Panchanan Barma (1867-1935): Rajbanshi Leader of Cooch Behar

Panchanan Barma, Birth and Death

Panchanan Barma, also known as Thakur Panchanan, Panchanan Sarkar, and Rai Saheb, was a distinguished Rajbanshi leader, politician, lawyer, and social reformer from Cooch Behar. He was born on February 14, 1866, in the village of Khalisamari, Mathabhanga subdivision of the Cooch Behar State, to a landowning family. His father, Khosal Sarkar, was a jotedar and a Mukhtar of the Mathabhanga subdivision court, and his mother was Champala Sarkar. Panchanan Barma passed away on September 9, 1933, in Kolkata.

Educational Life

Panchanan Barma graduated with honors in Sanskrit from Kolkata College in 1893. In 1896, he privately earned an MA degree in Mental and Moral Philosophy from the University of Calcutta. Subsequently, in 1900, he obtained an LLB degree from Surendranath Law College, Calcutta. He was the first person from the Rajbanshi community to achieve an MA degree and a law degree.

Career

Panchanan Barma began his legal practice in the Rangpur court. He was taken aback by the refusal of high-caste lawyers to use the toga (lawyer’s gown) in Rangpur.

Kshatriya Movement

Panchanan Barma led the Kshatriya movement among the Rajbanshi community, who were subjected to the oppression and discrimination of the caste-conscious Hindus of Bengal. He aimed to elevate the Rajbanshis from neglected Kshatriyas to Aryan Pundra-Kshatriyas, gaining respect and recognition from high-caste Bengalis. He believed that the Rajbanshis should be organized and educated, a goal he pursued through the Kshatriya Samiti. This organization aimed to prove that the Rajbanshis were historically Kshatriyas of royal lineage, connected to King Viswa Singha of Cooch Behar. The movement conducted formal Kshatriyization processes, including a mass initiation ceremony in Debiganj, Panchagarh, on the 27th of Magh in Bengali year 1319, involving over a lakh of Rajbanshis. This led to the reintroduction of Brahmanical customs among thousands of Rajbanshis, establishing them as “Kshatriya Rajbanshis.”

Politics

Due to his popularity from the Kshatriya movement, Panchanan Barma entered politics. In 1920, he was elected as a member of the Bengal Legislative Council. He continued to win elections in 1923 and 1926.

Social Reforms

Panchanan Barma founded the Kshatriya Samiti in Rangpur district on the 18th of Jaishtha, Bengali year 1317. He established the Kshatriya Hostel at Rangpur Zilla School to solve accommodation problems for Rajbanshi students and the Kshatriya Bank in Kurigram to assist impoverished Rajbanshis. To raise awareness among his community, he published a journal named Kshatriya Patrika. He tirelessly worked for the improvement of the Rajbanshi community, promoting education and increasing their participation in government jobs.

He was a founding member of the Rangpur Sahitya Parishad and served as the editor of its journal from Bengali year 1313 to 1319 to raise literary awareness among his community.

Recognition

For his contributions to the rights and betterment of the Rajbanshi community, Panchanan Barma was honored with the titles “Rai Saheb” and “Member of the British Empire (MBE)” by the British Indian Government. He is often regarded as the Father of the Rajbanshi Nation. Panchanan Barma University in Cooch Behar is named in his honor.