Tukdoji Maharaj

Tukdoji Maharaj (30 April 1909 11 October 1968) was a spiritual saint from India. He was a disciple of Aadkoji Maharaj. Tukdoji Maharaj was involved in social reforms in the rural regions of Maharashtra, including construction of roads. Tukdoji Maharaj wrote Gramgeeta which means village development. Many of the development programs started by him worked efficiently even after his death.

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 an 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 and 1944. 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, called satyagraha, and took part in the mass upsurge of the 'Quit India' movement.