Tukdoji Maharaj, (30 April 1909 – 11 October 1968) was a spiritual saint from, India. He was a disciple of Aadkoji Maharaj.[1] Tukdoji Maharaj was involved in social reforms in the rural regions of Maharashtra, including construction of roads.[citation needed] Tukdoji maharaj wrote Gramgeeta which means village development. Many of the development programs started by him worked efficiently even after his death. He was even claimed as a mad by one of the British officers.
Tukdoji Maharaj attended a World Religions and World Peace Conference in Japan.
Biography
Saint Tukdoji Maharaj was born in Yawali, Amravati district,Maharashtra. He received spiritual initiation from Samarth Adkoji Maharaj of Warkhed gram. Early in childhood, Saint Tukdoji Maharaj performed rigorous penance and spiritual exercises in self-realisation. He was a great orator and a musician who composed more than 3000 bhajans (spiritual poems) in Hindi and Marathi, having performed for the spiritual teacher Meher Baba in 1937[2] and 1944.[3] He also wrote many articles on Dharma, society, nation and education. He studied the existing religious sects and other schools of thought and discussed religious and secular problems of the devotees.
Work
In 1941, Tukdoji Maharaj performed individual acts of civil resistance, famously called satyagraha, and took part in the mass upsurge of the 'Quit India' movement. He was arrested in 1942 and was imprisoned in Nagpur and Raipur Central Jails. When India had become independent, he concentrated on rural reconstruction, establishing the 'All India Shri Gurudev Seva Mandal' and developing programmes for integrated rural development. Rajendra Prasad, who was the first President of India, bestowed the title of 'Rashtrasant'[further explanation needed] on him.
