The Arya Samaj in the Punjab and its main Objectives

The Arya Samaj in the Punjab and its main Objectives

******

The Punjab Arya Samaj was founded in 1877 on the lines of modern organization resembling the Brahmo Samaj and Christian Missions. The Arya Samaj quickly spread roots in the Punjab. The Principles of Arya Samaj, ten in number, were written down and this ten point credo became the doctrinal basis for the entire Arya Samaj Movement. While the Arya Samaj established in Lahore which had emerged as the urban intellectual centre in the Punjab provided the leadership and served as the model. The organizational network of  Arya Samaj had a great deal of autonomy. Unlike the other movements it continued to gain in strength after the death of its founder and no personality cult around Swami Dayananda Sarasvati  developed to hinder the activities of the organization. Newspapers, periodicals, pamphlets constituted the main forms of communication resorted to by the Arya Samaj. At times street preaching was also resorted to. The Arya Samaj held out hope of revitalization and regeneration of society and country. It held out prospects for upward economic and social mobility for the locally dominant groups.

Two Main Objectives of the Arya Samaj in the Punjab

The activities of the Arya Samaj were centred around two objectives. The first, as with any new ideology, was to gain new converts. The second, as the organization matured and gained in prominence, was as a defender of Hinduism and as a bulwark against Christian Missionary propaganda. These two objectives were interconnected and not independent of each other.