Matua Community

Matua Community Latest News

Most of the Matuas, who migrated from neighbouring Bangladesh during different time-periods do not have sufficient documents to apply for citizenship under the CAA. 

About Matua Community

• The Matua community, a marginalized Hindu sect with roots in the 19th century, holds a significant socio- religious presence in the Bengal region, particularly across Bangladesh and West Bengal.
• Founded by Harichand Thakur in the 1860s, the Matua movement arose as a response to the deep-seated caste discrimination present within Hindu society at the time. 
• Religious Beliefs: 
  • As followers of the Matua faith, the community primarily belongs to the “Namashudra” caste, traditionally regarded as a lower-caste group within Hinduism. 
  • Harichand Thakur’s teachings centered on principles of social equality, human dignity, and the empowerment of marginalized groups through education and religious reform, making the Matua movement a powerful counterforce to caste oppression.
  • The Matua sect is monotheist. It does not follow Vedic rituals, and singing hymns in praise of the deity is their way of prayer and meditation. 
  • They believe that salvation lies in faith and devotion. Their ultimate objective is to attain truth through meditation and worship. 
  • The Matua have no distinctions of caste, creed, or class. They believe that everyone is a child of God. 
  • Shrishriharililamrta is a principal religious scripture of the Matua. 
• Following the partition of Bengal in 1947, the Matua community experienced profound socio-political shifts. 
• Many Matua families migrated to India to escape religious and political persecution, although a large portion of the community remained in what later became Bangladesh.
• Today, Matuas constitute the second largest SC population of West Bengal.

Source: TH

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