History of BHU

Most of us know that the foundation of Golden Temple was laid by Mian Meer, a Muslim saint. But do you know who laid foundation of Banaras Hindu University?

In 1904, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya (MMM) thought of establishing a University and started working whole time for it, leaving his lucrative law practice.

 During the same period, Annie Besant and other leaders were also working for a similar cause and established Central Hindu College at Banaras. 

In 1911, all joined hands and formed The Hindu University Society under the leadership of Pandit MMM with its headquarters at Allahabad. 

Kashi Naresh, Dr Vibhuti Narain Singh donated 1300 acres of land at Banaras for this noble cause.

In the second quarter of 1914, a meeting of the society was held. On the agenda was just one item 'Whom should we invite to lay the foundation stone?'

All agreed that the foundation-stone should be laid by a 'pious personality'. 

The question arose who is and where is such a saint? 

One of the members suggested that there was one in Punjab but he is a Sikh. 

MMM retorted, “Then what? We shall get the foundation stone laid by him.”

In May 1914, caring little for the searing summer heat MMM, with some of his followers, left for Sant Attar Singh's Ashram at Mastuana, situated at the borders of the then Nabha and Patiala States. 

He traveled by train up to Sangrur, the capital of Jind State. 

The Ashram was at a distance of approximately 8 Km. Pandit Ji removed his shoes at Sangrur Railway Station and started walking barefoot on the sandy road. When somebody asked him why he was doing so,  replied that he was going to meet a saintly person for a holy cause and hence, he should be humble and respectful.

The news that Pandit MMM was coming to Mastuana, spread like a wildfire.

 One of Sant Attar Singh's followers, because of the summer heat and poor road condition, sent for a few mares, which Pandit Ji politely refused.

On his arrival at the Ashram, Pandit Ji found Sant Ji reciting Kabir's hymn:

*Awal Allah noor upaya kudrat ke sab bandey ek noor te sab jag upjay kaun bhaley kaun mandey*

On listening to the above hymn, Pandit Ji felt that he had come to the right place. It was decided to lay the foundation stone of the university on 24 December, 1914. 

Sant Attar Singh travelled to Banaras in the private train of Maharaja Ripudaman Singh of Nabha along with Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala and reached Banaras a few days prior to the fixed date. At the railway station Pandit Ji, in the company of Maharaja Vibhuti Narain Singh, Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner and the Maharajas of Indore, Gwalior, Alwar and Darbhanga received Sant Attar Singh. The railway station was tastefully decorated with buntings and flowers. There was a carpet from the train up to the specially decorated carriage of the Kashi Naresh. As the Sant Ji's carriage, pulled by the hosts (not by horses), passed through the bazaars, the crowds showered petals from shops and house-tops. Outside the city, the public climbed up the trees to have a glimpse of Sant Ji. This warm reception continued unto the proposed site of the University, where special tents were put up for the guests' stay.

For 10 days there was continuous recitation (Akhand Paaths) of Guru Granth Sahib (Holy Sikh Scripture) in a specially decorated tent. The Maharajas, as well as the public, performed Sewa (selfless service) and Langar (Community Kitchen) was distributed for one and all. Gurbani Kirtan (Sikh Hymns) was recited in the morning and evening. It was attended by all.

Thirty-one persons adapted the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib at the end of the 10-day prayers. On the 10th day, Kashi Naresh Vibhuti Narain Singh handed over a trawl made of gold to Sant Attar Singh and 11 bricks of Gold were handed over to Sant Ji by Pandit Ji and other Maharajas one by one, which were laid in the foundation, dug for the building of Banaras Hindu University.

Pandit MMM also requested Sant Attar Singh to send his disciple Sant Teja Singh to head the Teacher Training College.

At the end of the ceremony, Sant Ji took Pandit Ji aside and said, “When we started Khalsa College at Amritsar in 1893, we admitted *one Hindu student, one Muslim and one Sikh* to start with.”

Catching the point,  MMM replied, “By all means.”

Pandit MMM was so impressed by the towering spiritual personality of Sant Ji that he, thenceforth, began to propagate that every Hindu family should have at least one member, the eldest son, as a Sikh in order to improve and cleanse Indian society.