Bahá’í World/Volume 18/The Centenary of the Founding of the Bahá’í Faith in India 1880-1980

The Bahá’í World
Volume 18

THE BAHA‘I’ WORLD

10. THE CENTENARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE BAHA’I FAITH IN INDIA

1880 INDIA holds a unique place of honour in Bahá’í history in that from the earliest days of the era inaugurated by the Báb there were Indians who searched out and accepted the teachings of the New Day. Shaykh Sa‘id—iHindi, an Indian, was among the Letters of the Living. An Indian dervish travelled to giihriq in response to a dream in which the Bab appeared to him, accepted his Lord and was given the name by Him ‘Qahru’llah’ (the Wrath of God). Others from India attained the presence of Bahá’u’lláh and Of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

It was Bahá’u’lláh Himself who instructed Jamal Effendi, a Persian scholar of noble birth and high rank, to proceed to India and acquaint its people with the Bahá’í teachings. Jamal Effendi arrived in Bombay in 1872 and proceeded to travel throughout the country. Despite the language difficulty he managed to convey the Bahá’í teachings to many distinguished people. Jamal Effendi’s vast knowledge, eloquent tongue and unfailing courtesy attracted many persons to him, and he was the guest of a number of prominent Indians of high standing. At innumerable meetings and discussions Jamal Effendi outlined Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings for the upliftment of mankind and many recognized the truth of his words and embraced the Bahá’í Cause.

It was not until 1880 that Jamal Effendi’s strenuous efforts produced permanent results. In that year the first Bahá’í group was formed at Bombay and from there the Faith spread rapidly to Poona, Calcutta, Karachi and Delhi where Local Spiritual Assemblies were eventually established.

In 1923 the National Spiritual Assembly of India and Burma was formed. With the formation of a national administrative body, several teaching plans were instituted with the result that the number of adherents, local centres and Local Spiritual Assemblies multiplied steadily. Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), once part of the jurisdiction of the National Spiritual Assembly, formed

1980

their own National Assemblies in 1957, 1959 and 1962 respectively.

The celebrations of the hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Bahá’í Faith in the subcontinent were inaugurated on 2 May 1980 at Bahá’í House in New Delhi with a reception attended by approximately four hundred guests. Many dignitaries were present including the Minister for Foreign Affairs. An attractive exhibition of Bahá’í publications was mounted for the occasion. The event was fully reported on radio, television and in the newspapers. Contour, a popular publication of the Hindustan Times carried in its issue of 24 May 1980 not only a two-page article on the origins, aims and purposes of the Bahá’í Faith but full-page photographs of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and of the mode] of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár.

The National Spiritual Assembly received numerous messages of congratulation in relation to the centenary observance. In her message the Prime Minister stated: ‘The Bahá’í Faith seeks to bring people together to enable them to realize their unity and their own inner potentialities for growth. It commands wide respect in our own land which believes in rendering equal homage to all religions and creeds.’

The President wrote: ‘India has always stood for universal brotherhood and the message of Bahá’í’s is in keeping with the past spiritual tradition of India. The need of the hour is to bring about this universal outlook and thereby to create a new world order based on peace, progress and prosperity.’

Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao, the Minister for External Affairs, in his opening address at the centenary gathering said that Bahá’u’lláh inaugurated the age of planetary society, the coming of age of the entire human race when there began to dawn in human consciousness the need to build a global society based on interdependence and justice. At this centenary celebration, he added, we might well pause and consider how much more immediate and pressing Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings have become since they were first promul [Page 247]INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA

gated. He concluded his address by wishing the Bahá’ís of India the fulfilment of their highest hopes in serving the noble Bahá’í ideals.

The former Chief Justice of India, M. H. Beg, acted as chairman of the function. He concluded his learned and inspiring address by saying that he rejoiced at the bold challenge of the call of Bahá’u’lláh for people of all religions to disregard labels and unite in the service of mankind.

Dr. H. M. Munje and Dr. S. Vasudevan, the Bahá’í speakers, delivered their addresses in Hindi and English respectively. Minutes after the conclusion of the festivities Delhi television included an item about the celebration in their telecast, and national networks carried the news throughout the country. Thus the opening notes of the centenary celebration were sounded in the capital and were later echoed in similar gatherings throughout all States of India. The National Spiritual Assembly reported that between May and October 1980 forty—four Local Spiritual Assemblies had held centenary Observances which had achieved wide publicity through the press and radio. Important dignitaries of each community participated in the programmes. ‘One of the important aspects of these functions’, the National Assembly stated, ‘is that they were arranged through local resources.’ The Local Spiritual Assembly of Bombay produced a special commemorative brochure to mark its centenary celebration.

Among the four main resolutions passed at

,

I’ ACTIVITIES 247 the first National Convention of the Bahá’ís of India more than a half—century ago were the extending of an invitation to the beloved Master to visit India and the desire to have a Mashriqu’l-Acflkar built in that country. The Bahá’ís attending the National Convention of 1980 not only celebrated the centenary of the founding of the Faith in India but thrilled to the announcement that a contract had been awarded for the construction at Bahapur of a House of Worship for the Indian subcontinent. Those attending the National Convention cabled the Universal House of Justice saying, in part: OVERJOYED NEWS CONTRACT MAIN CONSTRUCTION TEMPLE AWARDED COINCIDING INAUGURATION CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS OF THE FOUNDING OF THE FAITH SUBCONTINENT. WE ARE CERTAIN THIS WILL GALVANIZE ENTIRE INDIAN COMMUNITY HEIGHTS HEROIC SACRIFICE. On 1 May the Universal House of Justice replied: GRATEFUL SENTIMENTS EXPRESSED PARTICIPANTS CONVENTION HELD AUSPICIOUS OCCASIONS SIGNING CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION BEAUTIFUL TEMPLE HEART SUBCONTINENT INAUGURA'HON CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS DESIGNED PROMOTE LIFEGIVING MESSAGE BAHAULLAH GREATER NUMBER RECEPTIVE SOULS ALL STRATA SOCIETY LENGTH BREADTH WIDTH INDIA. ARDENTLY PRAYING DIVINE THRESHOLD SUPPLICATING BLESSINGS ASSISTANCE OUTSTANDING SERVICES BAHAI COMMUNITY INDIA ALREADY DISTINGUISHED BY MAGNIFICENT ACHIEVEMENTS WHICH HAVE BRIGHTENED HOPES ATTRACTED ADMIRATION ENTIRE BAHAI WORLD.

[Page 248]248 THE BAHA 1’ WORLD

1L “Bah .“ Not BBVO m,

‘ gaxubluc -‘" . 'ah , . 1,“, . v um ab; 1 . n Ind! rsuaSlO oi :9 m0 a ma W ~ ~ , iii: mW ‘ “‘ ~ , u celebl e 1 1 " Bx?" 933W fix: g0: uber- Ethan» a 2h, m

7‘16 M [NO 423: um} r

mus. F V , 14/ rev L- ‘. Mumsbmm . 00 C "‘ 2e:

xme‘w’l’lwmm A3313] 374~ 12’}, a:

‘91th celebrate: ’ (/0 4 6 my ‘1‘ The U 1/; N 01} mg»; -1~' Zm Sm: / 3’9 ‘04» ‘ 7‘ 4

3di ' 31E “(motion [8 Q’s, 489,1 M4

3:1 mm ~ ("9 6 Wm I m m [Q' Q60, . Of ‘ 909 . 0 4..

.m: Q. cox _' . lapA’Ew "a Wham?" 37“ f“ I) ~ ° and MLOffd‘ a - [Q m. The Q; :3“? , r [050“:clwr—v '

i u“ . . \ ?¢tcm"- um! . a ‘ yet:

so WSW“ o m 3:3“:

1 9, me: W. K 1:1

- msun ,3 cm .9" “£3: 530‘” O . ‘ o

s‘ S» w 1;“ 0 fig‘o e v \\ a ‘ 4 9 x \“ x C ‘ r . : x, W , - z” Mm wmu M 4 Vv- m“ 6‘“ $5“ 0‘ v e“ ‘ e - ‘ - “A “a ‘30“ ‘3‘“; ‘ ’ . «v \6 \0‘9 (“ch 5! K. e6 ‘ t“ G '4 wd c\°° 0W2 Mm Ql 6° \ “V a3“ a6 «(A a w ‘ a cmbmu. 0" 6'. "K x st x «k

xhal lime mclccl

islraliv: In. ”a oust of Justice. ' 6

“he Bahn'H—‘ailh ’5);

wand guided by ’3'“ 42% Faith Is an M"

\d religion 1: is f

uic. an offshoox o 4-! l of am‘ mhcr ,d it claim [0 dcrive ‘19“ mix the ward ' 5“ ms. 1!: Founder. 3 w“ cru lhal His 0‘ 0c“ uion dirtfl from 6 o. . \\ \°

(imc making it Q Vb" you

human vehicle of , is "chcr m be Thc Eucnc: at .. hc ”hummfi‘ ‘0

ixh has in own dnngnfl“ . v . . . “.mhm

9 \ >8 ‘\ ' é P 2]“:9’1» “r5 ' ' 3w?“ b?lgx

A representative sampling of newspaper clippings reporting on the centenary of the fouhding Of the Bahá’í Faith in India; April 1980.