. Let every son and daughter do his or her duty to expedite the advent of dawn of the day of freedom and happiness. The truth is on our side. Justice is with us. God will help us. We are sure to win.

We believe religion to be the surest foundation of character and the truest source of human happiness. We believe patriotism to be a powerful elevating influence which inspires men to high-minded unselfish action.