#minister of home affairs and cooperation Sh. #amitshah ji pays tribute to Arya Samaj on its 198th year of foundation at Talkatoraa Stadium New Delhi .
Arya Samaj (Hindi: आर्य समाज, lit. 'Noble Society', IAST:
Ārya Samāja) is a monotheistic Indian Hindu reform movement that promotes values and practices based on the belief in the infallible authority of the Vedas. The samaj was founded by the sannyasi (ascetic) Dayanand Saraswati in the 1870s.
Arya Samaj was the first Hindu organization to introduce proselytization in Hinduism.
The organization has also worked towards the growth of civil rights movement in India since 1800s.
Dayananda Saraswati and Foundation
The formal foundation date of the Arya Samaj is 24 June 1877 because it was then, in Lahore when the Samaj became more than just a regional movement based in
Vedic schools
Between 1869 and 1873, Dayanand began his efforts to reform orthodox Hinduism in India. He established Gurukul (Vedic schools) which emphasised Vedic values, culture, and Satya (Truth). The schools gave separate educations to boys and girls based on ancient Vedic principles. The Vedic school system was also to relieve Indians from the pattern of a British education.
At the schools, students received all meals, lodging, clothing and books free of charge. The discipline was strict. Students were not allowed to perform murti puja (worship of sculpted stone idols). Rather, they performed Sandhyavandanam (meditative prayer using Vedic mantras with divine sound) and Agnihotra (making heated milk offering twice daily).
The study of Sanskrit scriptural texts which accepted the authority of the Vedas were taught. They included the Vedas, Upanishads, Aranyaka, Kashika, Nirukta, Mahabhasya, Ashtadhyayi, Darshanas.