Cultural functions, Tableau, Anandabazar: Satsang Vihar’s annual ‘Utsav’ continues to grow bigger  

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Anukul Thakur’s birth anniversary celebration has emerged as an event of huge importance in Barak Valley. The celebration is getting bigger with time and the participation is increasing by huge numbers year-on-year. Satsang Vihar Ashram in Ashram Road Silchar, celebrated 130 birth anniversary and 40th foundation day on February 10 and 11, 2018.

On February 22, 1978 ‘Borda’ (Amarendranath Chakravarty) inaugurated the Satsang Vihar Temple in Silchar by unveiling ‘Thakur’s’ (Anukulchandra Chakravarty) idol. Since then Thakur’s birth anniversary and foundation day is celebrated on February 22. But as the board examinations are now scheduled on late February or early March, so, ‘Babai Da’ (Arkadyuti Chakravarty) suggested Silchar Satsang Vihar committee to conclude the celebrations on or before the second Sunday of February and thus the function is organised on 10 and 11 February instead of the usual 22nd February.

Tableau of ‘Thakur’, ‘Borda’ and ‘Boroma’ (Sorashibala Devi, Thakur’s wife) marched from Ashram Road to National Highway to Premtala and then back to Ashram, the procession started at 11 o’clock in the morning and reached back to Satsang Vihar Ashram at 12 noon. About 25 thousand people participated in the procession. About one lakh devotees are estimated to collect prasad (Anandabazar) over the two days. Yesterday (February 10), the gathering in the temple premises saw famous singer Pankaj Dutta performing live, even today there are a set of cultural programmes including Pintu Das Baul, Jyotsna Biswas and others in the lineup.

“We have also organised an interactive question answer round between the attendees and ‘Rithvik’s’ to clear any doubt that the devotee has in his or her mind. We will also have talks depicting the importance of spirituality on today’s time,” said senior member of organising committee, Champak Dutta.

He also informed that the ‘Utsav’ (joyous occasion) is growing day by day in terms of number of participation, “‘Dada (Ashok Chakravarty) told me that the way this Utsav is growing soon you will need to find a way of organising the Utsav in a bigger area. The temple premises won’t be enough anymore…” informed Dutta.

Thakur Anukulchandra was born on September 14, 1888, he was a homeopathic physician by profession. He had immense command over science and was often called as born scientist by his peers, his affection towards fellow human being popularised him an embodiment of love (Porom Premomoy). He started his social movement ‘Satsang’ in Himatipur, Pabna, Bangladesh, and his devotees started addressing him as ‘fulfiller’ or ‘the best of time’ (Purushottam).

On September 2, 1946 just before the partition of India, Thakur had to shift his base from his birthplace in Pabna to Deogarh. He then registered his Satang under the ‘Indian Societies Registration Act 1860’. Thakur died on January 27, 1969. The Satsang is now managed by ‘Dada’ Ashok Chakravarty (Grandson of thakur Anukulchandra).