Boro Maa
Boro Maa | |
|---|---|
| Personal life | |
| Born | Binapani Devi[1] 1918 |
| Died | 5 March 2019 (aged 100–101) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Honors | Banga Bibhushan (2018) |
| Religious life | |
| Founder of | Thakurnagar |
| Philosophy | Swayam Dikshiti |
| Senior posting | |
| Guru | Harichand Thakur |
Disciples | |
Boro Maa (translation:Elder mother, an epithet for universal mother) (1918–5 March 2019) was a matriach of the Matua Mahasangha. Her original name was Binapani Devi Thakur. She established the community's new capital at Thakurnagar.
Career
Boro Maa was born in 1918 in Jabdakathi village, Barishal District, Bengal Presidency. In 1933, she married Pramatha Ranjan Thakur, a great-grandson of Harichand Thakur, the founder of Matua Mahasangha.[1]
In 1947, India became independent and the province of Bengal was partitioned into Muslim majority East Bengal (which became a part of Pakistan and later became Bangladesh) and Hindu majority West Bengal (which became a state of India). In the following year, Boro Maa along with her family and a large chunk of Matuas migrated to West Bengal. Along with her husband, she created a refugee colony at Thakurnagar for the displaced Matuas.[1]
In 1990, Boro Maa's husband died. She became the chief adviser and matriach of the community. In the following years, she spread the teachings of Harichand Thakur across India.[1][2]
On 15 March 2010, Boro Maa appointed Mamata Banerjee (the then future Chief Minister of West Bengal) as the chief patron of the community.[3] In November 2018, she was awarded Banga Bibhushan, the highest civilian award of West Bengal.[4]
On 5 March 2019, Boro Maa died at Kolkata.[5] Her funeral was held with full state honours on 7 March and a gun salute was given to her by the state government.[6] Upon her death, her daughter-in-law Mamata Thakur was appointed pro tem adviser of the community.[7]
Personal life
Boro Maa's elder son Kapil Krishna Thakur represented Bongaon constituency in Indian parliament in 2014 as a candidate of Trinamool Congress.[8] After his death, his wife Mamata Thakur was elected. Boro Maa's younger son Majulkrishna Thakur defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2015.[9]
References
- ^ a b c d "মাতৃহারা হলেন মতুয়ারা, জেনে নিন বড়মার জীবনকথা" [Matua community looses their mother, know more about Boro Maa's life] (in Bengali). News18. 5 March 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
- ^ "বড়মার জন্মদিনে ঐক্যের বার্তা" [Message of unity in Boro Maa's birthday] (in Bengali). Calcutta News. 15 November 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
- ^ "Mahasabha boost for Mamata Chief patron of group once wooed by Left". The Telegraph. 15 March 2010. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
- ^ Kundu, Indrajit (15 November 2018). "Mamata woos Hindu refugees in West Bengal, announces slew of sops". India Today. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
- ^ "মতুয়া সম্প্রদায়ের বড়মা বীণাপাণি আর নেই" [Matua community's Boro Maa is no more] (in Bengali). The Daily Ittefaq. 5 March 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
- ^ "Boro Ma last rites held with full state honours". The Asian Age. 8 March 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
- ^ "Kolkata: Legacy of Binapani Devi holds key to electoral gains in several districts". The Indian Express. 8 March 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
- ^ "RIP Kapil Krishna Thakur – Trinamool MP and Matua scion". Trinamool Congress. 13 October 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
- ^ "Last Rites of Matua Matriarch Binapani Devi Held With Full State Honours, Gun Salute". News18. 7 March 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2019.