Volume II,Special Issue, April 10, 2026
Volume-II, Special Issue, April, 2026 |
Received: 04.04.2026 | Accepted: 07.04.2026 | ||
Published Online: 10.04.2026 | Page No: | ||
DOI: 10.69655/atmadeep.vol.2.specialissue.W. | |||
খেতুরি মহোৎসব
পরবর্তী সময়ে বঙ্গে বৈষ্ণব-সংস্কৃতি
ড. অনুপমা করণ, স্বাধীন গবেষক,পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, ভারত |
Vaishnava Culture in Bengal in the Post-Kheturi Festival Period Dr. Anupama Karan, Independent Research Scholar, West Bengal, India | ||
ABSTRACT | ||
The
article explores the historical and cultural significance of the Kheturi Mahotsav, organized by Narottam Das Thakur in 1582
at Kheturi village in present-day Rajshahi. Narottam, after
studying devotional scriptures under Jiva
Goswami in Vrindavan, returned to Kheturi
and established shrines to Krishna, Radha, and Chaitanya. To mark these
installations, he invited all branches of the Vaishnava community, creating
what became the first large-scale Vaishnava assembly in Bengal. Despite initial
doubts from Srinivas Acharya about the feasibility of such a grand event, the
festival drew unprecedented participation, including leading Goswamis,
Mahantas, and devotees from across Bengal. The Mahotsav was notable for its
inclusivity. Invitations were extended universally, disregarding caste or
sectarian divisions. Eminent figures such as Jahnava Devi, Vishnupriya Devi,
and Achyutananda, son of Advaita Acharya, attended, lending immense prestige.
The event symbolized Bengal’s first ‘national conference’, breaking social
barriers by welcoming Brahmins, Kayasthas, Vaidyas, Shudras, and even Muslims
into the Vaishnava fold. Raja Santosh Dutta provided hospitality, while
Narottam’s revolutionary stance challenged Brahmanical orthodoxy by accepting
Brahmin disciples despite his Kayastha origin. This sparked controversy but
ultimately broadened Vaishnavism’s social base. The Mahotsav also marked a
cultural turning point. It restructured kirtan traditions, incorporating
elements of North Indian classical music such as dhrupad and khayal. Narottam’s
musical expertise helped systematize devotional singing, shaping the future of
Bengali Vaishnava culture. In the aftermath, Gaudiya Vaishnavism spread widely
across Bengal. Marginalized groups, including Shudras and Muslims, found
dignity and inclusion through initiation by Goswamis. Practices such as
accepting food from lower-caste disciples further eroded rigid caste
hierarchies. Though internal conflicts between Vrindavan Goswamis and Bengal’s
sects persisted, the Kheturi Mahotsav became a
landmark in religious and social transformation. It symbolized both the
consolidation of Gaudiya Vaishnavism and the democratization of spiritual
practice in Bengal. | ||
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