CONVERSION

Reconverting the Malkanas Rajputs to Hinduism

Extracts from Mahatma Hansraj by Raj Sharma

During the Muslim rule in India many Hindus were forcibly converted to Islam. Very often the converts retained their sub-caste names. Naturally, these converts continued to be governed by their tribal and customary law which was Hindu in origin.

Some never took their conversion seriously. They were converted en masse, and their conversion had implied renunciation of the Hindu faith rather than active adoption of the life of conforming Muslims. Such seems to have been the case with what were called the Malkana Rajputs in some districts of United Provinces as well as in Bharatpur State. They considered themselves Rajputs. Of Muslim beliefs and religious practices they absorbed practically nothing, so much so that some of them had actually reverted to Hinduism at a time when Hindu orthodoxy did not usually tolerate the re-entry of such converts. Such, for example, was the case of the Bachhal Rajputs in the district of Mathura and the Ganthara Rajputs in the district of Aligarh. Similarly, some Malkanas had been readmitted into Hinduism in the beginning of the twentieth century in the district of Etawah.

Towards the end of 1922, the question of regularizing the status of these Rajputs was taken up. Many of the Malkana Rajputs were eager to return to their original faith. A meeting of the Rajput Upkarni Maha Sabha held in December 1922, under the Chairmanship of Sir Nahar

Singh of Shahpura decided to accept these Malkana Rajputs back into their original Rajput sub-castes. This was followed by a similar decision by the All India Kshatriya Sabha, the most representative organization of the Rajputsin India.

It was then that the Bharatiya Hindu Shuddhi Sabhawas founded with its headquarters at Agra. Shraddhanand was elected President and Hansraj (1814-1938) Vice President.

The Malkana Rajputs lay scattered in some 418villages of the United Provinces and Rajputana. Not only had they to be formally readmitted into the Hindu fold butit was necessary to reconcile the Hindus to their return.

As usual the fores of opposition were waiting for their chance. First came the growl of the political parties in India. In the name of Hindu-Muslim unity appeals were made to the leaders of the Arya Samaj to stay their hands. In a meeting of the political leaders at Agra it was decided that C.R. Dass, Moti Lal Nehru, Sarojini Naidu and Abul Kalam Azad should join Shraddhanand in making a tour in the area. in order to find out whether the Malkanas were really willing to enter the Hindu fold of their own accord. They toured the countryside and conceded the right of the Hindus to welcome back the Malkanas into their fold. It was then suggested that both the Hindu and the Muslim organisations should withdraw their workers from among the Malkanas for a year. On the refusal (of Muslims) to comply with their demand, the political leaders had to leaveAgra, not however, without a declaration from Abul Kalam Azad which called upon the Muslims not to dispute the right of the Hindus to reconvert the Malkanas to Hinduism.

On April 3 Hansraj reached Agra to take personal charge of the work. The central office of the Shuddhi Sabha was established at Agra. In a very short time, Hansraj had collected a large number of workers.

The local Rajputs had to be persuaded it to accepting the Malkanas into the Hindu fold. But another characteristic of the Hindu caste-system now created a good deal of difficulty. The Malkanas. Demanded that they be accepted on equal terms by their sub-castes.

It was difficult to persuade the Rajputs to accept the Malkanas within their various sub-caste groups. The problem was further complicated by the fact that there was no one organization or caste-brotherhood with which necessary negotiation might be carried on. Every sub-caste had to be persuaded separately - sometime the same sub-caste several times over in different localities.

To facilitate this task a Conference of the Rajputs from all over the country was invited to meet at Vrindavan on May 30 and 31.

It was decided to hold a great inter-dinner. On May31, all the Rajputs assembled on this occasion, including the President, took their meals together along with the converted Malkanas.

The frail body could not continue the pace much longer. He left for Lahore on July 10.

During the three months that he was there, reclamation had been done in 147 villages and more than30, 000 Malkanas had been brought back to the Hindu fold. A new chapter had been added to the history of Hindu India.

A splendid chapter of the expansion of the Aryan culture in India.