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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
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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.
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385