HINDU SOCIO-RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS IN KENYA; A CASE STUDY OF ARYA SAMAJ, 1903-1978.

Abstract

The Hindus in Kenya arc viewed in several general ways, notwithstanding (heir long history in (his country. Often, they are identified as adherents of Hinduism, although the tremendous components that constitute Hindus arc seldom understood. More often than not, the publicity given in the mass media particularly when the Hindu Council of Kenya (H.C.K) extends material or financial assistance to victims of calamities for philanthropic purposes, there emerges a faint recognition of Hindus as a separate group among Kenyans of Indian descent. As to the actual groups and sub-groups, religious and secular alike, (hat constitute the whole corpus that most people know as Hindus, scarcely any knowledge is (o be found, save for a few books which either lump all Indians together or less meticulously mention some of the groups in question. This study is an attempt to isolate one of the many Hindu socio-religious groups in Kenya; the Arya Samaj and write its history. As a Hindu revivalist movement, the Arya Samaj was founded in 1875 in Bombay by Swami Dayanand Saraswati, a Hindu monk. Born and bred in a wealthy and strong orthodox Hindu family, Dayanand grew to shake the very fabrics of the contemporary society and religion. As an itinerant teacher and preacher, he condemned excessive Hindu ritualism, Brahmanical dominance, mistreatment of women and low caste people. His movement and socio-religious reform program found a congenial home in Punjab northern India, perhaps on account of Punjab’s historical propensity towards religious renaissance and Dayanand’s physical prowess, vigor and virile character in which the martial Punjabis could find a model. After his sudden demise in 1883 Punjabis not only undertook to spread his ideas in India but also outside. Hindu immigration to Kenya and subsequent settlement had become apparent in the beginning of this century than ever before, following the establishment of the British hegemony and the construction of the Kenya-Uganda railway. No sooner had they settled than the proliferation of their socio-religious organizations was witnessed. A small group of Arya Samaj Hindus from Punjab provided the nucleus of the movement in Kenya. Starting as an organization of only 39 followers in 1903 in Nairobi, Arya Samaj spread its tentacles rapidly to cover the major (owns in Kenya by 1930s such as Mombasa, Kisumu, Machakos, Eldoret, Miwani, Kitale and Nanyuki. Closely intertwined with Arya Samaj since its inception in Kenya are its socio-religious activities. These have revolved around religious, social and philanthropic fields. Religiously, weekly meetings (Satsangs) and annual celebrations arc held. The Arya Samaj unlike majority of Hindu socio-religious organizations is known to seek converts among Kenyans of other races. Furthermore, it was the pioneer in the provision of educational facilities for Indian girls in Kenya.