Some of the articles about Swamiji's contribution to Women's Emanicipation in India:

Swamiji's March to Deorala

Carrying banners reading "sati is for burning", 101 sanyasis, mostly from the Arya Samaj, led by Swami Agnivesh, began their padyatra to Deorala at noon from the Arya Samaj Diwan Hall in Chandni Chowk on Saturday.

The 18-day padyatra will culminate in a rally on December 23 at the village where 18-year-old Roop Kanwar was consigned to the flames in September. The padyatris will campaign against sati, and also focus on other social evils such as dowry, child marriage and the persecution of widows.

Addressing the padyatris and a group of about 300 Arya Samaj workers and school children, Swami Agnivesh said that he had received threats "from those who sought to glorify sati".

"They said they will not allow us to enter Rajasthan", Swami Agnivesh said, but we will not be put off by them. we are not going with naked swords but with love - to clear misconceptions about our religion, culture and civilisation. In fact, we invite them to share our platform.

The gathering was also addressed by Swami Anand Bodh Saraswati, President, Sarvadeshik Arya Pratinidhi Sabha. Acharya Prabhakar, president, Vishwa Dharma Parishad, Goswami Girdhari Lal, general secretary, All-India Sanatan Dharam Sabha and several Arya Samaj leaders.

They pointed out that the practice of sati had been opposed by Swami Dayanand, founder of the Arya Samaj, who had categorically stated that it enjoyed no sanction in Hindu scriptures.

Anti-sati march inspires many

The anti-sati march led by Swami Agnivesh, proved the enormous strength and the inherent weakness of a religious organisation in taking up a multi-faceted socio-economic issue like women's rights.

The 19-day, 285-km march had to be ended abruptly with the marchers courting arrest and other social workers defying prohibitory orders at Jethpura village, 25 km short of Deorala on December 23, the martyrdom day of Swami Shradhanand. Earlier in the day, a "women's rights protection yagna" was held on the banks of the Bandi river, five km from Jethpura.

Though the march failed to reach its destination, it initiated a fresh debate on sati, dowry, Child marriage and allied issues. The response to the march was considerable, especially in the villages, where women in purdah "woke up to the slogans of the sadhus".

Annual report