It has to decay. Declining history of Hindus ‘Dhaka Brahmo Samaj‘!! The Brahmo Samaj was a monotheistic sect of Hinduism. It is almost universally agreed that the society called Brahmo Samaj opened the door of ~Arunoday” to the thinking of modern Bengali society.
The movement began through meetings of Bengalis in Calcutta in 1828. One of the leading figures was Raja Ram Mohan Roy. This group was known as the Brahmo Sabha.
As ‘Bharat Pathik’ Ram Mohan Roy (1772-1833) started to break the customs of the closed society, his wave hit the town of Srihatta on the eastern border of Bengal. This tide encouraged a class of young and educated society. Again, the traditionalist common people thought that it was another religion, so it could not gain the status of its supporters.
Sanatan Hindus did not think that Brahmanism was actually a philosophical and philosophical aspect of formless worship as mentioned in Vedic philosophy. Under the influence of Brahminism, people were accustomed to austere agriculture, social stratification, secular worship, and ritualistic life in their daily life. According to the man’s order, keeping women in the dark room, observing chunmarga, looking for Annadosh, etc., were accepted as necessary religious accessories. Another group of people indulges in uncharitable rituals – they are Shaiva’s. Offering Kali of Ganja in the name of Shivthakur was thought of as moksha rather than learning. The upper class had no association with them. Vaishnavas had Radhava’s pointless cry. He has also seen more expression than education. On the other hand, a small number of Brahmins became prominent. They did not really want social reform. This situation was not an exception in Sylhet. The Brahmins made a logical blow to all those fortresses and expanded ‘modernity’.
Many people confuse the words ‘Brahma’ and ‘Brahman‘. A varna of Hinduism is Brahmin and Brahma is a religion introduced in India by King Ram Mohan Roy. The Brahmo Samaj was established in Dhaka about two centuries after the introduction of this religion. In 1815 Raja Ram Mohan Roy established the ‘Athmiya Sabha’ to remove the bigotry and ignorance of Hinduism. In 1828, this kinship society took shape as the Brahmo Samaj.
The Brahmo Samaj Temple of Dhaka is located at Patuatuli in Old Dhaka.
Dhaka Collegiate School will be founded at near little further to the right from Bangla Bazar Chow Rasta. The temple is right next to it. Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore himself came to see this temple in 1926. Kavita Rani Dutta Roy and Chandana Pal, Bangladesh’s first female marriage registrar, lived here.
In 1828 Raja Ram Mohan Roy formed the Brahma Sabha based on the monotheism of Vedanta. Later it’s came to be known as Brahmo Samaj. Brahmins worship the formless God. This religion is named ‘Brahma’ because it believes in formless Brahman/God. The main objective of this society was to eliminate religious differences and prejudices among Indian Hindus. Brahmo Samaj played a major role in the abolition of sati-immolation, widow marriage and the spread of English education. Devendra Nath Tagore, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Keshav Chandra Sen and many famous people are associated with the Brahmo Samaj.
Iron railing garden just beyond the gate. There are different types of trees. There is no shortage of greenery even though flowers are less visible. Through the leaves of the trees, the one-story building with a mixture of white and red colors can be shown. On top of it is written in white color on the carved plaque – Brahma Samaj.
The Bangladesh Brahmo Samaj temple is at Patuatuli. Right next to Dhaka Collegiate School. As we approached the temple, a woman came forward. On asking the name, he said, Kavita Rani Dutta Roy. He was waiting for the weekly prayer. Her husband is a Brahmin. After marriage, Kavita has become a part of this society. When asked about the Brahmo society, he said, ‘Many people think that we mean Brahmin. But the word is Brahman. And one caste of Hinduism is Brahmin. In fact, the members of the Brahmo Samaj are only a handful. So many people don’t understand it.
Based on the monotheism of Vedanta, Raja Ram Mohan Roy formed the ‘Brahma Sabha’ in 1828. Later it came to be known as ‘Brahma Samaj’. Brahmins worship the formless God. The main objective of this society was to eliminate religious differences and prejudices among Indian Hindus. Names of many famous people including Devendra Nath Tagore, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, and Keshav Chandra Sen are associated with it.
Prayers are held every Sunday at the Brahmo Samaj temple in Patuatuli. The general secretary of the society, Ranbir Pal, said that the Brahmo society was in its infancy. There are two divisions among the Brahmins. These two are Brahmins by birth and non-formal Brahmins. Non-formal Brahmins are those among Hindus who support Brahmanism, but have not formally embraced it. They can also be members of society. Apart from this, one can become a member of the Brahmo society through initiation. At the present time, total number of Brahmins in the whole country is 62. But only 13 to 15 people are Brahmins by birth. The executive committee of the Brahmo Samaj consists of seven members. Apart from this, there is also a seven-member board of trustees. They are in charge of taking care of all the resources Including in this temple.
This temple of Brahmo Samaj was established in Dhaka in 1869 AD. Historian Muntasir Mamun wrote in the second volume of the Dhaka Samgar book that Dinanath Sen, a collegiate school teacher, played a major role in the establishment of the temple. At that time, the construction of the building cost about 10 thousand rupees. Bangladesh Brahmo Samaj was then known as ‘Dhaka Brahmo Samaj’. A few days ago, the hundred years old building was renovated. Earlier many places were vandalized. Now it has been fixed.
Deepak Pal is in charge of the Acharya of the temple. He conducts prayers. He said, caste-religion-description in the temple of Brahmo Samaj All people can come regardless. Festivals are held in the temple on certain days. As the foundation anniversary of the temple, Bangla Sal 11 Magh special program was held. Then the Vedas, Quran, Tripitaka, Bible are also read here. Apart from this, Brahmos also celebrate the birth and death anniversary of Raja Ram Mohan Roy on the first Baisakhi.
Now, however, the Brahmo society is not in that prosperous condition. Its members are decreasing day by day. In fact, there is some gathering of people in Pala-Parban. As found in the weekly prayer a handful. Dipak Pal said, no one is becoming a member of this society. The campaign is now closed.
Brahmo Samaj was famous for philanthropy. Ranbir Pal said that, nowadays such type of work is being done on a small scale. They distribute blankets to poor people in winter. Medicines are sometimes bought for helpless people.On the right side of the narrow path leading to the temple are two old houses. One has a hanging noticeboard. It says, ‘Raja Ram Mohan Roy Library will be closed for the time being as the building is dangerous.’ The red bricks have broken through the cement layer below it. Apart from the front door of the two-storied house, the other doors and windows were also broken. According to Muntasir Mamun’s Dhaka Smriti Bismriti Nagari, the building was constructed for the library in 1910. Arindam Chakraborty, a member of the Brahmo Samaj, said the Raja Ram Mohan Roy Library has been moved to the main worship building. The previous building was unsafe, so the library was reopened on January 24, 2015. One has to go to the library through the back of the temple. A thick layer of dust on the chair table indicates that the reader has not been seeing for a long time. There is a lot of dust in the books. Established in 1871, this library had a huge collection of rare books and dolls. But during the Liberation War in 1971, the library was destroyed by Pakistani soldiers. At that time, its original collection was destroyed, said Arindam Chakraborty.
Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore came to this temple of Brahmo Samaj. Ranbir Pal said, he prayed here in 1926. There is an altar in the prayer room of the temple. A row of benches around it. Worship of God is done sitting there. Acharya recited Vedic mantras in between Ravi Thakur’s songs.
As he spoke, the prayer ended. All the lamps of the were extinguished one by one. The song of the puja episode sung in prayer is still ringing in my ears, ‘I did not see you hiding in my heart. I did not see you!!
Shamol Nath is a writter & Documentary film Director. Shamol Nath Write and made documetaries over the decade.
He mainly focus on literature and films. Write poems, story, eassy and recently write a novel etc.
