View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by UUM Repository A DOWNTRODDEN SECT AND URGE FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT: THE MATUA RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT OF THE 19th AND 20th CENTURY BENGAL, INDIA Manosanta Biswas Santipur College, Kalyani University, Nadia , West Bengal India manosantabiswas@gmail.com Keywords : Bengal, Caste, Namasudra, Matua Introduction: Anthropologists and Social historians have considered the caste system to be the most unique feature of Indian social organization. The Hindu religious scriptures like Vedas, Puranas, and Smritishatras have recognized caste system which is nonetheless an unequal institution. As per purush hymn, depicted in Rig Veda, the almighty God, the creator of the universe, the Brahma,createdBrahmin from His mouth, Khastriya(the warrior class) from His two hands, Vaishya (the trader class) from His thigh and He created Sudra from His legs.1Among the caste divided Hindus, the Brahmins enjoyed the upper strata of the society and they were entitled to be the religious preacher and teacher of Veda, the Khastriyas were entrusted to govern the state and were apt in the art of warfare, the Vaishyas were mainly in the profession of trading and also in the medical profession, the sudras were at the bottom among the four classes and they were destined to be the servant of the other three classes viz the Brahmins, Khastriya and the Vaishya. The Brahmin priest used to preside over the social and religious festivities of the three classes except that of the Sudras. On the later Vedic period (1000-600 B.C) due to strict imposition of the caste system and intra-caste marriage, the position of different castes became almost hereditary.Marriages made according to the rules of the scriptures were called ‘Anulom Vivaha’ and those held against the intervention of the scriptures were called ‘Pratilom Vivaha’. The participants of the ‘Pratilom Vivaha’ and their offspring’s were outside the periphery of the four classes of the caste system and they were considered as mixed caste. They were treated in the society as undignified people with no religious and social identity. ‘It is the Shudra who is born last. The untouchable is outside the scheme of creation. The Shudra is a Savarna. As against him, the untouchable is Avarna i.e. outside the Varna System. The Hindu theory of Priority in creation does not and cannot apply to untouchable.’ 2 They were considered as people with no class and were placed below the Sudras. In the Hindu religious books, people of all the numerous casteless class were categorized as the fifth caste and were called as untouchables, Chandal, Naradham etc. Manu, the Hindu religious scripture writer addressed them as Chandal and gave direction that the untouchable,Chandal would reside outside the village, they would wear the rejected clothes of the dead, and they would drink water in broken pots. 3Those outcaste untouchables were 375 stripped off the right to hear the recitation of Veda and all their social interactions and economic activities would had to be confined within them only. That way the caste system of India came as a big impediment for human development and also the human rights of the so called untouchables and outclasses people since the ancient times. Religion and Beliefs towards Human development: Coming to the modern age, in 1948, as per the declaration of the World Human Rights, each and every country was requested for enactment of laws andestablishing institutions which would ensure fundamental rights, respects and equal rights forall and would also create an environment which would be conducive to pave the way for human development among all sections of the people.4 In 1986, as per declaration made by United Nations Organization(UNO), all human beings could join freely in all socio-economic, social and political activities for their own development.Due to that declaration, alleviation of poverty, equal rights and ensuring health and human rights for all got much importance.5 In 1981, in the declaration of Human Rights Declaration of UNO, much emphasis was laid on the issues like liberty to all to practice according to their own religious beliefs and faith. It was equally stressed upon that the inhuman part, non-tolerance and divisive thoughts if any in any form of religious beliefs those should be cast off for the sake of human rights and human development.6 After freedom, India declared itself as a secular country and took various measures to establish and ensure human rights to its entire citizen but the age-old traditions and religious beliefs of its people was an obstacle to implement it in true letter and spirit. In different parts of India, some sections of people got united among themselves keeping faith in their own religious and sectoral beliefs to safeguard their own socio-economic rights among their particular community.7Due to the caste-system prevailing in various parts of the country in varied degrees, the so called untouchables and outcasts were denied religious, economic, education and political rights and forced upon to confine themselves at the lower end of the society which eventually acted as an obstacle to further propagate human rights and human development in the country.As a result, the people of those outcast sections revolted in protest against the religious and social disrespect and at the same time made various reforms in their own ideologies which enabled them to create a respectful social position for their communities. They also engaged themselves in movements for their political as well as social rights. Against caste-distinction and exploitation by the high caste people in Hindu society, the Namasudra in East Bengal in eastern part of India started a socio-religious movement in the second half of the nineteenth century. Matua religious beliefs and their idealism created among the Namasudras an universal Human value system and encouraged them to prosper through the path of equality, equal rights and justice for all and on the other hand directed them to spread education, work for socio-economic development and in acquiring political rights. The philosophy of the Matuas eitherit be political or social could be considered as a unanimous document for Human development. Namasudra : Socio-Religious Position in Bengali Hindu Society The caste distinction in Bengal was different from that of Northern India. Before the Gupta period, the four social castes of the Brahmanism system did not exist. In ancient Bengal, the residents were Banga, Chedi and Pandara which were in original austric tribal group. In the eastern part of the Gangetic delta, the main inhabitants were Namasudras among the Bangas. 376 They were professionally known as Ghasi, Karal, Berua, Karati, Jalia etc. 8 During the mid twelfth century, the Brahmanical Hinduism spread in Bengal and a great part of the original local residents got converted and included in Hindu religious circle. Namasudras were follower of Buddhism or of any local religious cult. In the twelfth and thirteenth century, in ‘Bramhakaibartapura’ of the ‘Smritishatra’ and in ‘Brihaddharmapurana’ of Hinduism, the Hindu society in Bengal were divided in two segments; one was Brahman and the other shudra. The sudras were known as cross breed and were divided into two segments, one was ‘Uttamsankar’ or ‘Satsudra’(Honest Sudra) and another was known as ‘Madhyamsankar’ or ‘Asatsudra’(Dishonest Sudra) and the last one was known as ‘Adhamsankar’ or the ‘Antajya’(Abominable). The Namasudras were placed in the lowest category among the Hindus and were addressed as ‘Adham sankar’, ‘Antajya’ or even as ‘Chandal’ untouchables. 9In Manu described ‘Chandal Jatitatta’, the so called Chandals of Bengal as per their profession, food habit and their physical structure according to anthropological parameters had no proximity with the ‘Chandals’.10 They were neither habitants of any ‘Shmasan Ghats’(Burning Places)nor did they engage themselves in burying corpse but in spite of that in the Hindu scriptures of the medieval period, they were termed as ‘Naradham’(Low or vile man), ‘Durbitta’( miscreants) ,’Acchuta(Untouchables) and were ignored and hated by the people, those days.11 TheBrahmin priest did not take part in any socio-religious activities of the Namasudras; likewise they were also not allowed to enter into any Hindu temple. In the pre-British period, the Namasudras were debarred of every social respect and every form of human rights which stood very firmly in their way for any social development.12 In the medieval period, a portion of the Namasudras got themselves converted to Islam to get escaped from the hatred of the upper caste Hindus and also in the desire to get social respect and human rights. In the fifteenth and sixteenth century, the Namasudras were influenced by Chaitainyadev who ignoring all cast-distinction founded a new doctrine of devotion. But the “Vaishnab’ religion founded by Chaitanya failed to give any direction to the lower caste people for their economic and educational development. And after the death of Chaitanya, the ‘Vaishnava’ religion again got entangled in the vicious circle of caste-distinction. The Brahmanism and its rules and regulations of caste-distinction grasped the liberal ‘Vaishnava’ religion and got it converted into a ‘Neo-Brahmanical Vaishnava’ religion.The lower-caste Vaishnava and the Chandals were hated as ‘Jat Vaishnava’. Later, they appeared as a separate class called ‘Gouna Dharmia’ which means secondary religious cult. 13 In the census made in 1911 by the British imperialistic government, the Chandals were recorded as Namasudra, And in Bengal that time, their total number was 20, 49,954. In East Bengal their population percentage was 17.56 among the Hindus. More than half of the Namsudras inhabited the six districts of East Bengal viz Jessore, Khulna, Faridpur, Bakherganj, Dacca and Maymansing.14 In 1947 after independence, and the division of Bengal, the Namasudras of East Bengal got rehabilitated as refugees in West Bengal and various provinces of India. In 1951, the total number of Namasudras in West Bengal was 3, 24,723 and in 1991, their numbers rose to 25, 81,549. 15Namasudras were a greater part of the Hindu community but despite that they were insulted and ignored. In the nineteenth century, the Bengal renaissance initiated rationalistic reformation of Hindu religion and in the social structure of the Hindu society in accordance with the western liberal thoughts. But the reformation was Calcutta centric and it could not influence the societies of the lower casts of the Hindu society in rural Bengal. 16In the rural Bengali society, the caste distinction was very strict and there was lack of education among them and they were in total economically distressed condition. Social scientist, Nirmal Kumar Bose stated that the Hindu society always hated Namasudras(the 377 peasant class) and compelled them to live at the extreme corner of the village and treated them as untouchables.17Nobel LiterateRabindra Nath Tagore also put his observations this way that without any fault of their own, as per religious command made by the upper castes Brahmins, the namasudras were totally ignored,subjected to be chained in unbearable pain since their birth to death in the black hole of total subservience and that was the mechanism of the upper caste to keep them crippled throughout their entire life. 18The Brahmin teachers and students refused to sit even on the same mat during any educational session. In 1929, itwas learnt from the report of the Indian Statutory Commission that the Namasudras were untouchables in the Hindu society and ‘Jal Achhal’ which means that the high caste Hindus used to hate to take drinking water from them.19 Ideologies and Beliefs of The Matua Sect: Due to the caste system in the Hindu society, the Namasudras did not have any self respect and due to domination of the socio-economic structure of the society by the high caste Hindus, the Namasudras could not prosper for the total development of their own sect. In that scenario, Harichand Thakur son of Yashobanta Thakur took birth on 11th March, 1812 in Orakandi village in Faridpur district of East Bengal. He founded a new religious sect called ‘Matua’ which was nothing but a simple doctrine of devotion. The meaning of the word ‘Matua’ means passion. The followers of Harichand Thakur used to be very passionate rather intoxicated while singing the carols of Hari or God that was why they were called ‘Matua’. Harichand, founded the new religious faith and its simple philosophy spread very rapidly across the Namasudra villages of Faridpur district as because he did not believe in any caste distinction while practicing or singing the carols of Hari or God, people from all religious cult could take part with equal rights and respects in all of their religious festivities. Harichand Thakur was very realistic in his views whether it was in curing of the disease and ills of the human being or anything else. Harichand rejected the Brahmanical religious dictum which created divisions among the society and showed the way for material development along with quenching the thirst for spiritual attainment through his doctrine of devotion. And for that simple reason, ‘Matua’ faith became acceptable to the lower caste people of the Hindu society. Harichand Thakur founded Matua religious philosophy was also known as ‘Dwadash Agnya’ (Twelve commandments).20 In those commandments, it is said;Do work with your hand and chant the name of God with your mouth.Always speak the truth.Consider other’s wife as mother.Take all responsibility of the family.Serve all the people of the society.Reject caste distinction.Be self-restrained.Be tolerant to other religions .Do not consider the caste and religion of a person with noble character and respect him.Devote yourself to God.Establish Hari temple.Always chant the name of Hari, the God. At the initial stage, Harichand Thakur wanted to make universal and ethical avenues with human values for his followers. His instructions to love people, to respect other religions, to speak the truth and to respect the women as mother etc were the very foundations of Matua religious beliefs which direct one to a universal and social path orchestrated with human values. And Harichand also advised his followers to reject the dictums of Vedas, the Hindu purification rituals, Guru Bad (the role of the preceptor) and also to take Sanyas or retirement from the family life instead he advised them to be a man with good moral character and to chant the name of God while living inside his own family. This religious belief helped them to ignore the hatred and indifference of the upper class people of the society and the congregation of the classless assembled Harisankirtan (Chanting the name of God in his/her praise) induced in them self-confidence. After the death of Harichand in 1874, his son, Guruchand led Matua religious movement further ahead by directing it in different social directions. In one hand he directed the Matuasto obtain their identity by socio-economic and 378 cultural reforms and on the other hand he ventured in the political arena with the demand for justice, equality and human rights for the Matuas with the ultimate goal for human development. Developmental Approaches of The Matua Movement: The first and most important index of human development is to attain an impressive financial growth. Harichand and Guruchand Thakur both believed that creating sound economic foundation was the first step to get oneself free from the curse of untouchability and deplorable social status. And for that reason Harichand Thakur advised the Namasudra and other low caste people who were followers of Matua religion to engage themselves in cultivation work and also advised them to clean and develop the waste and marshy land as cultivable land. 21 Cultivation was the most suitable work for the then illiterate Namasudra people. He also considered that staying with the family and doing the duties like an ideal family man and looking after one’s wife and offspring was much more religious than renouncing the family and taking Sanyasfor personal salvation.22He advised his followers to stay in family life and do work with all sincerity and dedication with an intention to earn wealth and money and at the same time advised them to chant always in praise of God.23 Guruchand went further ahead and advised his followers not to waste their time in religious rituals rather work hard to live decently. He also said that food was god to the hungry and poor. He advised the Matua followers to be the worshipper of ‘Annabramha’ i.e. Food God.24 Guruchand Thakur believed that only involving oneself with the religious work would disturb the family life of the Namasudras and he gave them the ways to practice religion from one’s own homestead which would not disturb their endeavour to further their economic development. In accordance with the ideals of HariGuruchand, during the mid nineteenth century, the Namasudras of Jessore, Khulna, Barisal and Faridpur took the initiative to convert the distant marshy and fallow land cultivable for rice and jute production. In 1864, 50% land in the Sundarban area was recovered out of which 30% land could be made cultivable. During 1904-1914, 60% land in Faridpur, 78.29% land in Nadail (Jessore) and 78.64% land in Magura could be made cultivable.25 All those areas were dominated by the Namasudra peasants. At that time, many Namasudras who were in profession other than cultivation quitted their erstwhile professions and took the job of cultivation. So, the Namasudras reappeared as a the‘peasants caste’ community.26 But despite their hard work in making the land cultivable, the majority owners of those lands were high caste Brahmin, Kayastha, Baidya and the Syed Muslim Zaminders. Guruchand Thakur also directed the Namasudras to resort to the job of trade as an alternative profession to cultivation because all the low land of East Bengal remained submerged under water for almost half of the year. During that period, he instructed the unemployed Namasudras to purchase rice, jute, mustard from villages with the help of boats, the only means of conveyance during monsoon and to sell that merchandise to the market and he further instructed them to purchase the essentials of a family from the marketand hawk them in the villages, the money made out of all those transactions wereat least sufficient enough for maintenance of their families during the odd period of the year. To frame the trade policy, he also gave some moral advice to the traders or businessman like correct weight, purchasing and selling with reasonable price, not to misuse the capital and also advised them to be fair and corruption free in their trade practices. 27According to his advice, many Namasudras resorted to the job of trading and eventually got established as rich business men. The best part of human development among the Namasudras was their consciousness on the necessity of education and its propagation among their sects. Guruchand Thakur could realize 379 that the lack of education was the main reason for their socio-economic weakness.28 In 1901, percentage of literate among the Namasudras was only 3.30. Guruchand Thakur could foresee that propagation of education would help the Namasudras to kindle the light of knowledge and cast off superstition and implicit faith from their life and they would get the rationalistic direction to go ahead in life abandoning all of their inferiority complex. And for that reason he told his followers that whether you could procure food to eat or not, never ever forget to send your sons and daughters to the school.Establish schools at any cost to villages. Guruchand Thakur believed that without education, no nation could prosper. In 1880, he established the first schoolin Odakandi, in the district of Faridpur. The advice of Guruchand Thakur madehysteric enthusiasm among his followers in establishing schools in the Namasudra villages of Faridpur, Jessore, Khulna, Bagerhat districts. He said ‘A man without education is like a beast. Education is the spine of a nation; education is the step to attain development.’ 29 Guruchand Thakur started a massive mission to create awareness about education among the Namasudras and in establishing schools in different Namasudra villages. The Australian Missionary, C.S.Mead stretched all round help to Guruchand’s effort. Due to the efforts of C.S.Mead, the schools got government aid. Guruchand Thakur and a group of representative compromising five educated Namasudra youths met the then Governor of Bengal, Lancelet Hair and put forward their demand for governmental jobs for educated Namasudra youths. 30 In 1907, the British government passed the necessary orders to recruit competent Namasudra youths in better governmental jobs. Due to the efforts made by Guruchand Thakur and Matua Namasudras, hostels were constructed in Bakherganj, Jhalkathi, Orakandi (Faridpur), Pirozpur and Government Mess was constructed in Dacca and Rajsahi. In 1922, altogether 134 schools (including primary, secondary, Higher Secondary) were managed by the Local Boards and 15 by the Namasudras in the district of Faridpur. In Dacca division, on the efforts of the Namasudra, 1067 schools were established.31The speed with which Guruchand Thakur and Matua followers propagated education among the Namasudras was also followed with equal pace among the other lower caste communities. In 1901, the literate among the Namasudra was only 3.3%.In 1941, the literacy rate increased to 21.02%, among the male it was 31.64%,32 In 1947, after the partition of Bengal, the Namasudras migrated from East Bengal and were rehabilitated in West Bengal and other parts of India. In those places schools and colleges were founded by the government and also on the endeavour of the Namasudra community. Apart from that due to the reservation policy taken by the Indian Government, education spread rapidly among the Namasudras in comparison to East Bengal. In 1991, the literacy rate among the Namasudra was 56.20% and in 2001 that increased to 71.93%. 33Education spread very rapidly among the Namasudra mainly for two reasons one, due to continuous propaganda made by the ‘Matuas’ and the other was the endeavours made by the ‘Matua Mahasangha’ to spread education among the community. UniversalHumanistic Socio-Religious Reforms: Harichand and Guru Chand Thakur of Matua religious cultspoke about their beliefs and ideals for reformation of the society which invigorated the low caste, Namasudras,with the much needed self-esteem and power and on the other hand it projected a belief which was free from all superstition and was an ideal, universally acceptable and all through humane in thoughts. Matua religious thoughts consciously rejected all the Brahmanical scriptures as the Hindu religious scriptures such as Veda, Purana, Smritishastra, created inequality through their four social orders and caste-distinction and also for creating hatred against the low caste Hindus. Hari chand said ‘Neither do we care the Veda nor the Brahmin.’ That was the catch line 380 of newly formed ‘Matua’ religion. The Matuas considered the Brahmanical Hindu religious scripture as an advertising tool of the supremacy of the Brahmins. The Matua did not recognize number of gods and goddesses of the Vedic scriptures. In Matua religion, the system of ‘Guru bad’ i.e. role of the preceptor had been abolished because the post of the preceptor had always been kept reserved for the Brahmins. In Matua religion, human being and the animal kingdom has been given prime importance. They believe that God will be pleased only if we can remove all the barriers among the high and low class people and can do well to all the human being equally. Matua believes that god exist among human being.34Guruchand Thakur and the Matua followers wanted to break away the static and orthodox Hindu society from its caste system and Brahmanical supremacy and ushered in an era of a society, blessed with equality for all. That was certainly an effort for the oppressed and tormented class of people for freedom which could also be compared as an epitome for universal good. Though he opposed Brahmanism but as a human being he never insulted any member of the caste of Brahmin, Kayastha or any other high caste. Although he was a Namasudra but he said that all oppressed, tormented, untouchables who had no education, no money, were my own people. During his campaign for education, he stretched his hand in co-operation to all the low caste people of Bengal. “He (Guru Chand) worked for salvation of all other social groups, the depressed and untouchables in particular, this gradually developed into a universalistic approach, which indicates his awareness of the outer world and the new humanism popularized by the Bengal renaissance.”35 The social reform movement of the Matua cult developed by Guruchand overlapped the boundaries of nation, caste, creed and created a sense of universal oneness and friendship across the world. Guruchand Thakur believed that all human beings of this world were of one kind and that kind was only humankind. 36And for that reason in Matua religious society, all are equal and there is no caste-distinction. In social customs, there are Namasudra, Telis, Mali, Brahmin, Kayastha, Christian, Muslim etc but in Matua religion, they are all Matua. In Matua religious festivals and singing sessions in praise of God, any body from any religious belief can join on his own and can also withdraw of his own. To be a follower of Matua, neither any hymn nor baptism is required. Matua men and women have been given equal importance in formulating human values.Harichand Thakur had immense reverence for the women. There was no discrimination among men and women in Matua community. According to Matua religion, in domestic life both the men and women have equal importance and so is there status in religious and spiritual domain also. In Matua society, the male folk are allowedto take one wife. Harichand Thakur opined that the awakening of women and their progress would be beneficial for the society as a whole. He also thought that the son and daughter had equal rights in their paternal property.37 In the house of Dasharath Biswas, men and women of the Matua society assembled and together they took part in ‘Namsankirtan’ (Chanting in praise of god) and for that offence, the high caste people and ‘Nayeb’ (Rent collector of the local Zaminder) punished Dasharath. In protest against the wrongdoing of the ‘Nayeb’ , Harichand Thakur hold an all women token court where the roles of Judge, lawyer, accused were performed by women. 38 Considering the social condition of the then Bengal, the steps taken by Harichand Thakur could be considered as revolutionary and proved the foresightedness of Harichand Thakur’s thought in awakening of the women in the society. Guruchand Thakur gave much importance in educating the women. In 1937, Guruchand first established a girls’ primary school in Orakandi village. 39That apart, on his desire, a girls’ school viz ‘Gadadhar Balika Vidyalaya’ was established in the adjoining Taltala village. Child marriage, Satidaha, polygamy, the abominable conditions of the widows in the society and above all lack of education among the women were the impediments in the development of the women, that time. Guruchand and his Matua 381 followers through their sustained movement in religious as well as in social fields,protested against Child marriage, Satidaha (self immolation of Hindu widows), and against polygamy in the society and they also took important role in making arrangement for remarriage of the widows in the then East Bengal. With the efforts of Debichand Mondal of Barisal and Bidhu Choudhury of Faridpur both followers of Guruchand, remarriages of 30 widows could be held in the districts of Khulna, Faridpur and Barisal.40 Since the women in Matua society enjoyed equal rights, they were given the post of the chief of various Matua organizations and even the women were entrusted with the responsibilities of a Gosain (Spiritual guide) also. Apart from that for the sake of the development of the women exclusively, ‘shilpa Bhawan’ ‘Bidhaba Ashram’, ‘Prasuti Bhavan’ also came into being. On the other side ‘Shanti Satyabhama Nirban Committee’ were also formed which took an important role in developing the strength of the women with discussions among themselves. Matua Protest Movement for Rights, Justice and Dignity: Human development is incomplete without socio-economic development of an individual. Education and culture also plays an important part in the life a person. The participation of the state in ensuring equal rights, justice and equal respect for all would help to accelerate the pace of human development. In 1872-73, the Namasudras of Bengal staged social boycott against the hatred and injustice of the high-caste people.41 They protested against addressing them as ‘Chandal’ and their forcible deployment as ‘Sweeper’ and in other dirty works inside a jail. The’Boycot’ movement continued in the jails of Bengal for a considerable period and at last on 10th June, 1873, Governor General L.C.Abbot issued circular acknowledging equal respects for all inmates and allotting those duties accordingly.42It was a very old demand of the Namasudras that in the British Census report, they should be named as Namasudras in lieu of Chandal. On the combined effect of Guruchand Thakur and other ‘Namasudra’ organizations’ movement and on submission of memorandum before the census commission, it was finally decided to delete the name ‘Chandal’ and they were named as ‘Namasudra’ in the census report of 1911.The main aim of the Matua movement was socio-economic development of the Namasudras and other lower caste people of the society and also to establish human rights for all. And for that reason, Guruchand Thakur told the Namasudras to stand unitedly. He always told ‘He, who has no party, has no strength’ 43and for that reason, in 1915, he established ‘Matua Mahasangha’ to unite the Namasudras which later in 1943 got duly registered as per law of the land.44 He believed in the liberal British ruling class for gaining social equality and justice for the Namasudras. He considered the patronage of the British administrative system supportive for the development of the Namasudras. He did not support the leadership of the Zaminder and Mahajan class, in the anti British nationalistic movement, who for ages dominated in the areas of education, and service and oppressed the Namasudra peasants. Instead he raised the demand for the right to elect their own representative to represent in different organizations of the British Government. That way, he directed the Namasudras to gain political power. Under the leadership of Guruchand Thakur, the lower caste people to safeguard their political rights, demanded to send their own representative in the constituent assembly. In 1919, ‘Special rights’ for the lower caste people were accepted and Bhismadev Das, a Matua Namasudra was selected for the assembly. Due to majority of high caste members,in the assembly, the rights of the lower caste people were neglected. In 1930, Guruchand Thakur told that so long the lower caste people would not be able to acquire political power; they would not be free from the curse of untouchability.45 The Namasudras of Bengal demanded their own representative in legislative Assembly to establish their rights.Depressed classes and the Matua leaderships were demanding separate electorates as a safeguard against high caste 382 domination. When in the Poona Pact of 1932,which provided reservation of 30 seats for depressed classes in Bengal. In the Provincial election of 1937, out of 30, twelve Namasudra candidates won most of them were close associates to Guruchand, including his grandson Pramatha Ranjan Thakur (P.R.Thakur) and only one Namasudra- Congress candidate won. 46In post partition Indian constitution in 1950, keeping in view of the all round development of the backward class of people, reservation in respect of education, service etc were introduced for the lower class people and the tribes. The untouchable system was abolished. In West Bengal, ‘Matua Mahasangha’ was reestablished in Thakurnagar in North 24 Parganas. Most of the Namasudras now live in the districts of Nadia and in 24 Parganas. On efforts of the ‘Matua Mahasangha’, different branches of the organization have been opened in various districts. ‘Matua Mahasangha’ has created a network of 872 branches of the Sangha in West Bengal. 47 The Mahasangha that way has taken an important role with the intention to acquire power in the parliamentary democratic system and also to ascertain its role in safeguarding the rights and in fulfilling the demands of the Namasudras. Conclusion: Human development not only ensures spreading of knowledge but also helps in the economic development and resultantly creating a sense of international brotherhood. On the other hand it makes one capable to have justice and acquire human rights. On the second half of the nineteenth century, the low cast people and the Namasudras guided by Matua religious philosophy could make it possible to end their respectless position in the society by protesting against the ruthless supremacy of high class Brahmanical hierarchies of the society.And through socio-economic development, they had been able to emerge as a society with much self-esteem. They adopted the well-laid practical philosophies of Harichand and Guruchand Thakur, the founder of Matua religious cult which was very simple and realistic to adopt in their everyday life.They rejected the superstition of Hinduism, the Brahmanical ‘Gurubad’, the system of rituals for the next world etc instead they adopted the virtues like serving the humanity, to lead a honest and clean life, to maintain the family life religiously and also to establish equal rights among men and women which in conclusion helped them to establish as an ideal human society. After being able to emerge as a peasant Class, they also ventured in the areas of trading and had consciously been able to spread education among their community and establishing new schools and colleges which helped them to get governmental service etc. That way the Matua society had always been very dynamic which helped them to grow very impressively. The movements made by the Matua society for the emancipation of their own self and for their women, adopting themselves with the western education pushed them forward with economic development and equally they had been able to establish their representative ship in the constitutional politics only through their sustained movement with the urge to establish the rule of justice and equality. That way they had been able to establish human rights for the lower class people and the Namasudras which in totality helped in the foundation of human rights universally. References: 1. Rig Veda, Purusha Sukta, Dasham Mandala, Hymns nos-12.10.19. 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Surinder. ‘Plural Societies and Imperatives of Development: Religions, Communities and Citizenship’ Reports on the Indian Research Development Seminar, 19 th & 20 t h April,2010, New elhi. 8. Risley, H.H.-‘The Tribes and Castes of Bengal’, Vol-I,Calcutta, 1891, p.34. 9. Shastri,H.P.(ed.)-‘Brihadhramapuranam’ Asiatic Society of Bengal, Calcutta,1888,p.578, also Sarma, Jyotirmoyee. -‘Caste Dynamics Among the Bengali Hindus’ Firma KLM Pvt. Ltd, Calcutta,1980, pp. 27-28, 10. Roy, Niharanjan. ‘Bangalir Itihas: Adhi Parba’ Dey’s Pub. Calcutta,1356 bangabdha,p.26 11. Bandyopadhyay, Sekhar – ‘Caste, Protest and Identity in Colonial India’ , Curzon. Richmond, 1997, p.11 12. Chakraborti, Ramakanta.-‘Vaishnavism in Bengal : 1486-1900’, Sanskrit Pustak Bhandar, Calcutta, 1985, p. -111, and also his ‘ Chatyaner Dharmandolan: Mullayan’ Paschim Banga Itihas Samsad,2005,pp.4,5 13. Chakraborty, Sudhir.‘BanglarGounadharma: Sahabdhani o Balahari’ Pustak Bharity, Calcutta, 2003,p108. 14. Census 1911, Vol- V, Part - III, Table nos.XVI, pp.370 – 373, 15. Census 1911, Vol- V, Part – III, p.271. 16. Ghosh, Binoy. ‘ Nabajagriti’ Orient Black Swan, New Delhi,1979,pp.152 158. Habibullah, Mansur Abul syed – ‘A Critique on Bengali Renaissance ’ National Book Agency. Kolkata, 1996, P.35. 17. Bose, Nirmal Kumar – ‘The Structure of Hindu Society ” (Revired edition) Orient Longman,1975, p.161 18. Tagore, Rabindranath. ‘ Dharmer Adhikar’ (Right of Religious) Rabindra Rachanaboli, Vol-XII, Biswabharati,1930,p.353. 19. Govt. of Bengal , Indian Statutory Commission, Memorandum submitted by the Govt. of Bengal to the stator Commission, Vol-VIII, London,1930,p.141, Bandhyopadhyay, op.cit.p15 20. Sarkar, Tarak Chandra. ‘Sri Sri Harililamrita,’Orakandi,Bangladesh,1323 Bangabdha,p.p.61-70. Also Sarker, Haribar. ‘Dwadash Agga’’Orakandi,Bangladesh,1323 21. Sarkar, Tarak Chandra.op.cit.pp.71-72 22. Haldar, Nityananda. ‘Sri Hari Darshana’ Resolution, Thakur Nagar, 1992,pp.38,39 23. 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Rana, Santosh and Rana, Kumar. ‘Paschimbange Dalit o Adhibasi; Kolkata, 2009, pp.2025. 34. Haldar, Nityananda.’ Matua Dharmandolan o Tar Vitti’ Matua Bandhab Patrika, (Journal) Burdwan, 2010, Vol.X, nos-40.pp.10-12. 35. Bandyopadhyay,Sekhar. ‘Popular Culture and Social Mobility in Colonial Bengal : Matua Sect and the Namasudras.’ in Rajat Kanta Ray (ed)-‘Mind, Body and Society: life and Mentality in Colonial Bengal.’ Oxford University Press, New Delhi: 1995.p. 36. Halder, Mahananda. Op. cit. pp.203 37. Sarkar, Tarak. Op. cit. p.108. 38. Sarkar, Tarak. Ibid, p.108. 39. Biswas, Abhimunya. ‘ Taltala Gramer School Pratistha’ Harichand Sebha Sangha Journal, Sept-Oct. 1996, p.28. 40. Halder, Mahananda. Op. cit. pp.285. 41. Govt. of Bengal (Judicial) W.S. Wells, Magistrate of Furreedpur to the Commissoner of the Dacca Division, Date 8 April 1973, 56 -61, 17 May 1873, WBSA. And also see Sinha, Pradip – ‘Nineteenth Century Bengal : Aspects of Social History’, Calcutta : 1965, P.P. - 8-10 42. Govt. of Bengal, By order Lt. Governor of Bengal L.C.Abott. Letter no. 2650,10th June , 1873,WBSA. 43. Matua Mahasangher Laksha o Karmasuchi, 2nd edition,1394 Bangabdha,p.4 44. Certificate of Registration of Matua Mahasangha, Reg. no. 5563 of 1943-44, Matua Mahasangha office,Orakandhi, Bengladesh. 45. Halder, Mahananda. Op. cit. pp.204-210. 46. Govt of Bengal,Statement –II, detail election result of Bengal Assembly of 1937, Home File nos-R/ 3E-27, May 1937.WBSA 47. Annual Report of Matua Mahasangha, Thakur Nagar, North 24 Pgs, West Bengal, 8 t h Nov. 1992.p.15. 385