AIZAWL THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE, 2024

Modern Religious and Secular Movements in India

Topic: Sarvodaya and Bhoodan Movements.

Submitted to: Rev. Lalmuankima Pautu
Submitted by: Larinpuia, BD-IV, Roll No.: 20
Imanuel L. Thianglai, BD-IV, Roll No.: 21

1. Introduction: Sarvodaya Movement and Boodhan movements are the movement which emerged
from the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi. It is a comprehensive, social, economic, political and
spiritual philosophy started by Gandhi and later adopted by Acharya Vinobha Bhave. He developed
it as a counteraction of the growing capitalist and industrialist philosophy in the west which he
believes was a threat for the Indian social system.
2. Origin of Sarvodaya Movement: The term ‘Sarvodaya’ was originally coined by Mahatma
Gandhi, etymologically ‘Sarva’ means ‘all’ and ‘Udaya’ means ‘uplift’1 which can means
upliftment for all or progress for all. According to Gandhi, ‘it (Sarvodaya) is the only real dignified
human doctrine and the greatest good with moral, ethical and spiritual values.’2 It is a concerte
manifestation of many spiritual ideas found in diverse religious traditions.3 This philosophy sprang
up from his principles of truth, non-violence and self-denial under which ‘Sarvodaya’ was the
means to establish a democratic state and new social order which will promote upliftment for all.4
However there are speculations that Gandhiji was inspired by John’s Ruskin’s Boook “Into This
Last” (Based on Matthew 25:30) which he entitled sarvodaya and some insist this philosophy to
be adopted from Jain scripture written by Acharya Samaanta Bhadra.5
The Sarvodaya Movement seeks to build a peaceful community around us based on the values of
mutual happiness, peace, and wealth. It aims to create well-being of all citizens and the
advancement of society. It thinks that the ideals of equality, liberty, and fraternity are extremely
important for societal growth and the establishment of an entire community. It also attempts to
replace power politics with collaboration in order to create a more inclusive society.

1
Shrinivas Tilak, The Myth of Sarvodaya (Delhi: Breakthrough, 1984), 1.
2
Moanungsang, Towards Understanding Modern Religious and Secular Movements in India (Delhi: Christian
World Imprints, 2021), 263. Hereafter cited as Moanungsang, Towards Understanding…
3
Archana, The School Philosophy of Sarvodaya (Patna: Janki, Prakasan, 1978), 53.
4
Thomas Veltical, Gandhian Sarvodaya; A realistic Utopia (New Delhi: Gyan Publishing House, 2002), 8.
5
T.S. Deva Das, Sarvodaya and the Problem of Political Sovereignty (Madras: University of Madras, 1974), 39.
Here after cited as T.S. Deva Das, Sarvodaya and the Problem…

1
3. Basic Principles of Sarvodaya: The basic principle of Sarvodaya can be explained in three ways:
3.1. The good of the individual is contained in the good of all. These principle holds that sharing
the fruit of each other labors, the strong protecting the weak, and the rich functioning as the
trustees of the poor6 is the basis in which sustainable goodness for individuals could be
achieved.
3.2. All occupation has the same value and all have the same right of earning their livelihood from
their work. This means that all are equal and no one is oppressed, suppressed or exploited in
this ideal social order.7
3.3. As it stands for the progress of all, it begins with the last and least in the society and moves
on towards the dawn of a Moksha on earth or Tam Rajya (Kingdom of God).8 And as such all
life is worth living.

As these were the basic principles, Sarvodaya movement promotes decentralization of power
as means to establish a just and equitable society9 where politics will be an instrument of
service. Gandhi was against to all types of concentration of power and he pleaded for
decentralization at the economic and political levels. It encourages cottage and small-scale
industries to empower the society as a whole. It is also an attempt to create a social atmosphere
where an individual with an unwavering faith serves each other for the goodness of all. As
sarvodaya attempt to reform the social system with the above principles we can say that it
strives to bring about moral upliftment to the rich and material upliftment to the poor and hence
fulfill the moral values like satya, ahimsa, brahmacharya, dhairya, etc.

4. Goal of Sarvodaya Movement:10

4.1. The fundamental goal of Sarvodaya is the greatest good of all living beings. Gandhi aims at
the transformation of society in which everybody contributes his or her own maximum share
for the peace and harmony of the world. It also aims at the all-round development of all,
without distinction of caste, creed, sex or religion.
4.2. It also stands for the well-being of the whole individual, body and soul. The goal of Sarvodaya
is not the suppression or liquidation of an individual or a group but the triumph of truth which
means the victory of the oppressor and the oppressed, the exploiter and the exploited. It is not

6
T.S. Deva Das, Sarvodaya and the Problem…, 2.
7
T.S. Deva Das, Sarvodaya and the Problem…, 2.
8
Moanungsang, Towards Understanding…, 263
9
Moanungsang, Towards Understanding…, 263
10
https://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/35707/1/Unit-3.pdf (Accessed on 28 January, 2024)

2
 the victory of an individual over another individual or even a group over other. The main
principle behind it is that the good of the individual is contained in the good of all.
4.3. Through Sarvodaya, Gandhi strives for the establishment of a new, moral, just, non-violent,
non-exploitative, non-materialist, non-imperialist, non-racist, non-consumerist, egalitarian,
liberated, humane and de-centralised socio-politico-economic order which aims at the
integrate welfare of the whole person everywhere.
4.4. The goal of Sarvodaya includes ultimately the self-realization of every individual. Total self-
realization, according to Gandhi, is the god-realization. It is to be achieved through the inner
conversion of the individual and a life based on the twin principles of truth and non-violence,
within the family, the village, the state, the nation and the world as a whole. It embraces all
humanity and all spheres of life.
5. Features of Sarvodaya Movement:
5.1. Education: In order to achieve the goals, Gandhi viewed education as the means to liberate11
from all kinds of social and structural injustice. And for this an elementary education for years
where trainees can self-support for the expenses of their education through their services was
introduced.
5.2. Economics: Sarvodaya movement sees industrialization as a curse as long as they it is based
on exploitation. And such the economic system of ancient Indian farming, rearing of cattle
and cottage industries, etc. was considered the most important.12 And for the transformation
of the economic condition of India, occupations need to be as per one’s talents and equal
opportunity is to be given according to the needs of the people.13
5.3. Ownership of Land: For Gandhi, all the lands belong ultimately to God and boundaries are
made by humans. Therefore, land should be cultivated on a co-operative basis where all people
could enjoy equal opportunity.14
5.4. Social Livings: With regards to social living, Sarvodaya encourages voluntary services based
on truth and ahimsa where all could enjoy equal status and freedom regardless of gender. It
also encourages the abolition of child marriage, artificial method of birth control, prohibition
of drugs and alcohol15, etc. which was prevalent in the society.
5.5. Sarvodaya Samaj: Gandhi anticipated his followers to be a band of social workers devoted
to in service for the welfare of all. After his tragic demise, in 1948, his followers started the

11
Moanungsang, Towards Understanding…, 264.
12
Moanungsang, Towards Understanding…, 264.
13
Moanungsang, Towards Understanding…, 264.
14
Moanungsang, Towards Understanding…, 265.
15
Moanungsang, Towards Understanding…, 265.

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 Sarvodaya Samaj movement and organized annual meetings and conferences with an aim –
“a brotherhood for the uplift and welfare of one and all, a brotherhood of those believing in
the practice of truth and non-violence in all aspects of their life.”16
5.6. Akhil Bharat Sarva Sena Sangh: This organization was founded to carry out the activities
of the Samaj. It is responsible for the organization of activities such as maintaining the
Sarvodaya file, organize Sarvodaya meals, publish literature and execute many other
activities.17
6. Demerits of Sarvodaya Movement: Sarvodaya is a concept which is rich in insight and ideology.
However, many consider it as utopian as many of the things are hard to put into practice.
Decentralisation of political power and economy may in reality caused much harm rather than
bringing an overall development. In the context of modern civilisation, the need of industrialisation
outweighs Sarvodaya philosophy if we are to compete and protect ourselves against the deprivation
of other nation. Also, while Gandhi was against institutionalized organisation, soon an organisation
was formed to carry on Gandhi’s legacy which is evident that decentralisation of power is rather
an impossible feat to achieve. And even though Gandhi advocate for the equality of all human
being, his ideology against proselytization which he believes as a threat to communal harmony
between communities proves his concept of equality to be doubtful.
7. Bhoodan Movement: Bhave was philosophically influenced by the Sarvodaya movement of
Mahatma Gandhi. Vinoba Bhave, a prominent disciple of Mahatma Gandhi was the one who
initiated the Bhoodan Movement in post-Independent India in the year 1951. Bhoodan is composed
of two words, namely ‘bhoomi’ and ‘dan’ which meant the gift of land.18 It is basically a voluntary
land reform movement in India whose aim was to persuade rich landowners to donate some portion
of their land to the poor people or farmers who had no land of their own so that they could cultivate
and earn a living through it.
8. Bhoodan Movement and its origin: The movement had its roots in the broader context of post-
independent India, where issues of land inequality and rural poverty were prevalent. Vinoba Bhave,
became a follower of Mohandas K. Gandhi while studying Sanskrit in Varanasi. Bhave was largely
recognised as Gandhi’s heir after his death. Deeply influenced by Gandhian principles of non-
violence and social justice, felt compelled to address these socio-economic challenges through a

16
T. K. Oommen, Charisma, Stability and Change: An Analysis if Bhoodan-Gramdan Movement in India (New
Delhi: Thompson Press, 1972), 22.
17
Moanungsang, Towards Understanding…, 265.
18
Bimal Kumar Mandal, Bhoodan movement if India and it’s Impact In https://www.jstor.org/stable/44156652
(Accessed on 27 January, 2024).

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 voluntary and non-violent approach, started the Bhoodan Movement.19 The catalyst for the
Bhoodan Movement was a specific incident in the village of Pochampally in present-day
Telangana. On 18th April, 1951 Vinoba Bhave while having Padayatra (walking tour) walked into
the village of Pochampally village where 40 Harijan landless families requested him to secure some
land for them.20 Bhave requested the landlords to donate a portion of their land to the landless. As
documented in history, while the discussion was going on, Ram Chandra Reddy who was the local
landlord, got up and exclaimed, “I will give you the 100 acres for these people.”21 This marked the
beginning of the movement aiming to encourage landowners across the country to voluntarily give
away a part of their land for the benefit of the less privileged.
9. Aims, Objectives and Goals of Bhoodan Movement: The basic aim and objectives of Bhoodan
movement are as follows:
9.1. To bring about a social order based on equality of opportunities by ensuring balanced
economic distribution.
9.2. Decentralisation of economic holdings and powers. Vinobaji writes, while describing the
objectives of Bhoodan movement, “In fact, objective is of three-fold.”
9.2.1 Firstly, power should be decentralised from village to village.
9.2.2 Secondly, everybody should have a right on land and property.
9.2.3 Thirdly, there should be no distribution in the matter of wages etc.22
Vinoba Bhave’s positive experience during his walking tour to Pochampalli village served as
inspiration for him to extend his journey through the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, and
Kerala.23 For nearly two decades, he undertook extensive tours, urging the audience to contribute
both land and cash for distribution. Throughout these journeys, alongside his regular routine,
several temporary Lok Sevaks (social workers) accompanied him to gain experience and
inspiration. The government enacted specific legislation to legitimize and streamline the transfer
of the collected land. Landless villagers were invited to submit their claims, with priority given to
those in the greatest need.24

19
Madhurjya Chowdhury, “What is the Bhoodan Movement? History, Philosophy, Aim and Key Points for
UPSC 2021” in https://upscpathshala.com/content/what-bhoodan-movement-history-philosophy-environmentalist-upsc-
2021/ (Accessed on 27 January, 2024).
20
T. K. Oommen, Charisma, Stability and Change…, 28.
21
Shaina Ahluwalia, “Vinoba Bhave’s Bhoodan Movement - How He Made the Rich To Donate Their Land To
The Landless People” in https://thelogicalindian.com/story-feed/get-inspired/vinoba-bhaves-bhoodan-
movement/?infinitescroll=1 (Accessed on 28 January, 2024).
22
Neha Mishra, “Bhoodan Movement in India: History, Aims and Other Details” in
https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/india-2/bhoodan-movement/bhoodan-movement-in-india-history-aims-and-other-
details/66737 (Accessed on 26 January, 2024).
23
Shrinivas Tilak, The Myth of Sarvodaya..., 8.
24
Shrinivas Tilak, The Myth of Sarvodaya…, 9.

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 The overarching goal of this tour was to encourage rich landowners to contribute a part of their
land to landless peasants in order to uplift the economic standard of the poor and promote equality.
This approach was deeply rooted in the philosophy of non-violence, emphasizing that landowners
should make these donations out of compassion and empathy for the less fortunate. The movement
achieved success in various regions across India, witnessing the donation of thousands of acres of
land by landowners. This had a profound impact on Indian society and politics, effectively
diminishing landlessness, fostering a more balanced distribution of land, and empowering rural
communities. Additionally, the movement played a pivotal role in promoting self-sufficiency. It
laid the foundation for the safeguarding of natural resources by instilling equal rights and
responsibilities among community members, empowering them to move towards self-
governance.25
10. Effect of Bhoodan Movement: People had varied reactions because, on one side, the landless
people experienced advantages from voluntary contributions by rich donors coupled with
constructive initiatives for those without land.26 On the contrary, the movement impaired societal
divisions as factions with conflicting interests emerged. Critics accused the donors of contributing
only infertile lands as a means to evade legal measures aimed at reducing their land holdings.
Consequently, exploitation persisted without strong legislative measures to curb these
manipulations by the rich. Rather than relying solely on the government to address their social and
economic issues, people began taking initiatives for self-improvement.27
11. Conclusion: From the above deliberations, we learn that Sarvodaya and Bhoodan movements
emerge with an attempt to bring about holistic upliftment for all people regardless of caste, class
or gender which can also be seen as the reformation of Indian socio political and spiritual welfare
and the counteraction against the colonial empire and capitalism. And even though there may have
been flaws and critics deem the ideologies and the guiding principle too unrealistic, the movements
bring about great social reforms as it helps the government realized the importance of advocating
for land redistribution and social justice. The movements remain a testament to the power of
voluntary initiatives in fostering positive change within society.

25
Bhoodan-Gramdan Movement in https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bhoodan-
gramdan-movement (Accessed on 26 January, 2024).
26
G. R. Madan, India’s Developing Villages (New Delhi: Allied Publishers, 1990), 47.
27
T. K. Oommen, Charisma, Stability and Change…, 39-40.

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 Bibliography

Archana. The School Philosophy of Sarvodaya. Patna: Janki, Prakasan, 1978.

Das, T.S. Deva Sarvodaya and the Problem of Political Sovereignty. Madras: University of Madras,
1974.

Madan, G. R. India’s Developing Villages. New Delhi: Allied Publishers, 1990

Moannungsang. Towards Understanding Modern Religious and Secular Movements in India.

Delhi: Christian World Imprints, 2021.

Oommen T. K. Charisma, Stability and Change: An Analysis of Bhoodan-Gramdan Movement in

India. New Delhi: Thompson Press, 1972.

Tilak, Shrinivas. The Myth of Sarvodaya. Delhi: Breakthrough, 1984.

Veltical, Thomas, Gandhian Sarvodaya; A realistic Utopia. New Delhi: Gyan Publishing House,
2002.

Electronic Sources

Bhoodan-Gramdan Movement in https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-

analysis/bhoodan-gramdan-movement (Accessed on 26 January, 2024).

Bimal Kumar Mandal, Bhoodan movement if India and its Impact In

https://www.jstor.org/stable/44156652 (Accessed on 27 January, 2024).

https://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/35707/1/Unit-3.pdf (Accessed on 28 January, 2024)

Madhurjya Chowdhury, “What is the Bhoodan Movement? History, Philosophy, Aim and
Key Points for UPSC 2021” in https://upscpathshala.com/content/what-bhoodan-movement-history-
philosophy-environmentalist-upsc-2021/ (Accessed on 27 January, 2024).

Neha Mishra, “Bhoodan Movement in India: History, Aims and Other Details” in
https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/india-2/bhoodan-movement/bhoodan-movement-in-india-
history-aims-and-other-details/66737 (Accessed on 26 January, 2024).

Shaina Ahluwalia, “Vinoba Bhave’s Bhoodan Movement - How He Made the Rich To
Donate Their Land To The Landless People” in https://thelogicalindian.com/story-feed/get-
inspired/vinoba-bhaves-bhoodan-movement/?infinitescroll=1 (Accessed on 28 January, 2024).