Mahatma Ram Chandra Ji [Laalaa Ji Maharaj] of Fatehgarh, U.P. India
Of perfect build and average height, Laalaa JI grew up into a perfect specimen of graceful manhood. His gracefulness was an outward expression of his inward harmony of the soul. There cannot be a more glorious object in creation than a human being replete with benevolence, meditating in what manner he may render himself most acceptable to the Creator by doing good to His creatures. He had a wheaten complexion and attractive features. His broad and high forehead was indicative of the vast store of intellect lying within him which he used not as one who uses a lamp for his own seeing but like a light hose to guide those on the sea. Most remarkable were his eyes which were like two stars which appeared to see through everyone and everything. They were like serene lakes of immeasurable depth. Sleep and wakefulness seemed to lie intermingled and in repose in those eyes which caused an awakening in a human being with a single movement of their lids. They were homes of silent prayer or sweet, silent, rhetoric of persuading eyes. As he was under the influence of amiable feelings, his countenance had acquired a beauty of the highest order. His hair was silken to the touch. One front tooth was comparatively larger. A small but beautiful beard and a moustache adorned his face. His ears were of medium size. His hands and feet were quite tender.
There are invisible aspects to being sentient and embodied. One can feel a buoyancy, an alchemical quintessence, a shimmering aliveness that is both still and in motion.
Laalaaji Maharaj (February 03, 1873-August 14, 1931) lit the lamp of Spirituality in 1911 at Fatehgarh in Farrukhabad district, about 190km northwest of Lucknow in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh in India.
Over the last century, the Divine Lamp from Fatehgarh spread across the country and overseas, encompassing the enter world.
Laalaaji Maharaj chose Fatehgarh as the centre of His spiritual activities. With the passage of time, the town became the nucleus of His Mission, which has spread across India, drawing lakhs of devotees irrespective of caste, creed, gender, religion and language. They all are strung together as beads of a rosary with love as the common thread that passes through them all.The path of saints transcends barriers. As a unifying force, the divine path binds one and all through spiritual practice, precepts and experience.
Fatehgarh is the sacred place where Laalaaji Maharaj received the nectar of life from His Guru Hazrat Fazal Ahmed Khan Sahib of Raipur in Uttar Pradesh
and was associated with the great Sufi Saint for 16 years.Fatehgarh is also the final resting place of Laalaaji Maharaj on Kanpur road on the town’s outskirts, where His mortal remains lie in Mahasamadhi, which is thronged by thousands of people for His Divine Grace and Blessings.
On Easter holidays in March-April, hundreds of seekers gather from all over the country and overseas for the annual congregation (bhandharaa) to quench their spiritual thirst and renew their bond of love with Laalaaji Saheb.
The Divine Master assimilated all that was best in religions, conducted research and created a system suited to present times for achieving the real goal of human life, which is Himself, as a householder (grahastha). He has made possible for seekers to realise God at the earliest in this very life.
As a sentinel for aspirants, He is ever living for all. Attaining oneness with God, Laalaaji saheb was the best qualified to establish the missing link between man and his Creator.
Laalaaji Maharaj was a great Spiritual Personality who modified the temporal life of His followers in many ways. He made guidelines to conduct the affairs of daily life spanning birth and death. He was also a great social reformer, advocating a life of simplicity, austerity and without ostentation.
As a champion of adult-education, harijan-upliftment, widow-remarriage and abolition of dowry, He was “Maryada Purushottam” despite constraints for social reformation and spiritual regeneration.
As a benediction of a great Mazzub, https://ramchandrastreamlined.blogspot.com/2010/09/two-fish_24.html Laalaaji was born to Choudhry Har Bux Rai Adhauliya, Superintendent of Customs and Excise, Farrukhabad, on ‘Basant Panchami,’ February 03, 1873 [AD], as per His horoscope.
After passing Middle Class Anglo-vernacular examination in April 1891, Laalaaji Maharaj came into contact with His Saint-Preceptor who initiated Him (Bay’t) on June 6, 1896 and granted Him all His powers on October 11, 1896.
At a young age, Laalaaji was not only a saint par excellence, but also a ‘Sadguru’. He attained the highest stage of Yoga and had mastery over its various steps at will. Like a competent physician, He could prescribe a cure and regimen to His devotees as per the need. He had an insight of a great seer. He could express His experiences in simple words to make even a common man understand them easily. He was a prolific writer, as evident from the works He penned and bear the stamp of His grasp, learning and scholarship. He was also ingrained in all great religions, including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam.
Pujya Laalaaji was a great pillar of ‘Sant-Mat’. He did not prescribe rituals, dogmas or ceremonies. His voluminous writings, meant for householders, are soul-stirring and have universal appeal and application. They are Truth.
He was a great pillar of ’Sant-mat’. No rituals, no dogmas and no ceremonies were prescribed by Him. His writings, meant for house-holders are truly soul stirring and have universal appeal and application. They are simple like truth. The Great Master lived in a modest house, christened ‘Laalaaji Nilayam’ in Talaiya Lane, which is renamed Mahatma Ram Chandra Marg in Fatehgarh.
Laalaaji was in government service during the British Raj for livelihood. He was an epitome of virtue, etiquette, culture, kind-heartedness, truth, purity simple living and amiability He did not accept service from others for personal needs. Instead, He used to take pleasure in serving His disciples and devotees, who flocked to His holy feet in large numbers.
Such was His human touch that He would describe His caste, if ever, equivalent to that of a ‘sweeper’ and a ‘washerman’ because He was chosen to cleanse the Augean stables of the teeming millions. He had immense faith in God.
After serving humanity life-long, Laalaaji Maharaj breathed His last on August 14, 1931 at about 10.30 PM at the age of 58 years, 06 months and 11 days. His son Mahatma Jagmohan Narain carried on His spirit of service till he passed away on August 30, 1944.
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| Shrimati Brijrani [affectionately called 'Jijji'] | |
After Mahatma Jagmohan Narain’s untimely death, Shrimati Brijrani, affectionately called as - "Jijji", wife of Laalaaji Maharaj, carried forward the Mission’s work by managing ably and she run the 'Bhandara' [the spiritual-congregation, started by Shriman Laalaa Ji Maharaj, during the Easter Holidays] till she went beyond the veil on 29th August 1955.
Later, Mahatma Akhilesh Kumar, elder son of Mahatma Jagmohan Narain, also carried on the Great Master’s work by editing a monthly “Adhyatm Dhaaraa” till his sudden passing away on May 15, 1974.
Akhilesh’s younger brother,
Mahatma Dinesh Kumar Saxena is carrying on the bright torch of the Master as Pujya Laalaa Ji’s second grandson since then single-handed, as the direct descendant of his grandfather [Laalaaji Maharaj].
Shri Dinesh Ji, after his retirement in the year in 2002 [AD], dedicated his life to the promotion of the ‘Mission’ of his grandfather and ‘Grand Spiritual Master’, Shriman Laalaa JI Maharaj. Much humble Dinesh Ji introduces himself as the ‘doorman’ of ‘Laalaaji Nilayam’, carrying on truly the tradition of his father, Mahatma Jagmohan Narain. He treats the visitors as the ‘God-sent friends’ standing with folded hands in their service, all his might.
THUS LAALAA JI OPTED FOR VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT:
For the most of his tenure in service, he was posted at the headquarters of Farrukhabad district situated at Fatehgarh. In between twice or thrice he was posted out of Fatehgarh in Aligarh Tehsil [a sub-district, now the same tahasil h/q changed to a nearby village - ‘Amritpur] and at Kaimganj as well. During this period he was fortunate to witness the grace of God many times.
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| Laalaa Ji |
One such incidence relates to the period when he was posted as Head-Clerk in-charge of the ‘’Muhafiz-khana” [Record Room’.] The commissioner had to visit for an inspection of his office next day. But in the evening of that previous day some Satsangis [ardent devotees and associates] came to stay with him at his residence. Till late in night they were engaged in talking about Beatific vision and the next day also it so happened that the discussions continued and because of hesitation he could not leave for office. Routinely, he used to reach office at the fixed hour i.e. at 10.00 o’clock sharp, but that day he could not reach office till 01.00 PM.
When it occurred to him that the commissioner had to visit his office, he went upset. Somehow meditating on name of God he rushed to the office in a haste. He was afraid that all is not going to be well. On reaching his office he hesitantly and quietly occupied his seat and started to think that his absence during the inspection by the commissioner would have created a very bad impression on him and the Collector and other officers would have been asked to explain his absence. All these thoughts had made him worried.
At last, still worrying about all that had happened, he asked the nearest clerk, in a whispering tone, “whether the inspection had been through all right? Nothing unexpected would have happened? Brother, I was caught in a strange situation, I was helpless. Some guests had arrived at my residence, which had delayed my arrival to office so badly. The very thought of inspection being carried out in my absence is causing palpitation in my heart. It is the first time in my life that I have committed such a mistake. All of you also must be thinking variously about me. The Collector would also be annoyed with me. Has he summoned me thereafter?” In one breath, like a person laden with guilt he uttered all that. He was feeling jittery. It looked as if he was caught red handed while stealing. It was the first time that he was late in the office without informing them and this had made him more nervous.
Seeing his pathetic condition that clerk started to laugh and said tauntingly -“Why sir, you found me only fit for making fun of me, at this old age. Just now the officers have left after completing the inspection. You yourself attended them and assisted them so efficiently that they were all astonished. Whichever file they wanted to see you were producing that for their inspection immediately and now you are saying this to me. You never behaved like this earlier.” This answer by that clerk looked like a slap on his face, which shocked him completely.
It did not take much time for him to perceive as to whose act it was. It was none else but his Lord, Maulana Fazl Ahamad Khan Sahib, Rahmatullah Alehi, who Himself had appeared in his place to attend to the inspection. Who else could be as efficient as He is? He had never expected that for a humble servant like him He would have to take such a pain. His remorse made him to take a decision to become indifferent to the grant of extension of his services and to resign from the same as soon as possible. The same day he applied to be relieved from the service. Soon he was allowed to quit. The 30th June 1928 was the last day of his service.
Continued ... ... ...
servus servorum Dei,
Dinesh Kumar Saxena [Grandson, spiritual and de jure heir of H. H. Mahatma Ram Chandra Ji (Laalaa Ji) Maharaj of Fatehgarh (UP) India.]
More information on:
https://sites.google.com/site/laalaajinilayam/home &
https://autobigraphyoflaalaaji.blogspot.com
https://sites.google.com/site/samaadhidhaam/
very nice article.
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