Life and works of Kalachand Vidyalankar

Kalachand Vidyalankar Bandyopadhyay (Bengali: কালাচাঁদ বিদ্যালঙ্কার বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায় ) (24 May 1713– 11 May 1846) (his surname may also be transliterated as 'Banerjea' or as 'Bandyopadhyay') was one of the 17th-century Indian thinkers who attempted to rethink Hindu philosophy, religion and ethics in response to the stimulus of ‘Baishnab’ ideas. He himself became a ‘Baishnab’ from his family cult of ‘Sakta’ belief.

The Baishnab practitioners normally are vegetarian and do not eat fish. The Baishnabs are mostly Bengalese. The Bengalese people traditionally are fond of fish. Kalachand wanted to resolve the riddle and followed a ‘Majjhim Pantha’(Middle Way). He upheld the compulsion of the Baishnabs to be vegetarian. He left it up to their will. However he opined that it is better for a Baishnab to be vegetarian.

Due to this controversy, many Baishnab sects and radical practitioners of Baishnab faith who strongly believed in vegetarianism wanted to outcast the Kalachani Sampraday from the Baishnab cult.

Movement by low-caste Hindu groups and their struggles for social and political recognition have been the subject of a number of academic studies in recent years - in anthropology and religious and political studies as well as history. The Namasudras of Bengal, however, represent a particularly interesting and important case, given their standing as the largest Hindu caste in eastern Bengal before Partition and their apparent lack of a single, shared identity before the late 18th century.

According to Kalachand, the depressed classes had to wage a struggle against the Radical Higher caste Hindus and not against the Hinduism. But if the government or administration supported the caste system, then it would be a struggle against them also. Evidently his struggle is an intellectual struggle manifested through scripts and debates.

He pointed out that since the advent of Islam the so called ‘Sudras’ were converted into Islam in a large number. He proclaimed if the caste system is not be abolished, the Hiduism will be abolished one day. In Bengal the Brahmins were always ahead in demanding political rights because they were enjoying privileges in a social order. He wanted to extend the same privileges to the people belonging to the so called lower casts also.

He was one of strongest proponents of women’s education because he was convinced that society could not progress unless women were educated. He opened a girls’ school in his own house. The school was later upgraded into a High School. After the independence of Bangladesh from the grasp of Pakistan, the school is now converted into a college pertaining education up to the post graduation level.

He founded ‘Kishori Bhajon Samaj’ which was established to eradicate the evils of the ‘Radical Brahmanism’ such as polygamy, purdah satidaho and cast distinction. He had undergone a rigorous mission to reexplain the Vedas and Srimad Vaghbad geeta to establish that Caste systems were not present in the primitive and medieval India (Bharat). He had written volumes of scriptures and travelled over the country to explain and propagate his theory. Unfortunately all his works and books (Hand written scriptures) which ware preserved by his ancestors, destroyed during the partition riot in 1946.

A sect which also attracted Sudra people in Bikrampur region was ‘Kishori Bhajan Sampraday’ was also started by Kalachand Vidyalankar. His sect was also open to the Muslims. He used to have refreshments in the houses belong to the Muslim people. It was a move which was virtually unbelievable at his time. The simple rural downtrodden Muslims (who were not so much fundamental and confined in religious belief like now a days) welcome this gesture and accompany him in large numbers. This type of activities exasperated the radical Hindus. Local Jaminders objected his mission and beleaguered him in every possible way.

He made novel explanation of ‘Rik Vedas’ and showed there were no distention between casts in ancient India. He was reluctant to make too many disciples or to preach any new doctrine. He proclaimed that to gather real Education is one of the principle objectives of religion. He wanted his disciple to be knowledgeable and rational.

Chintamoni, one of his followers established a hermitage at Nabadwip , West Bengal is probably now the only branch still in working. However millions of his followers are still practicing his gospels and enduring his preaching till date.

He was a superb mass communicator. He had to spread his mission in a time when there was no means of technical communication. He lived in a remote area which was void of easy transportation. Yet like Sankar or Jesus he could communicate his iconoclastic views in a pretty short span.

He led from forefront a reform movement with the ‘Untouchable ‘Dalits’ of his time. The movement not only spread throughout India but also drew the attention of the foreign scholars. Herbert Rishley did a rigorous and comprehensive study of the matter.

Evidently his activities infuriated the then radical Hindues. Unfortunately the noble genius who waged his intellect to be the saviour of downtrodden mass of his country could not save himself. He was assassinated at a tender age of Thirty three. While returning from a Religion Conference he was murdered. Few days later his mutilated body was found in a pond near his house.

Ref: Caste, Protest and Identity in Colonial India:The Namasudras of Bengal, 1872-1947;By Sekhar Bandyopadhyay; Published 27th May 1997 by Routledge. ISBN No.: 0700706267