Social Scientist
History of Kabirpanth: A Regional Process by Purnendu RanjanReview by: Hetukar JhaSocial Scientist, Vol. 37, No. 3/4 (Mar. - Apr., 2009), pp. 77-79Published by: Social ScientistStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27748589 .
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Book Reviews
In this section, the author further highlights the plight of the Bengali Muslim
population which chose to 'stay on' in West Bengal. This is an aspect often
ignored by scholars studying both?Partition of Punjab and also that of Bengal.
Chatterji's account, however, seeks to fill in this lacuna. She shows how the
Muslims in West Bengal were able to transform what seemed to be their
weakness, into their strength; thereby becoming important players in the post Partition politics in Bengal.
The final section is a theme most recurrent in Chatterji's works till date?the
post-Partition politics in Bengal, and how the Congress lost its early advantage, to finally bequeath power to the Left parties. She is able to show how the
infighting in the Bengal Congress and the mass disappointment developing at
the ground level, finally undid the Congress. These factors proved to be highly
advantageous to the Left parties who finally took over from the Congress after
two decades of a rather sorry state of administration.
Thus, the book brings to light a very complete picture of the Partition of
Bengal?from the politics involved before Partition to that after it. We are also
made aware of the problems faced by the displaced persons in Bengal, not
neglecting the case of the Muslim minority as well. Thereby, to a great extent,
justifying the title of the book.
Pallavi Chakravarty, Department of History, Delhi University, Delhi
Purnendu Ranjan, History of Kabirpanth: A Regional Process, Anamika
Publishers, New Delhi, 2008; 285 pages
The attention of social scientists (including historians) drawn towards the need
of undertaking the study of the traditions of religions and religious sects in the
country is relatively scanty though the number of such traditions is excessively
large and the socio-political problems arising out of their activities are quite acute. The present work is quite welcome in this context. The author has selected a region (Mithila, that is, north eastern Bihar for his study) that has remained,
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Social Scientist
perhaps, one of the least researched areas from the points of view of social
sciences in the country. By incorporating the perspectives and methodology of
sociology and anthropology, the author has distinctly enriched his study of the
emergence and growth of Kabirpanth in a region where the followers of the
Vedic order commanded high spiritual and intellectual reputation at the
national level and political as well as economic power at the local level for the last
many centuries.
The first chapter, 'Introduction', contains the description of the objective ("to trace the history of Kabirpanth at the regional level.describe its growth in a chronological sequence", p.19) and sources (oral as well as written) of study, a brief account of a few previous studies available so far and a historical view of
the region studied. The author should have given more space to this part of the
chapter. Mithila exists today as a cultural region. The patterns of
interrelationship of different cultural and religious traditions prevailing here
should have been mentioned which could help in understanding the emergence of Kabirpanth in the seventeenth century.
The second chapter includes the details of the entry of this panth in Mithila, how did it spread, how its different branches were established, the socio
economic backgrounds of the followers of different gaddis, etc. The author
conducted extensive field work in the villages to collect data in this context. He
consulted the written accounts available in some of the Maths and interviewed a
large number of Mahanths and their disciples. This chapter is packed with quite valuable materials which contribute to our knowledge of this sect a great deal.
The third chapter deals with the organizational structure of this panth in the
region. The author has also included the description of the organization of
physical space in the math indicating its difference with that of the temple or the
math oi other Hindu traditions. Such aspects of the math as the functions of its
different members, sources of income, internal cohesion and differences, etc., have
also been discussed. In the fourth chapter, the author has described the myths, rituals and symbols in Kabirpanth. It is not surprising to find out that the symbols are drawn from the stock of those of the various traditions of Hindu world.
However, to what extent the construction of rituals and myths depends on Kabir's
philosophy and how much it has been influenced by other Hindu sects is not clear.
The author has depended to a large extent on the theories developed in the West in
this context. In the fifth chapter, the author has cited the cases of Kabirpanthis' interest and involvement in local as well as regional politics, a venture that is not a
part of Kabirpanth's concern. The details narrated in this chapter indicate that
Kabirpanthis' socio-economic interests pave the way for the adoption of political
activity by Kabirpanth. In conclusion, the author has pointed out the constraints
such as paucity of materials, and the issues such as the details of conversion
process, "internal stratification within the panth", etc.
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Book Reviews
The book also raises some important questions. Why did the disciples of
Kabir decide against the wish of Kabir, to establish Kabirpanth7. And, how of all
the regions of (north)India Mithila was selected for starting Kabirpanthi activities by Bhagodas and Jagodas, two of the first four disciples of Kabir?
Besides, Kabirpanth and caste order seem to be inextricably joined together since
the seventeenth century in north Bihar. If the same situation also prevails in
other regions, then, to what extent Kabirpanthi rituals, symbols, etc., affect
individual level inter-caste relationships in the villages? Can Kabirpanthis
participation in peasant movement be explained simply in terms of their being
Kabirpanthis7. If not, which identity is more important in village life -
Kabirpanthi or caste or peasant? The internal conflict (of interest) has been
described as a cause of the proliferation of Kabirpanthi branches (for example, the case of Krishna Karakhi Gaddiy pp.65-70). It seems necessary, under the
circumstances, to examine how far the present structure and function of
Kabirpanth as a whole have deviated from the initial stage? This exercise can also
reveal the causes of the emergence of different branches and gaddis of the panth.
Hetukar Jha, formerly Professor of Sociology, Patna University, Patna
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