Dayalbagh or Dayal Bagh means 'Garden' of 'Merciful', inferring "Garden of the Merciful", is a locality in metropolitan Agra in western Uttar Pradesh, India. It is the headquarters of the Dayalbagh sect of the Radhasoami faith where the 8th revered leader lives and presides over the satsang. It is a self-sustained colony, where its inhabitants lead an active, disciplined and co-operative community life, conforming to the spiritual ideals of their faith. It has affiliated educational institutes such as the Dayalbagh Educational Institute affiliated to Dayalbagh University. Radhasoami Satsang Sabha is the chief working committee of Radhasoami Faith Dayalbagh.
Demographics
As of the 2001 India census, Dayalbagh had a population of 3324. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. In Dayalbagh, 8% of the population is under six years of age.
History
The colony of Dayalbagh was founded on the Basant Day on 20 January 1915 by Sir Anand Swarup, the Fifth Revered Leader of Radhasoami Faith, as an ashram or a spiritual home for the followers of the faith, by planting a mulberry tree. The colony was built by the voluntary contribution of the early residents, who considered it as Sewa. The fields near Yamuna river were also acquired by Dayalbagh and as a daily practice, residents and devotees coming from outside leveled the uneven landmass and irrigated it, making it a fertile land from the barren desert. Today also, the devotees give their voluntary contribution everyday in agricultural activities in the fields.
Community life
The colony is laid out in an open garden setting. The land where the colony was established once consisted of sand dunes. For more than 60 years residents of the colony - men and women, young and old - have worked with quiet dedication in a vast programme for reclamation of land launched in 1943 by Huzur Mehtaji Maharaj, the sixth Revered Leader of the Faith. The result is a lush green farm where food-grains, oil-seeds, fodder, and vegetables are grown. No individual owns property in Dayalbagh, as the land, houses and institutions belong to the community. People live and work as a community. For example, the residents share various responsibilities like cleaning up the colony and arranging night security. The colony has its own water supply, electricity distribution, and civic services. The colony's dairy provides most of the milk that is needed, and a community kitchen that supplies food at a very nominal cost to pilgrims. The residents can also obtain meals from there and free themselves from household chores.
Soamibagh
Soamibagh is an area adjacent to Dayalbagh. The land was purchased by Soamiji Maharaj. Soamiji's Samadh has been under construction since building began in 1905 by Guru Maharaj Saheb, and continues to the present day. The construction involves magnificent piece of art work. A variety of fruits, vegetables and flowers are carved out on walls and pillars on Marble stone.
Health care
There is a hospital called as "Saran Ashram Hospital" with a maternity ward. Facilities exist for ophthalmic and dental treatment, ultrasound, ECG, and pathological and X-Ray testing. All consultations and treatment are free for everyone. The majority of patients are from outside Dayalbagh. There are also homeopathic and ayurvedic dispensaries. The day in Dayalbagh begins with congregational prayers, followed by physical fitness exercise and work on the farms and in colony by way of service, where after people go to their respective vocations. The day ends with prayers in the evening.
Industries
Small-scale industries known as the Model Industries were established in 1916 to provide employment and a source of livelihood to the persons residing in the colony. It has done some pioneering work in the country. The industries have now been decentralized and cottage scale production of goods of daily necessity is taking place in units set up by Satsangis all over the country. The Radhasoami Urban Cooperative Bank and the Dayalbagh Mahila Bank cater to the financial requirements of various organizations and individuals in the colony. The Dayalbagh Printing Press prints Holy Books and the two Satsang weeklies, one in English and the other in Hindi.
The foundation of a school was laid after 2 years of the foundation of the colony in 1917. The school has grown in course of time to become a Deemed University-Dayalbagh Educational Institute-with various faculties with facilities for research. In 1981 the Ministry of Education, Government of India, conferred the status of an institution deemed to be a University on the Dayalbagh Educational Institute, to implement the new program of undergraduate studies. Prof. M. B. Lal Sahab, a former Vice Chancellor of the Lucknow University, founded this institution and was also the first director of DEI The education system followed is unique and provides value-based multi-disciplinary education with work experience. In addition, the colony has a diploma level Technical College, a Women's Polytechnic, a nursery, primary level schools and secondary level colleges for boys and girls; a school of Languages; a School of Art and Culture; a Tailoring School; a School of Dress Designing and Interior Decoration; a Day Boarding School; a Training Center for Indian Music; and a Leather Working School. The campus is situated in Dayalbagh, away from the noise of the city. It is situated at a distance of about two Km. from the city of Agra on its northern periphery. It is conveniently connected to the railway stations and bus-stands by the city bus, rickshaws, auto-rickshaws and taxies. The Dayalbagh suburb gained national attention when Neha Sharma, a PhD. scholar was found murdered in the nano-biotechnology lab of the Dayalbagh Educational Institute. Students of the institute protested on the streets of Agra to demand justice.
Other colonies in Dayalbagh suburb of Agra
New residential colonies have developed around Dayalbagh, such as Tagore Nagar, Adan Bagh, Sarla Bagh, Heera Bagh, Mehar Bagh, Kabir Nagar, Saraswati Puram, Punjabi Bagh Pushpanjali etc. The residents of these new colonies follow religions of their choice and not necessarily Radha Soami faith. This area is also called New Agra where many people have settled down around 100 ft Road.
Propagation of Radhasoami Faith
It is the belief of the followers of the Radhasoami Faith that the Message of Huzur Radhasoami Dayal regarding the Faith will spread not by any propaganda or by proselytisation but by example of pious and religious life of simplicity, cooperation and mutual affection lived by Satsangis. They believe in the ideal of Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of Man and have respect for all Faiths and religions and their Leaders. Apart from participation in Satsang and meditation and spiritual practices, they carry out various activities for benefit of the people, Satsangis and others in a spirit of service to mankind. Schools and dispensaries and first-aid centres have been established which are open to all. They also undertake production of goods of daily necessity which are made available virtually at cost. These serve the triple objective of developing productive skills, formation of a habit of cooperative work and ameliorating economic hardship. The goods are sold through exhibitions which are open to all. Of course the Satsang literature and Holy Books are available in various languages primarily in Hindi and English but also in Bengali, Gujrati, Marathi, Telugu and Tamil but there is no preaching or propaganda. That the message is spreading is seen by the fact that several thousand persons are seeking initiation into the Faith every year.
