New Delhi: In its manifesto for poll-bound Tripura, the BJP has promised to set up ‘Anukulchandra Canteens’ across the state. These will provide subsidised food thrice a day at Rs 5 per meal — similar to the Amma canteens of Tamil Nadu and Maa canteens of West Bengal.
BJP president J.P. Nadda released the manifesto Thursday. Tripura goes to polls on 16 February, while votes will be counted on 2 March.
But why would a scheme for a poll-bound northeastern state be named after Thakur Anukul Chandra, a religious leader who propounded an order with its seat in Deoghar, Jharkhand? That’s because Tripura has a sizeable number of followers of the order.
Deoghar is where Chandra’s family and the current leader of the sect, Aacharyadev Arkadyuti Chakravarty alias Babai Da, reside. It is a family-led religious order, which means that members of Anukul Chandra’s family continue to hold sway.
In a largely non-vegetarian state, Anukul Chandra followers are obliged to become vegetarian — the reason why many low-cost vegetarian hotels in the state are named after Anukul Chandra to advertise their shunning of non-vegetarian items.
Earlier this week, on a visit to Deoghar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had visited the Thakur Anukul Chandra Satsang Ashram and also held a meeting with Chakravarty. The timing of the visit had caused speculation about a link to Tripura elections.
Many in the state find a resonance between BJP’s wooing of the followers of Anukul Chandra in Tripura and its outreach to the Matua community in West Bengal.
Last month, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia gave approval to a direct flight between Agartala and Deoghar. Former CM Biplab Deb tweeted: “Thank you, Hon’ble Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri @JM_Scindia Ji for your kind response to my request for flight operation from Deoghar to Agartala and return from Agartala-Deoghar-Delhi and for sharing it with all scheduled domestic airlines for favourable consideration.”
Deb is known to be an Anukul Chandra acolyte.
One of three important Hindu orders
Anukul Chandra’s is one of three dominant orders in the state, which has over 30 lakh Hindus, according to the 2011 census. It has a significant following in West Bengal and Jharkhand as well.
Others with significant following are the Ramakrishna Mission and Swami Swaroopananda.
Born in 1888 in Pabna district of what is now Bangladesh, Anukul Chandra Chakravarty, believers say, was something of a child prodigy, making his own fountain pen at a tender age and even a motor that actually worked. He went on to become a physician of some repute, but the real turn happened when, at the peak of his medical career, he set up a kirtan group and his followers increased by leaps and bounds.
Music is one of the core forms in which his followers continue to practise what he had preached. They are also required to set aside a little money every day to donate at the end of the year — a practice that sometimes draws parallels to zakat (the Islamic practice of setting aside a sum for charity).
Vegetarianism is another key requirement with anybody who is allowed to give diksha — a ceremony of ordainment.
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
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