Bratachari movement
Encyclopedia
The Bratachari movement was a movement for spiritual and social improvement in India
initiated by Gurusaday Dutt
in 1932. The movement aimed at raising the self-esteem and national awareness among people of undivided India irrespective of religion, caste, sex or age. It was a comprehensive programme of physical, mental, and intellectual culture based on the best folk traditions of physical exercise, art, dance, drama, music, singing and social service. The movement aimed to nurture the mind and the body and to encourage people to work for national and individual improvement through encouraging traditional and folk culture, especially folk dance and folk song and also to create a sense of world citizenship. The Bratacharis undertake to perform good deeds, strengthen fellowship and develop the mind and body through dance.
Bratachari purports to present a complete synthesis of life, an integrated system of culture consisting of a complete
philosophy of life, coupled with and expressed through a simple scheme of practical training and discipline for the building
up of the inner life and character as well as the body, or in other words, for the simultaneous and harmonious cultivation
of the body and soul of man.
"Brata" signifies a solemn or sacred purpose, ideal or objective which is pursued as a joyous rhythmic ritual simultaneously
through an integrated employment of thought, word, and physical movement, and is also used to signify the combined joyous
integrated ritual itself. "Chari" denotes one who pursues a purpose, ideal or objective. According to the Bratachari, the whole
of life should be regarded as a Brata and should be pursued as a complete wholeand as an integrated ritual, inspired by a
noble purpose which is at once spiritual and practical. The single Brata or solemn purpose and ritual of life is divided into
five Bratas representing a five-fold path in the complete realisation of life which, however, must be pursued simultaneously
and not in separate compartments. The five Bratas are : Knowledge, Labour, Truth, Unity and Joy. The name Bratachari
thus denotes one who has solemnly undertaken the duty of buildingt up his or her life through the systematic and integrated
pursuit to the five Bratas.
The ultimate object of a Bratachari is, therefore, the attainment of the ideal of the complete man by attaining perfection
in self-development in all spheres of life - physical, mental, moral and social; or in other words, the attainment of the ideal
of a perfect citizen of the World. It is, at the same time an essential principle of the Bratachari creed that before one can
be a complete citizen of the World, one must, in the first instance, be a complete citizen of a particular regional unit.
The movement seeks to create in each country a Nation-wide discipline of common citizenship among persons of both sexes,
of all castes and creeds and of all ages, by developing a high standard of character, physical fitness in ideal and practice,
the pursuit of constructive work, an observance of the dignity of labour and a joyous community spirit through common participation
in national dances and songs as well as community dances and community songs.
. The monthly magazine Bratachari Barta of the Bratachari movement, was published by the Faridpur Bratachari Samiti from November 1934 onwards. Subsequently in 1936, the monthly "Banglar Shakti" started being published by The Bengal Bratachari Society. It was revived in 2003 and the present Editor is Naresh Banerjee, one of the biographers of Gurusaday Dutt.
The headquarters of the movement is in Kolkata
. But it is now independently growing in Bangladesh, particularly in Sylhet and Dhaka, where Bratachari training has been incoporated into the Bangladesh Education system.
The All Bengal Bratachari Training camp is held annually at Bratacharigram in Joka, Kolkata
, India. Teachers and youths from all over undergo training in the Bratachari system of education.
On the 125th birth anniversary of Gurusaday Dutt
in 2006, the Bengal Bratachari Society organised a torch rally from his birthplace in Bangladesh to his workplace in West Bengal. 19 Bangladeshi Bratacharis participated in the rally. The Banglaladeshi group started their rally on 19/12/2006 from Birasri in Sylhet, the birthplace of Gurusaday Dutt, and ran for the next 3 days until they reached Banapol port on the border of India. On the Indian side, 5000 Bratacharis were waiting to receive the Bangladeshi Bratacharis. Two leaders from the two Banglas, exchanged their greetings by exchanging two flamed torches. 'Md.Fahad Bin Aziz Chowdhury', a relative of Gurusaday Dutt, was the team leader in the "International Torch Rally" from Bangladesh.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
initiated by Gurusaday Dutt
Gurusaday Dutt
Gurusaday Dutt was a civil servant, politician, folklorist, and writer.-Early Life and education:He was the son of the Ramkrishna Dutt Chaudhuri and Anandamayee Debi...
in 1932. The movement aimed at raising the self-esteem and national awareness among people of undivided India irrespective of religion, caste, sex or age. It was a comprehensive programme of physical, mental, and intellectual culture based on the best folk traditions of physical exercise, art, dance, drama, music, singing and social service. The movement aimed to nurture the mind and the body and to encourage people to work for national and individual improvement through encouraging traditional and folk culture, especially folk dance and folk song and also to create a sense of world citizenship. The Bratacharis undertake to perform good deeds, strengthen fellowship and develop the mind and body through dance.
In the words of the Founder
Gurusaday Dutt, the Founder of the movement, in his book "The Bratachari Synthesis"(first published in 1937) wroteBratachari purports to present a complete synthesis of life, an integrated system of culture consisting of a complete
philosophy of life, coupled with and expressed through a simple scheme of practical training and discipline for the building
up of the inner life and character as well as the body, or in other words, for the simultaneous and harmonious cultivation
of the body and soul of man.
"Brata" signifies a solemn or sacred purpose, ideal or objective which is pursued as a joyous rhythmic ritual simultaneously
through an integrated employment of thought, word, and physical movement, and is also used to signify the combined joyous
integrated ritual itself. "Chari" denotes one who pursues a purpose, ideal or objective. According to the Bratachari, the whole
of life should be regarded as a Brata and should be pursued as a complete wholeand as an integrated ritual, inspired by a
noble purpose which is at once spiritual and practical. The single Brata or solemn purpose and ritual of life is divided into
five Bratas representing a five-fold path in the complete realisation of life which, however, must be pursued simultaneously
and not in separate compartments. The five Bratas are : Knowledge, Labour, Truth, Unity and Joy. The name Bratachari
thus denotes one who has solemnly undertaken the duty of buildingt up his or her life through the systematic and integrated
pursuit to the five Bratas.
The ultimate object of a Bratachari is, therefore, the attainment of the ideal of the complete man by attaining perfection
in self-development in all spheres of life - physical, mental, moral and social; or in other words, the attainment of the ideal
of a perfect citizen of the World. It is, at the same time an essential principle of the Bratachari creed that before one can
be a complete citizen of the World, one must, in the first instance, be a complete citizen of a particular regional unit.
The movement seeks to create in each country a Nation-wide discipline of common citizenship among persons of both sexes,
of all castes and creeds and of all ages, by developing a high standard of character, physical fitness in ideal and practice,
the pursuit of constructive work, an observance of the dignity of labour and a joyous community spirit through common participation
in national dances and songs as well as community dances and community songs.
The Movement
The movement was propagated by the Bengal Bratachari Society which was started by Gurusaday Dutt. It has its office at 191/1, Bepin Behari Ganguly Street, Kolkata 700 012, India. Bratachari societies were established in many places of undivided BengalBengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
. The monthly magazine Bratachari Barta of the Bratachari movement, was published by the Faridpur Bratachari Samiti from November 1934 onwards. Subsequently in 1936, the monthly "Banglar Shakti" started being published by The Bengal Bratachari Society. It was revived in 2003 and the present Editor is Naresh Banerjee, one of the biographers of Gurusaday Dutt.
The headquarters of the movement is in Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
. But it is now independently growing in Bangladesh, particularly in Sylhet and Dhaka, where Bratachari training has been incoporated into the Bangladesh Education system.
The All Bengal Bratachari Training camp is held annually at Bratacharigram in Joka, Kolkata
Joka, Kolkata
Joka, Kolkata is a locality in South West Kolkata, India. The locality is home to one of India's premier management institute - Indian Institute of Management Calcutta....
, India. Teachers and youths from all over undergo training in the Bratachari system of education.
On the 125th birth anniversary of Gurusaday Dutt
Gurusaday Dutt
Gurusaday Dutt was a civil servant, politician, folklorist, and writer.-Early Life and education:He was the son of the Ramkrishna Dutt Chaudhuri and Anandamayee Debi...
in 2006, the Bengal Bratachari Society organised a torch rally from his birthplace in Bangladesh to his workplace in West Bengal. 19 Bangladeshi Bratacharis participated in the rally. The Banglaladeshi group started their rally on 19/12/2006 from Birasri in Sylhet, the birthplace of Gurusaday Dutt, and ran for the next 3 days until they reached Banapol port on the border of India. On the Indian side, 5000 Bratacharis were waiting to receive the Bangladeshi Bratacharis. Two leaders from the two Banglas, exchanged their greetings by exchanging two flamed torches. 'Md.Fahad Bin Aziz Chowdhury', a relative of Gurusaday Dutt, was the team leader in the "International Torch Rally" from Bangladesh.