Life of the master
The founder of Satsang, Anukulchandra Chakravarty was born in Pabna (now a part of Bangladesh) in 1888, same year as Krishnamacharya.
His mother Manomohini Devi was extremely devout since childhood. She was initiated into a holy name by a saint from the Radhasoami cult of Dayal Bag Satsang, Agra in her childhood. His father was a simple, pious and kind-hearted man. So he grew up in a kind and spiritual environment.
From his childhood anukulchandra showed mysteriously uncanny abilities and tendencies. One day when he was very young his mother was about to visit a neighbour’s newborn baby. On knowing her intentions child Anukulchandra remarked that it was worthless seeing the baby as it will die soon. His words came true as the child did not live more than 18 days.
He showed leadership qualities, scientific prowess and immense devotion for his mother since childhood.
His formal education began in 1893 in Himaitpur village (Pabna), and he completed his degree in homeopathic medicine in 1911. He started his practice in Himaitpur in 1911, serving the common people. His fame grew as a miraculous physician.
In 1913, he was initiated into spiritual practice by his mother, after which he began doing intense kirtan. He slowly gathered friends and companions in his kirtan. As his group increased, in 1915, his mother gave a term to the movement “Satsang“.
In the years between 1914 and 1919, Anukulchandra, while performing kirtan went into trance. It is said that during these episodes of trance, utterances would come out of his mouth, which were recorded by his devotees.
In 1919 he went into a mission mode, with an aim to spread his dharma. His three guiding principles were ‘Jajan’, ‘Jaajan’ and ‘Ishtavritti’.
He set up a school,arts and science colleges in Pabna to provide education for the community.
Then in 1925, Satsang, was officially registered as a charitable institution in British India. He began the Satsang kala kendra to promote arts.
In 1946, Anukulchandra, moved to Deoghar with few of his devotees and family members because of poor health.
The partition in 1947 led to the formation of Bangladesh, after which it became impossible to go back to Pabna because of obvious reasons.
The ashram at Pabna along with the property was acquired gradually in phases by the then government of Pakistan and the minuscule compensation offered to Satsang was politely turned down by Thakur.
The Satsang was rebuilt in Deoghar and was registered in 1951 again in free India.
Many eminent personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Dr Rajendra Prasad, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee met him and were influenced by him.
He gladly served people as much as he could and in 27 January 1969, he breathed his last. Acknowledging his contribution, the Government of India released a commemorative postage stamp, in 1987.
Organization
Satsang, as an organisation was founded in 1951 in free India, in Deoghar. The centre in Deoghar acts as the headquarters of the organisation.
It has its own administrative office, free community kitchen (Anandabazar), charitable hospital, school, college, publishing house, pharmaceutical laboratory, engineering and mechanical workshop, carpentry unit, garage, Goshala (cowshed) and museums etc.
Since then it has grown very rapidly, and currently it has more than two thousand branches located in India, Bangladesh, Burma, Europe, Middle East, South East Asia, Africa and America. These centers are known as Satsang Vihars and Satsang Kendras.
Satsang celebrates utsavs regularly to commemorate the birth anniversaries of Thakur, his wife, his son and the current head acharya of the organisation. It also celebrate important life events of Thakur anukulchandra. Satsang also organizes football tournaments, annual sports, cultural competitions among children, painting exhibitions in consonance with its express support for every normal mode of sports and culture that give healthy enjoyment to body and mind.
Teachings
Although thakur didnt write much, his teachings were published by his followers. The most well known of his teachings is “Satyanusaran“, which was spoken by him to a devotee Atulchandra Bhattacharya, in 1910.
Teachings given by him throughout his life have been published by his devotees. There are 19 such publications in prose form and many more in poetry form which was given by him. They are in Bengali, English, Hindi primarily but also have been translated to countless languages by their devotees.
Their main publication Satyanusaran is available to be bought online. It is also available for free in their website.
Satsang brings out five magazines every month, namely ‘Alochana’ in Bengali, ‘Urjana’ in Oriya, ‘Ligate’ in English meant chiefly for the English reading public, ‘Sattwati’ in Hindi and ‘Agamvani’ in Assamese. These are also available in websites whose links are available in satsang’s official website.
References
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satsang_(Deoghar)
3. https://www.satsang.org.in/index.php
Avadhoota Udyana 