Ram Thakur

Ram Thakur ( Rāma ṭhākura ) (Bengali: রামঠাকুর ) (2 February 1860 - 1 May 1949) born Ram Chandra Chakraborty (Bengali: রাম চন্দ্র চক্রবর্তী), was an Indian mystic during 19th century India. His disciples believe that to save and salvage human beings from the unending and unbearable pains and misery, injustice and corruption of the materialistic world, the almighty god comes in human form to this world from time to time. The Savior shows the right path to set them free from their predicament. They also believe that the savior by his/her divine love and by demonstrating the ideal way of life, he/she uplifts the ordinary human folk to extraordinary level of spiritual enlightenment and God-consciousness. For the disciples of Ram Thakur, he is their savior.

Thakur's followers believe that he was an Avatar or incarnation of God. He is their most revered " Kaivalyanath" or " Satyanarayan". According to their belief he took the human form for the spiritual uplift of all irrespective of religion, caste and class. A considerable section of his followers were the so-called 'untouchables' and people of other religions (Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist etc.). Most of them were drawn towards him fascinated by his magnetic divine personality, his magnanimity & affection for all and also by his pleasant personality.

He said that to attain "Brahma", the supreme being, requires a lot of perseverance and practice of the ways and means demonstrated by a great soul. Renunciation of Samsara (material world) is not the only path to realize the Self. God-consciousness may be achieved by chanting of Maha-Nama within this mundane world by means of hard work without attachment.

Biography

The disciples of Ramthakur believe that he appeared in 'human form' in undivided Bengal in the middle of 19th Century to give salvation to all. Though he was a well known saint, little is known about him outside West Bengal and Bangladesh as he was against any kind of publicity about himself. Millions of followers flocked to him for his advice and spiritual guidance. People of the undivided Bengal could know about his proclaimed divine personality only from the writings of poet Nabin Chandra Sen (who was also a sub-divisional Magistrate of Feni, Bangladesh at that time) and from books and articles which were written by a few senior disciples from their recollections about Ramthakur. All of them divided his life into three phases:

First phase

Ramthakur was born in the famous Bidyalankar family at Dingamanik, in Faridpur district, Bangladesh, in the month of Magha, 1266 B.S (2 February 1860) on Thursday, the 10th of the New Moon with Rohini (Aldebaran) in the ascendant. His father Sri Radhamadhab Chakravarty was an ascetic, devoted to penance according to the tantras. His mother Srimati Kamala Devi had a frank and simple nature. Ramthakur had two elder brothers, one twin younger brother named Lakshman who died at early age and one sister.

Ramthakur was from his early years different from the others. He, since his boyhood, always liked to be alone with himself. His chief pastime was worshiping the gods and goddesses. His schooling at the primary institution was brief. As a boy he felt strongly attached to, and was deeply loved, by his father's spiritual guide Sri Mrityunjoy Nyayapanchanan, who died one year after his father's death. Ramthakur was then only 8 years old. Soon after, on the third day of the New Moon of Vaishakha, he was initiated by the Guru in ways considered subtle and mysterious. A few years after, he met the Guru at Kamakshya, Assam.

Second phase

The second period of Ramthakur's life is shrouded in mystery. From Kamakshya he disappeared with his Guru to return home after 8–10 years. During this period he visited several places at Himalayas and other places. Soon after he probably went to Noakhali, Bangladesh, and spent a few years there and at Feni, Bangladesh, where Poet Nabin Chandra Sen met him. He was then 26/27 years old. Immediately after, he disappeared again to reappear in Kolkata around 1902-'03.

When his mother died in 1903, he was in Kalighat . He next spent a few years in the well-known village of Uttarpara in the suburbs of Kolkata and one day disappeared from there. Ramthakur and his twin brother Lakshmanthakur were unmarried.

Third phase

For more than a year he was on walking tours in the south, and returned home probably towards the end of 1907 or beginning of 1908. From this time till his passing away, during various crises like the two World Wars, riots, famines, political movements, nuclear explosion and British repression, He stood by the suffering humanity giving them constant courage, hope and blessings while moving from door to door. He was adored and revered by both the Hindus and people of other religion, irrespective of their faith. Ramthakur used to stress constantly on the efficacy of the repetitions of the Lord's Holy Name as a spiritual discipline and penance for all ills which subsequently would lead to God and eternal peace.

During the last few years of his life, in spite of his frail health, the tempo of Ramthakur's ministrations increased tremendously. His grace overflowed and touched the lives of thousands of men. Ramthakur died on the third day of the New Moon of Vaishakha 18, 1356 B.S (May 1, 1949) at Chaumohani, a town in the District of Noakhali, Bangladesh. His holy remains were laid to rest at Chaumohani, where a hermitage named Samadhi Mandir has been established as per his desire.

References

• Sri Ram Thakur Premanjali by Mr. Sunit Banerji of Navi Mumbai
• Satya Narayaner Panchali by Ram Thakur
• Guru Geeta by Ram Thakur
• Ramayana by Ram Thakur
• Ram Thakurer Jeeban Katha by Sri Mohendra Chakraborty