ABSTRACT
Swami Dayanand, the founder of Arya Samaj entered Bihar in 1872 from Varanasi and halted in Dumraon, then the seat of an old and important zamindari in Bihar. He stayed with the Udasi saint Naga Baba. At Arrah, Swami Dayanand stayed with Sri Harbans Rai at the garden house of Dumraon Raj. From Arrah, Swami Dayanand arrived in Patna, the largest town and the chief educational, administrative and economic centre in Bihar. At Patna, Swami Dayanand delivered talks and lectures on the Vedas and their salient features. While in Patna he met with a local Hindu scholar of Arabic, Munshi Manohar Lal who translated for him the Koran into Hindi. Swamiji left Patna City on 30 November 1872 and arrived in Munger, another town situated on the banks of the river Ganges. From Munger, Swamiji arrived in Bhagalpur. Swamiji was also invited by the zamindar of Banaili, an orthodox Brahmin and the largest zamindar in the district.
