25 Facts About Badri Maharaj

Badri Maharaj was born as Badri Dutt Bamola however took on the surname Maharaj at some time after arriving in Fiji.

Badri Maharaj was the first Indian member of the Legislative Council serving for two periods between 1916 and 1923 and 1926 to 1929 as a nominated member, but he was not a popular choice for Fiji Indians, who preferred the lawyer, Manilal Doctor to be their representative.

Badri Maharaj proposed an innovative system of Indian administration and showed himself to be ahead of his time by opposing child marriage and promoting education.

Badri Maharaj was born in 1868 in Bamoli village, near Rudraprayag in the state of Uttarakhand, India, in which he ran away from the village when he was 12 and went to Agra.

Badri Maharaj came to Fiji as an indentured labourer in 1889 and through his own hard work became a successful farmer, however the fact that he was a Brahmin may of allowed him to more easily get to this point.

Badri Maharaj was the first Fiji Indian to realise the need for schools for Indians and at his own expense founded the Wairuku Indian School, near Rakiraki, in 1898, making it the first Fiji Indian school to be established in Fiji.

In 1916, when it was decided to nominate an Indian to the Legislative Council, Badri Maharaj was given the honour.

In 1918, Badri Maharaj suggested the establishment of panchayats as a form of Indian administration.

Badri Maharaj argued that panchayats would simplify the administration of justice amongst the Fiji Indians by hearing cases and arranging quick settlement of disputes.

Badri Maharaj saw panchayats as a way to prevent the abuses associated with child marriage and as an authority to deal with all questions relating to Indian customs and religion.

Badri Maharaj offered to choose members for the panchayats and stated that it would help preserve Indian customs, minimise dissatisfaction and promote greater unity amongst the Fiji Indians.

Badri Maharaj introduced an amendment to raise the legal age for marriage but retain lower age limits of thirteen for girls and sixteen for boys for legal betrothal ceremonies.

Badri Maharaj explained the Hindu culture regarding marriage at that time but the Legislative Council ignored him and never considered the possibility of granting the Fiji Indians authority to define their law.

Madri Maharaj was seen as a "man of character" by the Government but had little following amongst the Fiji Indian community.

When Vashist Muni arrived in Fiji, in 1920, and conducted meetings in different parts of the Western Division, Badri Maharaj provided confidential reports on his activities to the Government.

Badri Maharaj was the only Fiji Indian member of the Indian Franchise Commission, appointed in August 1920, to establish the means to provide Fiji Indians with elected representation.

Badri Maharaj was not present at most of the deliberations, even though one of the issues discussed was whether election should be through the use of panchayats, and had no influence on its outcome.

Badri Maharaj opposed the 1920 strike by workers in the Central Division.

Badri Maharaj called for workers to return to work and was strongly opposed to the views of Manilal Doctor, who was regarded as the leader of the strikers.

Badri Maharaj warned a meeting at Nausori of the danger into which they were being led by agitators.

Badri Maharaj, the nominated Indian member of the Legislative Council, resigned his seat in protest.

Badri Maharaj did not oppose the tax in principle but argued that it should apply to voters only, not to labourers, who could not afford it.

Badri Maharaj was one of the founding members of the Arya Samaj in Fiji.

Badri Maharaj contributed generously to its religious and educations programs.

Badri Maharaj's sons continued his work in the Arya Samaj.