Lakshmanananda Saraswathi was a monk whose life mission was to bring back the converted tribal people of Kandhamal district, Odisha back to Hinduism. The Christian Missionaries were greatly perturbed and after several attempts of murder, succeeded in 2008, bringing into the forefront the work of Lakshmanananda Saraswathi.
Profile
Lakshmanananda Saraswathi was born Shravan Krishna Navami in 1926 in Gurujanga village in Odisha. Not much is known is about his early life. He got married and had a son. After about a year of family life, he decided to renounce it and become a monk and went away to the Himalayas. In the 1960s he came back and joined Vinobha Bhave in the Cow Protection movement. In 1966 he took part in agitations against cow slaughter and was arrested and jailed for 18 days. In the same year he met Bhupen Bose of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) who persuaded him to go to Odisha to take care of the tribal welfare. Lakshmanananda Saraswathi was a leader in the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) as well. So he took upon himself the work of bringing back the tribes who had converted to Christianity back to Hinduism. The Christian organisations saw him as a big threat and tried to kill and finally succeeded on 23rd August 2008, a day which was an auspicious day for the Hindus- Janmashtami, birthday of Lord Krishna. He was 82 years old then.
Philosophy Propounded
Lakshmanananda Saraswathi was a monk born to serve the cause of Hinduism and he lived it fighting all odds and was martyred for that.
Work Done to Spread the Philosophy
A little history about the Khandamal district will help one understand the work ofLakshmanananda Saraswathi. 78% of Kandhamal district were below poverty line and there was huge rise in the Christian conversion rates between 1971 and 2001. It had 1200 churches which worked to one church for every 125 Christians. There were two tribes there, Panas and Kandhas. The Panas were converting into Christianity while the Khandas adopted Hinduism. The money power of the Christians was huge and the conversion was happening very quickly. Lakshmanananda Saraswathi took them on by giving education, building hostel for girls and boys, building orphanages and hospitals. He also taught the Vedas and organised Yagnas. His welfare based approach to reconversion was an attractive option for the tribes. He soon became a leader who could not be ignored and he became a threat to the Christians and was murdered.Lakshmanananda Saraswathi died fighting for a cause which was at loggerheads with conversions funded by world-wide Christian organisations.
