Kalachand Vidyalankar and His Disciples

Towards the Elimination of Cast Discrimination:

The Indian caste system is the traditional organization of Hindu society. It divides Indian into a hierarchy of hereditary groups called castes or jatis. In broad outline, marriage occurs only within caste (endogamy), caste is fixed by birth, and each caste is associated with a traditional occupation, such as weaving or barbering. Hindu religious principles underlay the caste hierarchy and limit the ways that castes can interact.

The caste system is connected to the Hindu concept of the four varnas, which order and rank humanity by innate spiritual purity. The highest varna is the Brahmins, or priests. Next comes the Kshatriyas, the warriors, and then the Vaishyas, the merchants. The lowest varna is the Shudras, consisting of labourers, artisans and servants. Kalachand Virtually challanged the 'Sastra'(Religious Gospel) support on this type of division and waved his mission for a cast free society. Even he dreamt of a religion free society where the only spiritualism be derived from 'HUMANISM'.

Contact between varnas, and particularly the sharing of food and water, must be limited to avoid pollution of higher, purer individuals by lower ones. Kalachand used to visit villages inhabited by the so called ‘Sudras’ and invited them in lunch. All the families of the villages sat into rows to enjoy ‘Pankti Bhojon’ (meal) together. Under his influence many jaminders (Offsprings of local Royals or Blue bloods) joined in such‘Pankti Bhojon’s and often patronized these occasions.

The Bengali people traditionally are fond of fish. They enjoy rice with fish gravy as their main meal. The contemporary followers of Chaitannya did not allow the ‘Baishnabs to have fish meal.(Though they cant show anywhere Chaitanyadev himself barred his disciples to have fish meal. The liberal outlook towards food habit inspired common Bengalees to embrace Baishnab cult. The ‘Saktas’ and ‘Shaibas’ also attracted towards the Baishnab cult under his strong inspiration. Virtually the entire Bengal was flooded with the Baishnab influence during his life time.

The underprivileged people from lower casts (The then Scheduled Casts) were deprived of education by the Upper Class Acharyas (Teachers). Kalachand set up many schools including a pretty number of girls’ schools to spread education among the depressed lower casts’ people.

The lower class people who were virtually outcasts by the then society received him as a saviour or Holy Monk and called him ‘Pathak Thakur’ (The Teacher-God). They were charmed at his simplicity and fondly called him Kalachand Fakir. The section followed him with a simple pious belief but unfortunately did not follow his gospel of education spread overwhelmingly in the Dealta area between Bhagirathi and Padma. Long time later another great man ‘Guruchand’ revived his preaching and floated a similar belief. Now they are known as ‘Matua sampraday.’