Unravelling the Religious Thought of the Untouchables in Early Twentieth-Century Matua Hagiographies in Bengal

This presentation, entitled “Beyond Bhakti or Within”, explores the social-religious ideology of the Matua community, originating in the early nineteenth century among the untouchable Chandal (now Namasudra caste) in colonial Bengal. The Matua movement fiercely contested the entrenched caste hierarchy in Hinduism, critiquing both orthodox Hinduism and Vaishnavism in Sahajia (liberal) and Gaudiya (orthodox) forms. Founded by Harichand Thakur (1812-1878), the Matua religious ideology evolved into a sampradāya (community), challenging societal norms and popular Vaishnava practices. Focused on the foundational Matua hagiography, “Sri Sri Harileelāmṛita” (1916), and the song collection “Sri Sri Mahāsaṇgkirtan” (1900), this talk employs textual analysis to unravel the social and religious complexities among the untouchables. It sheds light on their intricate relationship with caste, Hinduism, and Vaishnavism in Bengal, while also exploring the Matua religion’s political engagement during the late colonial period.