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How Brahma Kumaris rose from a small spiritual group in pre-Partition Sindh to a global organisation
Hyderabad, Sindh is famed for a number of things, including The Bombay Bakery’s legendary cakes, the city’s windy and cool afternoons, and the beautiful wind catchers that used to be a hallmark of its distinctive architecture.
However, only very few people would know that Hyderabad was once home to an indigenous feminist movement, first called Om Mandli and later renamed Brahma Kumaris.
Brahma Kumaris is a spiritual organisation predominantly led and managed by women, and presently has its headquarters in Mount Abu Rajasthan, India.
Interestingly, this mainly female-based organisation was not founded by a woman but by a man, Lekhraj Khubchand Kriplani (1876-1969), also known as Dada Lekhraj of Hyderabad, in the 1930’s.
In the beginning, it was a gathering, headed by Dada Lekhraj, of a small number of devotees, which gradually grew larger, and eventually transformed into a worldwide organisation with offices in 110 countries.
To explore how this obscure group went on to become a global spiritual organisation, we must go back to pre-Partition Hyderabad.
During the British rule, Hyderabad’s Hindu merchants, Bhaibands, had an international network of firms and were known as Sindworkies (one who works in goods from Sindh)
Many of these men joined the Sindwork firms that were working across the globe and would spend several years in foreign countries, leaving their womenfolk behind.
Lawrence Babb, in his article Indigenous Feminism in a Modern Hindu Sect, writes: “But if the world was wide for Sind Worki men, for their wives and daughters matters were very different. The world of women was the household, within which most of them were secluded.”
Perhaps it was the isolation and sense of being left behind, stranded in a house without men, that prompted women to explore avenues that would enable them to live more purposeful and spiritually meaningful lives.
Dada Lekhraj was a follower of Vallabhcharya Vaishnavism (a Hindu sect) and was a jeweller by profession. As part of his trade, he met many women and observed their far-from-healthy social conditions.
He eventually proclaimed that he was having visions and was receiving instructions from deities. He began organising a small gathering in his home where the attendees would participate in satsang (devotional singing) and would read the Bhagavad Gita.
Most of the attendees were women and children and the gathering especially attracted Bhaiband women whose menfolk were away on business and who found spiritual contentment in religious activities.
Dada’s followers called him Om Baba and the group that he formed was known as Om Mandli. The Om Mandli gradually expanded its activities and its membership also increased.
Because the Om Mandli’s teachings stressed religious devotion, celibacy and chastity, it was perceived as a threat to family life and patriarchy, and soon the Bhaiband community rose in protest.
It is that time of the year when everyone is busy making new resolutions, new wishes! Are you also thinking of the same mundane and then feeling low of not achieving what you had wanted?
Let’s break the jinx and create something new together. We will take you to a wonderful journey of revisiting dreams, Recreating the achievable and revitalizing ourselves.
Brahma Kumaris cordially invites IT/Working professionals along with their family to a session on Empowerment 2.0 – The New Beginnings on Saturday 7th Jan 2023
⏰Time: 11am-1pm
🏡 Where: Sadbhawna Bhawan, A-161, Sec-26, Noida (https://goo.gl/maps/RptdPYjY2WwXw84Y8)
Session will be followed by divine lunch.
Total seats: 120
Registration URL: https://forms.office.com/r/bhKMU9Fm4p
Please note the following:
– There are no charges for registration but registration is mandatory. All family members should be registered separately.
– Registration will be confirmed on first come first serve basis for eligible candidates
– Kids below the age of 15 years are not allowed
नोएडा के सेक्टर 26 स्थित प्रजापिता ब्रह्मा कुमारी ईश्वरीय विश्व विद्यालय के सेवा केंद्र का 35 वां वार्षिकोत्सव और क्रिसमस का पर्व हर्षोल्लास के साथ आध्यात्मिक वातावरण में मनाया गया। इस कार्यक्रम का दिल्ली जोन की प्रमुख, वरिष्ठ राजयोगिनी बी के शुक्ला दीदीजी ने दीप प्रज्ज्वलित कर शुभारम्भ किया।
इस मौके पर बी के शुक्ला दीदीजी ने कहा कि खाली मन शैतान का घर होता है। मन को जितना बिजी रखेंगे, उतना हम ईजी रह सकेंगे। इसी प्रकार जीवन में प्रेम का सबसे ऊंचा स्थान है। यह प्रेम तभी महसूस करेंगे, जब दिल व मन में स्वच्छता एवं सफाई रहेगी। उन्होंने आगे कहा कि हम सभी दूसरों को, समाज को और विश्व को बदलना चाहते हैं। लेकिन सबसे पहले अपने आपको बदलना होगा। यह है आज के समय की पुकार। छोटा बच्चा भी अपने बड़ों को देखकर ही सीखता है। वे जैसे कर्म व व्यवहार करेंगे, वह भी उसका ही अनुकरण करेगा। इसलिए खुद ही खुद के टीचर बनकर स्वयं को बदलने की कोशिश करें। सफलता अवश्य मिलेगी। अच्छा ये भी होगा कि दूसरों के बारे में व्यर्थ चिंतन करने की बजाय स्वयं से सकारात्मक बातें करें। इस मौके पर एन पी सिंह, अध्यक्ष, डीडीआरडीए (जिला विकास आवासीय विकास प्राधिकरण), गौतमबुद्धनगर एवं कर्नल यू.बी.सिंह, जनरल वी.के.सिंह के प्रतिनिधि, संसद सदस्य, गाज़ियाबाद उपस्थित रहे ।
इस अवसर पर नन्हें बच्चों द्वारा रंगारंग सांस्कृतिक प्रस्तुति हुई। करीब 400 से ज्यादा लोगों की उपस्थिति में केक कटिंग भी की गई। कार्यक्रम में सेवा केंद्र की निर्देशिका बी के शील, अतिरिक्त इंचार्ज बी के सुदेश, बी के ललिता, बी के राधा, बी के संतोष एवं अन्य ब्रह्मा कुमार भाई-बहनें उपस्थित रहे।
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ब्रह्माकुमारीज़ नोएडा सेक्टर-26 द्वारा 22 जुलाई 2022 जेपी ग्रीन विशटाउन नोएडा में वृक्षारोपण कार्यक्रम आयोजित किया गया !
Kalp-taruh is a unique plantation project cum mechanism of the Brahma Kumaris to ensure land restoration and promote higher order values for building a better civilized society. With this project, Brahmakumaris aim to combine the sacred process to nurture a tree as well as the soul through values, as the project is to provide sustenance to both the plant and the person who plants. So, the word has been clubbed together to form a specific brand name – Kalp Taruh. This unique project helps us to fulfil our IER – Individual Environmental Responsibility by encouraging individuals to understand their environmental responsibility that is to care for our earth, which is a constant provider of all our individual needs. We wish to be supporters in their journey to be able to fulfil their environmental responsibility by restoring land and biodiversity, reducing pollution, creating sustainable positive habits, increasing stakeholdership and compensating carbon footprints. This could be one of the ways to return to the environment with thanks and leave a lighter carbon footprint and a greener world.
More than 33 diferent trees were planted at Jaypee Wishton (Noida).whereas 15 Mango trees, 10 Neem trees, 1 jackfruit tree, 3 peach trees and 4 Lemon trees. On this occasion Co-Director of Brahma kumaris Noida Sec-26 Raj yogini BK Sudesh didi briefing about the relationship between human and environment and how to behave friendly with environment. BK Sabita behan said How can we lead our values-based life, pollution-free life
. And coordinated by BK Ashok Rana and BK Dr.Santosh Bhai.