01Malaviya’s begging bowl
Madan Mohan Malaviya wanted a university where a student could study the Vedas, Sanskrit and Ayurveda in the morning and engineering in the afternoon, without leaving Hindu dharma at the gate. He went from princely court to bazaar collecting money, and the Maharaja of Kashi gave the land on the south side of the city. Annie Besant’s Central Hindu College, founded in 1898, became its core. The Banaras Hindu University Act was passed in 1915, and on Vasant Panchami, 4 February 1916, the Viceroy laid the foundation stone. At the opening two days later Mohandas Gandhi, newly back from South Africa, gave a speech so sharp about the jewelled princes on the dais that some of them walked out.
02The campus today
The campus spreads over some 1,300 acres in a half-moon of roads, laid out with the Vishwanath temple at its centre. Building of the temple began in 1931 on Malaviya’s wish, and it was finished in 1966 with the help of the Birla family; it is open to all, and the Gita is carved on its walls. Malaviya himself was vice-chancellor from 1919 to 1938, and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan after him. The Bharat Kala Bhavan museum holds Gupta sculpture and miniature paintings. The engineering college, among the oldest in India, became IIT (BHU) in 2012.
The life of this place
- 1898Annie Besant founds the Central Hindu College in Banaras.
- 1915The Banaras Hindu University Act is passed.
- 4 February 1916 (Vasant Panchami)The foundation stone is laid.
- 1931Work begins on the Shri Vishwanath temple.
- 1966The Vishwanath temple is completed.
- 2012The Institute of Technology becomes IIT (BHU).
The main gate is at Lanka, 5 km south of Dashashwamedh. The Vishwanath temple and Bharat Kala Bhavan are open to visitors.
