MATUA COMMUNITY

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Gist of the Topic ● On the 212th anniversary of Harichand Thakur's birth, Prime Minister Narendra urged everyone to attend the Matua Maha Mela to see its sanctity and glory. ● Harichand Thakur was born in a Namasudra community, which was regarded as being untouchable. He performed his work among the untouchables in the Bengal presidency. ● He established the Matua sect of the Vaishnavite Hindu religion. During the period before independence, in undivided Bengal, he dedicated his life to the cause of the improvement of the oppressed and disadvantaged people. ● After Bangladesh was created, the Matua people, who were originally from East Pakistan, fled to India. Many people have not yet obtained Indian citizenship.

Context: The Prime Minister praised Shri Shri Harichand Thakur Ji for enlightening the way of compassion and service and asked people to attend the Matua Maha Mela in large numbers.

Matua Maha Mela

• West Bengal hosting the Matua Dharma Maha Mela 2023 from March 19 to March 25, according to the schedule.
• The All India Matua Mahasangha is in charge of organising the celebration, which is a much-anticipated occasion for the Matua community, a subset of lower-class AVARNA Hindus who fall under the Namasudra Scheduled Caste category.
• The occasion offers the chance for the community to get together, take part in religious rituals, and honour their spiritual elders.
• The occasion provides a significant opportunity for the community to highlight its customs and cultural heritage.
• The Matua Dharma Maha Mela honours the customs and way of life of the community, which were established by Shree Shree Harichand Thakur and enhanced by Guruchand Thakur and Boro Ma.
• The celebrations feature a variety of cultural acts, including readings of poetry, music, and traditional dances. Attendees can also take part in religious rituals, such as praying to Shri Shri Harichand Thakur Ji and other spiritual figures.
• The Matua Dharma Maha Mela serves as a stage to promote the community's culture and customs and is a symbol of its resilience.

Matua Community

• West Bengal and Bangladesh both have sizable populations of the Matua community.
• Its lengthy history has influenced its distinctive customs and manner of life.
• The Matua sect was founded by Shree Shree Harichand Thakur in the nineteenth century.
• The lower-class AVARNA Hindus, especially those from the Namasudra Scheduled Caste, connected with the sect's teachings because they stressed the value of compassion, equality, and social justice.
• The Matua community has had many difficulties over the years, including marginalisation and prejudice. The community has persevered, keeping alive its unique cultural heritage and traditions.
• After Bangladesh was created their sizable population fled to India. Many people have not yet obtained Indian citizenship.

Matua Mahasangha

• The Matua Mahasangha was a religious reformation movement that started in what is now Bangladesh around 1860 AD and had a sizeable following both there and in West Bengal, India.
• AVARNA Hindus from the lower class, also known as Namasudras, belong to the sect described as Matua.
• The followers of Harichand Thakur started the movement as a reformation. Thakur obtained Atma darshan at a young age and later preach his Darshan in the Twelve Scriptures.
• The teachings of Thakur provide a method for resolving societal disputes while also establishing education as being of the utmost importance for the follower and the upliftment of the population as the devotee's duty.
• The chanting of Harinaam, or the Holy Name of God Hari, is a key component of Matua Mahasangha's belief in Swayam-Dikshiti (also known as "Self-Realization"). Being the only route to Mukti, Harichand emphasised the continuous chanting of the Lord's name.

Harichand Thakur (1812 – 1878)

• He was born into a Namashudra peasant family in the Gopalganj District of Bangladesh, which at the time was part of the Bengal Presidency (now a part of Bangladesh).
• His ancestors have been Vaishnavites for many years. Manchanram Biswas, his grandpa, was a devoted Vaishnavite who was referred to as Thakur Manchanram in the locality. The same Thakur title was passed down to his father Jashomanta from his grandfather. The family gave up using the surname Biswas and began using Thakur.
• He was well-known in the area as a very religious individual with magical abilities. As a result, many members of his community and from nearby came to him as a disciple. He eventually started the Vaishnavite Hindu sect known as Matua.
• He preached the message of God while remaining within the family and held no asceticism in high regard. In his opinion, the individual who can express his devotion to God while still being a family man is the best ascetic (Grihete thakiya jar hay bhaboday. Sei je param nishchay sadhu).
• The historian claims that Thakur had atma darshan, or self-revelation, through which he learned that he was the God himself, born on this earth to deliver enlightenment to the poor. Following that, he began to preach his religious realisation, which is solely based on Bhakti.
• His philosophy holds that all customary practices are pointless distractions from the true goal of reaching God, except for devotion to God, belief in humanity, and love for all living things.
• Many followers of his simple teaching came from his oppressed community. Higher caste Hindus and Vaishnavs, however, turned away from his religion. He created Matua Mahasangha by uniting these oppressed members of his community under the doctrines of his spiritual ideology, known as the Matua sect.
  • Although he initially exclusively attracted disciples from his caste, later on, his ideology attracted followers from other caste communities, including the Chamars, Malis, and Telis.
• The main three guiding principles of his newly created Matua sect are; Truth, Love, and Sanity.
• He gave his followers twelve directives;
  • Always speak the truth.
  • Respect women.
  • Always respect your parents.
  • Never discriminate based on race.
  • Get all six of your mental passions under control. These six mental passions are lust, anger, greed, infatuation, pride, and jealousy.
  • Continue to be tolerant of all other faiths and ideologies.
  • Do your duties zealously while simultaneously praying to God and uttering the sacred Haribol.
  • Develop honesty in your thoughts and actions.
  • Create a Shree Hariparameshwar temple at your residence and a temple of pure ideas in your heart and spirit.
  • Pray to God every day with commitment and holiness.
  • Offer yourself as a sacrifice for the greater good.

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Consider the following Statement about the Matua community; 1. The Matua sect was founded by Shree Shree Harichand Thakur. 2. The higher-class Hindus are connected with the teachings of the Community. 3. They have a sizable population in Jharkhand. Which of the following Statement is/are incorrect? (A) 1 and 2 only (B) 2 and 3 only (C) 1 and 3 only (D) 1, 2 and 3 Answer: B Explanation: Statement 1 is correct: The Matua sect was founded by Shree Shree Harichand Thakur in the nineteenth century. Statement 2 is incorrect: The lower-class AVARNA Hindus, especially those from the Namasudra Scheduled Caste, connected with the sect's teachings because they stressed the value of compassion, equality, and social justice. Statement 3 is incorrect: West Bengal and Bangladesh both have sizable populations of the Matua community.

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1907851