Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma and his Philosophy

         The word guru is a Sanskrit word in origin. 'Gu'  means dark and 'Ru' means light. And the word Guru means a person or a thing that brings or gives light in the dark. Generally guru means a teacher or a person who is an expert in a particular subject i.e. who brings  the light of knowledge. The word Gurudev is use to address the guru as likely to be honour as god.

There was a Guru or a Teacher among the Bodos who had brought light in the dark society of the Bodos during 20 century in pre independent India. He was the Kalicharan Mech popularly known as Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma. He brought the political, social, educational, cultural and economical awareness among the Bodos. He taught to become sincere for the survival of the community with their cultural and language. Kalicharan opened the Third Eye of the Bodos with his new concepts and outlooks. Therefore the people of those days called him as Gurudev.

      Kalicharan was born on 18 April of 1860 (5 Vaishak 1267) in a village called Kajigami (Kajolgaon) of Tipkai in Dhubri district of Assam (India). His father was Koularam Mech and mother was Rwndini Mech. Koularam was a timber merchant and one of the rich persons of those days. As Kalicharan grew up he become intelligent, honest and thoughtful. For there was no school nearby he got his pre-primary education in his home with a private tutor called Birnarayan Mech. Later he joined in Tipkai primary school. After passing the primary school he joined in Puthimari M. V. School. But when he got in class five his father was died. Kalicharan had come back to home although he didn't want to give up his school. The hole responsibility of home management was fall on him. He become a timber merchant as his father did. He earned lots of money. When Kalicharan was 18 years old he got married with a young girl called Kwmshri. Then he became a father of two daughters namely Dondi and Nilini. But in those days Bodo people were sought at least a son, because by their society only the sons have the rights of property and they are the owner/ guardian of a home. Therefore Kalicharan got married with another wife namely Upashi in search of son. By his fortune he got three sons and two daughters.

      Kalicharan never forgot to served his society although he was a timber merchant and almost stayed in the woods. He was in a series of thinking and analysing about his society. In those days the social conditions of Bodo people was very bad. They observed Bathou puja, Kherai puja, Garjhas where hens, pigeons, goats even pigs and wine had been sacrificed to please the gods and goddess. During wedding ceremonies there had social custom to feed large people with lots of meats and wine irrespective of rich or poor. Besides those they were not sincere in many directions. They made farms of hens and pigs in front of their house which was made surroundings a bad environment. They do thieves and dacoits. Drinking wine they spent with dirty life. On seeing such nature of Bodos some people of Assam, especially Assamese speaking people hatred to them (Bodos). They didn't allow the Bodo people to enter their hotels and tea shops. Even the shadow of  Bodos was felt to be trouble to fall on them. Kalicharan felt sorrow for such status of Bodos. Some Bodo people were thought to give up their community to escape from the hatred by the others. Some are become Christian. The Bodos of Bogribari, Panbari and Alomganz were become Islamism. Jagat mouzadar of Pargami and Shikiram thohosildar of Phuthimari were become Charaniya by giving thousands of money to saint Ananda Gokomi of Bwithamari. Kalicharan was cried in search of remedies for such situations of Bodos. His was agitating with how to uplift the Bodos society; how to reform their old age habit of drinking wine and false notions? How to make them literate; how to make a healthy society by changing their negative attitudes and superstitions? One day young Kalicharan found a religious book called Charnithya Kriya from his friend merchant Charan Mandal. The book was edited by Mohinimohan Chattapattaya, the ideology of Shivnarayan Swami, in which the main things of the Veda are highlighted in such a way that everything which is very important and effective for human kind is described here. Kalicharan read thoroughly, sensitively and he felt like he found the real thing that was in search for a long time. It was in 1905. Meanwhile the Paramhangdha Shivnarayan Swami was came to Assam for pilgrimage.  Kalicharan met him at Bagaribari at the residence of Jamindar Dewan and engaged in discourse for three days to clear his doubts in religious matter. Later Kalicharan met him again in Kolkata and remained with him for one year and become his disciple in 1906.

      Gurudev Kalicharan returned to Assam and started preaching the Brahma dharma (Religion) among the Bodo community. He first convened a public meeting by arranging Yagyahuti at Banyaguri. Ponindra Chatterjee was the principal priest, who had come from Kolkata on request of Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma. The role of Kalicharan started from that day all over the Assam, the north Eastern part of India step by step. The Brahma dharma preached by Kalicharan Brahma was free from inequalities, difference among the people, violation and worshipped The Light of Fire (luminous body) which is believed to be the absolute/ perfect form of the God, The Brahma-- The Supreme Being. It follows the deep philosophy of Vedas, Bhagawat Greta etc. Kalicharan was said "The OUM , the Brahma is the well-wisher of the entire world, in the form of fire or light. This light (fire) Brahma has created the pleasure or peace, wealth etc. as Mother Moon. As the Sun God, He has given the knowledge or wisdom to the entire world and both the Parmartik and Byabaharik activities has been done". During the reformation of the religion Kalicharan had to debate with many priests of other religion. But he never defeated, because he had perfect knowledge about the relation between the God and the religion. Thousands of Bodo people become followers of him and willingly took the Brahma dharma. Kalicharan advised them , " In pleasant and in sorrow, worshipped the Luminous (I.e. Sun or Fire) parent or called 'OUM satguru' ( a mantra of Veda for addressing God). Observed Yogya, if causes disease, take medicine by knowing the disease. Lived and do with all together. Don't take sorrow for becoming shortage of a rupee, a bundle of vegetable, a tuber of arum, a chilly, a piece of salt". He also told to give up the superstitions and said, "Worshipping to the God by sacrificing hens, pigeons, is s great sin. As sacrificed the hens and pigeons, the blood is become dry, man eat the body except the head, it is not to be found even prayed for bless. During the crisis too they blamed to the God. The more have sacrificed to the Gods, the more crisis have become endless".

      Kalicharan was not only a religious reformer, he was also a reformer of multi-dimensions of a nation. He brought a Renaissance among the Bodos with his new ideas and outlooks. He gave a clarion call to the Bodos. Many Bodo people were gathered to listen his noble advices and ideas. He founded a volunteer group to bring change in the society, to control the thieves, dacoits etc. Many Bodo volunteers ruin the wine pots and dirty farms of pigs. He asks the Bodos to give up the habit of drinking wine and laziness. He told," Bodos will not developed or progress till they have wine. Drinking wine is the lost of property, lost of economy and lost of honour ". He told everyone to give up all the bad habits and teach to accept the things only with justice. He also induced morality along with religion and said, "Women too worshipped the God; love the children and reached to love; speak the truth and reached to speak the truth; respect one's self  husband; live with love and affection". He advice to send their children to school and be learned, to do business, to do government jobs; to stay neat and clean, to become sincere in every directions and be discipline. His noble advices are  1. "There is nothing good as living by knowing the Dharma (religion). As giving up to ptay /salute the God, as forgetting to greed the parent; as making children to be cruel or unkind, everyone's bad, sorrow, diseases, crisis were becoming endless". 2. " One's self health, houses, clothes, utensils should keep neat and clean. Rice, a cow should take care". 3. " Without education a person cannot progress; the prosperity does not come in a society".

          In 1911 Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma submitted an application to the Chief Commissioner of Assam, Arsedle Earl through the D. C. A.G. Laini on requesting to get permission to write "Brahma" surname and other surnames of Bodos like Basumatary, Daimary, Boro, Narzary, Machahary etc. in the census report collected by the British government. Before that no Bodos are allowed to write their surnames in the report. Kalicharan also request to formed schools by which Chief Commissioner and DC A. G. Laini founded a weaving and carpentry associate M.E. school at Tipkai in 1912. In 1913 The Brahma Company and the Brahma Hostel was established at Dhubri by the Gurudev. Commercial loans were given to the merchant from that company to enhance and empowered in the business. In this again Bodo Students Hostel was also founded at Dhubri. These all are the fruits of Gurudev's concept and persistence. In order to make the people well-educated for the prosperity of the society , Gurudev and some intellectuals of those days submitted a memorendum to The Education Commissioner through the D.C. A.G. Laini on demanding to up grade the Tipkai M.E. school to High school and to provide a special scholarship for Bodo students in higher education to encourage them in learning. It was in 1916. In 1919 Dhubri District Bodo Students  Union was established at Kokrajhar in a students' convention adviced by the Gurudev and took a resolution for providing a financial assistance to the poor and backward students. In the evening a drama called "Nalabuha" was showed in that convention. Madaram Brahma took a role in that drama.

       Gurudev was tiredless active social reformer. His activities are like a serial planed action. In 1921 Gurudev and his followers were submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner on demanding to decrease the tex taken from the Bodo Timber Merchant, which was accepted by the British government. In this year Bodo Grand Convention (Boro Mahasanmilan) was established in a public meeting held at Bhauraguri to make the Bodos united and aware in all directions. In 1923 Farmers Association was also formed by the advice of Gurudev. This association brought a revolution among the farmers. Weaving Center and Village Development Committee was founded in 1925. Many Bodos got job in these centers to support their lives. Village Development committee serve as parent body to guide and developed the social lives. The 2nd Bodo Grand Convention was held ar Rangiya. A resolution to added the Goalpara district with Assam was passed in this convention and a memorandum was submitted to the British Government on demanding it. In 1926 the Bodos Exhibition was held at Rupshi of Dhubri district for the first time. Mahatma Gandhi who had come to Pandu 41st Congress Comference visited to this exhibition and met Gurudev Kalicahran Brahma i.e. Kalicharan Mech. Gandhiji appreciated the beautiful culture and social life of Bodos lead by the Gurudev. From that day Gurudev was also called as Mech-Gandhi.

     In 1928 British Government sent a statutory commission known as Simon Commission to reorganize the governing system of India. Gurudev though to take chance to fulfilled the needs and rights of the backward people. He called a public meeting at Titabor and took a resolution to submit a memorandum on demanding some rights/opportunities and special treatments for Bodos and other backward Tribes of Assam. But there was no single Bodo person that can write a memorandum in English. Therefore Kalicharan request to a lawyer Chakrabarti, a Begali lawyer. But he refused to write on the contrary he discourage them. Feeling helpless Kalicharan again request to another lawyer called Giasuddin Ahmed. Luckily Giasuddin agreed and wrote a memorandum as Gurudev's directions and arguments in English. This memorandum is the security belt of the Tribes of Assam. In real sense, it is the great mile stone of the Enlarging Bodo community in the world. On 4th January, 1929, the six member team viz. (1) Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma, (2) Subedar Sardar Bahadur Belbungram Kachari, (3) Baburam Brahma, (4) Jadab Chandra Khakhlary, (5) Karandra Narayan Mandal (Brahma) and (6) Giasuddin Ahamed went to Shillong and submitted the memorandum containing 11 demands. The main features of the demands are to have separate category in census report for Bodos, separate representative & seat reservation in central legislature with other political problems, a compulsory pre-primary education, special scholarship for going facility for higher education for Bodos, special treatment in employment, preservation of ethical identity of Bodos and a Military Regiment of Bodos. Simon Commission agreed all the demands except Bodo regiment. Again, as previous years in 1929 the 3rd Bodo Grand Convention was held at Rowmari Jyoti Ashram under the presiding of Jadab Ch. Khakhlary. From the resolution taken in this convention taking rupees 300 of money as dowry during the marriage of daughter was minimized to rupees 51 only. But in that convention Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma and Pwrlang Babaji (Nepal Ch. Brahmachari) were debated in between them by taking Bodos habit of playing Kham, Jotha, Sifung etc. (these are Bodos musical instruments) and dances. Pwrlang's mind was in agitated while he heard Gurudev's asking the people to get-rid from using those musical instruments and stand against that proposal of Gurudev. Many authors claimed that Gurudev was not asking to stay away from playing those instruments or performing traditional acts, but he asked to use the things in right way in right time and in right place. He told his followers not to play cultural tools while praying to God, as those can dilute our  concentration towards God. 

       The 4th Bodo Grand Convention was held at kajigami, the birth place of Gurudev. In this convention the first Bodos Social Constitution (Pandulifi) prescribed by Gurudev was accepted. In 1935 British Government reorganized the Indian Governing system according to the report given by the Simon Commission. In this new Indian constitution of British government the seat of the representative has also been reserved for the Tribal people of Assam which was one of the Gurudev's demand. due to this reservation Rupnath Brahma was elected as MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly) in legislative Assembly election of 1937. He got an opportunity to serve his own people, to fulfill their needs and rights; a door was opened. Seeing the neat and clean habit of living and gradual progress of Bodos, the hatred of other community was decreased. For the increasing of the learned person among the Bodos, people of other race gave honour to them was a kind of  proud memory of Gurudev's contribution. This will not be the over statement if we say, these all achievements are due to the Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma. We can call him as the First Brightest Star ever risen on the horizon of the Bodos. Although he was a preacher of Brahma religion, his contribution were not only for the Brahma Religious people, not only for the Bodo people but for all the backward tribes of Assam. He re-founded the Pillar of the Bodos as well as the tribes of Assam. 

        The Great Guru, Kalicharan Brahma passed away on 9th May of 1938 (25th Vaishakh of 1347). But His noble deeds were remained in the world which are always for peace and prosperity of the mankind and other living things; which always targets to the sustainable development. ###

Bibliography: 

1. Mohini Mahan Brahma: Samaj Phwsabgiri Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma.

2. Magazines