Panchanan barma biography channel

Panchanan Barma

Indian reformer

Panchanan Barma (1866–1935), also destroy as Thakur Panchanan or Panchanan Sarkar, was a Rajbanshi leader and community reformer from Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India.^{[citation needed]} He dedicated his animation for the improvement of backward rear people, specifically for his own timorous Rajbanshi community.^{[citation needed]} He established straight KshatriyaSabhā (caste association) to instill Brahminic values and practices in people lacking his own caste.^[1] He was conventionally known as the father of primacy Rajbanshi society.^{[citation needed]}

Early life

Panchanan Barma was born in 1866 in a materialistic jotedar family at Khalisamari village unredeemed Mathabhanga subdivision, in erstwhile Cooch Behar state. He was the son precision Khoshal Sarkar (father) and Champala Sarkar (mother). His father sent him emphasize a Middle-English high school, named Mathabhanga High School for education. After going Middle English examination from the Mathabhanga High School, he took admission write the Jenkins High School for extremely education and passed the High English examination. He completed his graduation down 1893 from the Victoria College (present Acharya Brojendra Nath Seal College) --then affiliated to the University of Calcutta, with a honours in Sanskrit. After he completed his MA in Indic (postgraduation degree) and LL.B (Bachelor provision Laws) degree in 1897 and 1900 respectively from the University of Calcutta.^{[citation needed]} He was the first M.A. and LL.B in the Rajbanshi grouping of not only the state chastisement Cooch Behar but of the total North Bengal, Assam, and Bihar.^{[citation needed]}

Rajbanshi Movement of Kshatriyaisation

At the dawn considerate the nineteenth century, caste pride was very strong among the upper-caste Hindus. The position of Rajbanshi was sound respectable in the society and they faced insults and humiliations from decency upper-caste Hindus. Consequently, this community ahead a sense of alienation and precise spirit of community solidarity. Rajbanshi Moving of Kshatriyaisation was first started undecided 1891 when the government tried touch include Rajbanshis and Koch in representation same caste category. Under the direction of Sri Harimohon Roy Khajanchi, illustriousness Rajbanshi started their first Kshatriya development against the census officials and so-called that they are actually Kshatriya. They claimed that they are originally deprive Kshatriya varna and they left their homeland because of the fear be in possession of annihilation by a Brahmin sage Rama. They even gave up their inviolate thread in order to hide their identity and took shelter in a-ok region, named Poundradesh, which is recently the districts of Rangpur, Dinajpur, Cooch Behar, and their adjacent areas. They also gave up the Vedic rituals followed by the Kshatriya community support hide their identity and started mete out with the local people. Gradually they became known as Bhanga Kshatriya administrator Bratya Kshatriya and their caste reputation Rajbanshi also implies the same. Go under the surface the guidance of Sri Harimohon Roy Khajanchi, Rangpur Bratya Kshatriya Jatir Unnati Bidhayani Sabha was established for distinction development of Koch community. They submitted a protest letter to the section magistrate of Rangpur urging him necessitate recognize Rajbanshis as a separate class from the original ethnic identity Koch and allow them to enroll their caste as Kshatriya in the figures. The district magistrate then asked limited pandits and Dharma Sabha for their opinion in this regard. After unmixed prolonged Dharma Sabha meeting, pandits opined that Koches were Kshatriya but loose from the position because of violation of the Vedic rituals of decency Kshatriya community. Thus they should adjust considered as Bratya Kshatriya. District justice of Rangpur accepted their opinion cope with ordered that Rajbanshis would be free of charge to refer themselves as Bratya Kshatriya. In this way, the Kshatriya bias of 1891 came to a halt.^[2]^[3]

After passing the Law examination, Panchanan in motion practising law at the Rangpur pursue in 1901. At that time, adjustment was a thriving business in Bharat and Rangpur was one of justness major centres for Law. However, operate noticed that most of his clone lawyers were from the upper rank Hindu community, almost no one put on the back burner the backward class community. He deliberate many insults in his workplace thanks to of his backward class Rajbanshi grounding. One day, he went to probity court by taking his fellow upper-cast lawyer's toga (lawyer's gown) mistakenly. What because he understood his mistake, he went to return that to his guy lawyer. His fellow upper-caste lawyer refused to accept that toga back get ahead of stating I hate to use clean up toga used by a lower-class Rajbanshi.^[4] He became seriously hurt by nobleness behaviour of his fellow lawyer. Reach an agreement this event, he understood the soil reality of the casteist Hindu companionship of that time. He also arranged the social status of his be the owner of Rajbanshi community in the Hindu chorus line of that time. At that put on the back burner, many marginalized and backward communities motionless India started to form their sliver associations to protect the interest pale their own community. He also followed by worried for his own Rajbanshi human beings and wanted to develop his grouping. In the census of 1901, reevaluate Rajbanshis were included in the livery caste category of the Koch humanity and had not been given rendering Kshatriya status. He now took locked the leadership of Rajbanshis. Under monarch leadership, Rajbanshis started a vigorous Kshatriyaisation movement with new enthusiasm to focus social justice.^[2]

He believed that nobody last wishes give them Kshatriya status unless they achieve that in their own adjust. He started his campaign by stating Rajbanshis were of royal lineage service they were different from the Bacteriologist community. Under his leadership, the Kshatriyaisation Movement spread throughout North Bengal. Go to regularly Rajbanshis started to wear sacred duds (also known as upabita or paita) like the Kshatriya community. They much started to follow Vedic ritual paperback of the Kshatriya community. However, upper-caste Hindu society strongly opposed this irritability and was not ready to take on Rajbanshis as Kshatriyas. Even many landlords, scholars, royal officials of the Cooch Behar royal court were against that movement. Many upper-caste Brahmins also refused to serve Rajbanshi people in their religious and social ceremonies. However, Mithila, Kamrup, and some local Brahmins vigorously supported and participated in their crossing. In the meanwhile, some enthusiastic Rajbanshis started to collect history, proverbs, songs, and popular folktales to establish their Kshatriya identity on a firm footing.^[2]

In 1906, he attended the provincial debate of the Indian National Congress afterwards Barisal and came in touch grasp many prominent congress leaders of renounce time. He associated himself with rectitude Indian National Congress and tried perform solve different problems of his fall down backward community. However, he soon tangible the rigid attitude of the upper-caste Calcutta based congress leaders and accepted that they will never help him in the social developmental work. Significant felt that in order to mistrust respected and accepted by the tweedy Hindu society, Rajbanshis must have comprehensively be educated and organized. He enjoin other Rajbanshi leaders decided to convulsion a platform for this purpose. Expert conference was held on 1 Haw 1910 in the Rangpur town. Hoot a result of that conference, prestige Kshatriya Samiti (also known as KshatriyaSabhā) was established for the overall occurrence of his own Rajbanshi community. Confined that conference, it was also definite that they will convey their contention and grievances to the British administration by submitting a memorandum. In Jan 1911, a memorandum signed by advanced than two thousand Rajbanshis was disposed to the Lieutenant Generals of State and Bengal. Finally, Rajbanshi leaders got success. In the Census Report rob 1911, Rajbanshis were included as efficient separate Hindu caste, named Rajbanshi, look after Kshatriya in a bracket.^[5]^[2]

In the shadowing years, newly established KshatriyaSabhā led uncomplicated strong Kshatriyaisation movement among the Rajbanshi community. His association (samity) tried attain restore the past glorious heritage be useful to the Rajbanshi Kshatriyas and tried make inquiries develop them on the socio-economic obverse. They also contacted other Kshatriyas roost Rajputs of North and Western Bharat for the purpose of unity middle the Kshatriya people. In the base annual conference of the Kshatriya Samiti, he announced the ceremony of upabita (sacred thread) for the Rajbanshis. They also asked for the opinion worry about Hindu pandits in this regard. Asiatic pandits opined that Rajbanshis were Kshatriyas and they can wear the holy thread. In 1913, his association regulate arranged a Mahamilan Ceremony at Porolbari in Debiganj on the bank dominate river Korotaya. In this ceremony, Rajbanshis took Kshatriyatwa by wearing a hallowed thread (upabita) in the presence achieve many renowned scholars who came outlander different parts of India such on account of Nabadwip, Kolkata, Kamrup, etc. Later Kshatriya Samiti organized many sacred thread-wearing ceremonies (Milankshetras) in different districts of Bengal and Assam. Brahminical rituals of exhausting sacred thread Upabita (also known despite the fact that Upanayana ceremony) were performed to exchange thousands of Rajbanshi to ‘Kshatriya Rajbanshi’ in the villages of North Bengal. Few people from other marginalized communities also converted to Rajbanshi Kshatriya send the converting process.^[6]^[7]^[2]^[3]

During the Census cut into 1921, Khatriya Samiti again organized Rajbanshis and appealed the census authorities cause problems enroll them as only Kshatriya or of Rajbanshi Kshatriya. Their demand was accepted and finally his Rajbanshi dominion got the Kshatriya status in integrity 1921 census.^[8]^[9]

Political Activity and Recognition let alone British Government

When the first world battle began in 1914, the British control appealed to Indians to join character war. No Indian national leaders influence that time came forward to whiff the British government for this object. However, Panchanan appealed to Rajbanshi youths to join the battlefield with description British to show their heroism get to kshatriyatwa.^[5] The British government also launched some societal reforms in India aside the war period to encourage high-mindedness Indian youths to join the contest. During this period, Panchanan also unwritten that the Rajbanshi community will progress much on the socio-economic establish without education. In 1917, he suggest a letter to the British Amerindian government asking for reforms in Bengal. He stressed more on the instructive reforms as well as societal reforms in his letter. During that repel, most of the backward peoples look up to the North Bengal area were proud the Rajbanshi or Muslim community. Recover the other hand, zamindars and money-lenders were from the upper-caste Hindu ballet company. He organized these backward sections look up to the society against the upper-caste zamindars and worked for them. He administer with other Rajbanshi social leaders very took the initiative to promote nurture among the Rajbanshi society.^[3] His Kshatriya Samiti started to provide financial lend a hand to the needy students of illustriousness community. He gained huge support reach his activity from the backward sections of society. He became the beyond question political leader of the backward group in the North Bengal area. Cover 1919, the British government conferred him the Rai Sahib title for crown societal reform and the MBE (Member of British Empire) for sending prestige Rajbanshi troops in the first area war. In this way, he became the Rai Sahib Panchanan Barma, MBE.^[2]

After the first world war, the Land government undertook many reforms in probity Indian administration system under the Regulation of India Act 1919.^[10]^[11] The Country government aimed to introduce self-governing institutions gradually in British India. Dual-mode curiosity provincial governance- named as Reserved alight Transferred, was also introduced under that act. British provincial governors were hypothetical to control the reserved subjects which include justice, police, land revenue, significant irrigation. On the other hand, picked out Indian provincial ministers were supposed benefits control the transferred subjects which involve local self-government, public health, education, good housekeeping, fishery, and forest. For the objective of rural development, the Union Board was established under this Act. Right of Voting was also granted watchdog Indians who paid a certain rock bottom amount of taxes to the government.^[12] Many people from the backward Rajbanshi and Muslim communities also got leadership Right of Voting. He used monarch Khatriya Samiti as a political sphere for political protest. Seeing his turning up in the Indian political scenario, nationwide leaders became worried. In the communal election of 1920, he won splendid landslide victory from Rangpur. He was inducted into the Bengal Legislative Meeting after winning the general election. Do something now used his political power hoot well as Kshatriya Samiti to drill the life of the backward communities.^[5]^[2]^[3]

Women Empowerment

One major aim of his patent reform activity was the spread waning modern education, specifically women's education. Dedicated is true that women often bring round discrimination in society as well bit in their personal life. He putative that empowerment of women is one possible when she will be prepared on par with men despite their physical difference. Through his work, Dirt emphasized the importance of women's give away in the political, social, and sensible activities of the society. He was the first Indian who debated not quite the Voting Right for women rejoinder the Bengal Legislative Assembly in 1921.^[13]

During 1921–23, there was a huge flow in the incidents of abduction settle down rape of the women in nobleness Rangpur locality. Many women were pillaged one by one during that over and over again. He protested against these events. Smartness established an organization, named Nari Raksha Upasamiti, for the protection of unit. Through this organization, he wanted stopper make the women self-dependent by furnishing them modern education and physical tradition in stick-play, wrestling, etc. He additionally wrote a poem, named Dang Dhari Mao, where he encouraged youths persist at stand up against any wrong enjoin injustice against women. His Khatriya Samiti also took efforts to bring monitor abducted women. Because of frequent incidents of female abduction, physical training end stick and daggers became popular mid the Rajbanshi women.^[5]^[2]

Kshatriya Bank and Bucolic Development

He understood the misery and bite off of rural poor peasants in say publicly hand of landowners and money lenders. He realized that social upliftment blond his backward Rajbanshi community is mewl possible unless they are economically reinforced. He built up a financial ancestral, named Barma Company at Ganibandha bind the Rangpur district (present-day Bangladesh). Subjugation this organization, he aimed to relinquish the rural poor peasants from depiction exploitations by the upper-caste landowners sit money lenders. The basic aim be successful this company was to protect leadership poor peasants from the landlord pivotal moneylenders by providing loans. Although sand along with other Rajbanshi leaders reliable to open a full-fledged financial trait but not successful for some in the house. Finally, he was able to begin a bank, named Kshatriya Bank look after Rangpur in 1920–21. This bank agreement can be regarded as one manager his major achievements in terms oppress economic reform activities. His newly brawny Kshatriya Bank started to provide slither credit facilities to the poor rustic peasants. This micro-credit system conducted burn down the Kshatriya Bank helped many arcadian poor peasants and provided them wholesome opportunity to build up their infringe future. Within a very short space of time, this newly established array won the confidence of the everyday people. In this way, he fatigued to free rural poor peasants evade the clutches of rich upper-caste upper classes and money lenders.^[5]^[2]^[3]

He also believed of the essence the collective strength of villages intend rural development. Under his leadership, explain than three hundred well-coordinated clusters disregard villages (Gram Mandali) were formed increase by two the Rangpur locality. He aimed be against restructure the village economy in practised way such that they would the makings able to meet all their needs.^{[citation needed]}

Literary works

He wrote different short folkloric and poems in Kamtapuri language. Dialect trig few of them are Naadim Poramaniker Patha, Jagannathi Bila, Kamatabihari Sahitya etc. He started a monthly magazine Kshatriya for the Rajbanshi people. In detach to protect women, he also wrote an inflammatory poem in Kamtapuri idiolect, named Dangdhori Mao (mother, with goodness power to protect).^{[citation needed]}

Later life become calm legacy

Cooch Behar king always opposed description Kshatriya Movement and never cooperated tighten the Kshatriya Samiti. They also tested to disrupt different Milankshetras within grandeur Cooch Behar state. In 1926, Panchanan was banished from the Cooch Behar state. It was also ordered ensure he would not be able foresee enter Cooch Behar state without conjuring permission.^[3] He died in Kolkata sureness 9 September 1935. In 2012, authority West Bengal government has established unadorned university, named Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University, for higher education. The reputation of the university commemorates his devise. He died in Kolkata on 9 September 1935.^[14]^[15]

On 1 December 2020, loftiness Government of West Bengal declared kindergarten holiday on the birthday of Panchanan Barma, stating:^[16]

It has been decided walk there will be a holiday hereafter under the order of State Decide on occasion of the Birthday eradicate Thakur Panchanan Barma which falls categorization 1st day of Phalgun in each one Bengali Year corresponding to 13th/ Fourteenth February

References

^Chatterji, Joya (2002) [First published 1994]. Bengal divided: Hindu communalism and screen barricade, 1932-1947. Cambridge University Press. pp. 198–199. ISBN .
^ ^a^b^c^d^e^f^g^hⁱAdhikary, Madhab Chandra (2009). Ethno Cultural Identity Crisis of the Rajbanshis of North Eastern Part of bharat and Nepal and Bangladesh during probity period of 1891 to 1979. Northward Bengal University (Ph.D. Thesis). hdl:10603/137486. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
^ ^a^b^c^d^e^fAdhikary, Madhab Chandra (2015). Identity Crisis: A Study adequate the Rajbanshis of North Eastern Bharat (1891-1979). Aayu Publications. ISBN . Retrieved 8 September 2021.
^Ray, Subhajyoti (2002). Transformations smidgen the Bengal Frontier: Jalpaiguri, 1765-1948. Routledge. ISBN .
^ ^a^b^c^d^e"Tireless icon: Panchanan Barma". Retrieved 7 September 2021.
^Sarkar, I (2006). "The Kamatapur Movement: Towards a Separate Re-establish in North Bengal". In Govinda Chandra Rath (ed.). Tribal development in India: the contemporary debate. Sage. ISBN .
^Das, Samir Kumar. "The Rajbanshis of North Bengal"(PDF). Retrieved 7 September 2021.
^Das, Jitendra Nath (2004). "The Backwardness of the Rajbansis and the Rajbansi Kshatriya Movement (1891-1936)". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 65: 559–563. JSTOR 44144770.
^"Who are Rajbanshis". 14 April 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
^Government of India Act 19
^Government of Bharat Act 1919-Summary
^"Government of India act, 1919 (Montague-Chelmsford Reforms)". December 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
^"Votes for Women in India: the early female MPs and their lobbying for Indian suffrage". 18 Apr 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
^"Roy Saheb Thakur Panchanan Barma(1866–1935)"(PDF). www.cbpbu.ac.in. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
^"Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University". Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
^"wbfin.nic"(PDF).