Annual festival of Matua community begins in Thakurnagar attracts devotees and political attention

Thakurnagar (WB), Mar 27 (PTI) The annual festival of the Matua community began in Thakurnagar on Thursday, with thousands of devotees gathering for the holy bath, while its political significance remained evident due to the sect's crucial role in West Bengal's electoral landscape.
    This year's 'Baruni Mela' has been jointly organised by Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Mamata Bala Thakur and BJP MP and Union Minister of State for Shipping Shantanu Thakur.
    The political significance of the community, which holds sway over more than 70 assembly constituencies in the state, has made the event a focal point for both the ruling TMC and the opposition BJP, with leaders from both camps making their presence felt.
    State opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari visited Thakurbari on Thursday and paid homage, reiterating his party's emphasis on Hindutva politics.
    "Had Shri Shri Harichand Thakur not been there, millions of poor Hindus would have been converted," Adhikari said, a remark that political observers see as part of his sustained ideological pitch.
    He added, "Harichand Thakur spread education among the Dalits and the deprived. May he protect us from all forms of jihad — love jihad, vote jihad, and others."
    His comments come amidst BJP's persistent outreach to the Matua community, descendants of Hindu refugees from East Pakistan, who play a crucial role in West Bengal's political dynamics, particularly in North 24 Parganas and Nadia districts, where they influence several assembly and Lok Sabha seats.
    Several BJP leaders, including MLA Ashim Sarkar, accompanied Adhikari during his visit.
    On Wednesday, TMC leaders, including state ministers Partha Bhowmick, Sujit Bose, and former minister Jyotipriya Mallick, visited the Matua Thakurbari, underlining the ruling party's engagement with the community.
    Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is currently on an official tour of London, also extended greetings to the Matuas on the occasion.
    In a post on X, she wrote, "Jai Haribol! Jai Harichand, Jai Guruchand! On the auspicious occasion of Mahabaruni, the birth anniversary of, Shri Shri Harichand Thakur, on the Madhukrishna Trayodashi Tithi, I extend my respectful salutations, greetings, and love to all the saints, Gosais, Pagals, Dalapatis, and devoted followers of the Matua community across West Bengal and the entire world."
    Interestingly, this year's Baruni Mela has witnessed a rare show of unity between the warring factions of the Thakur family.
    BJP MP Shantanu Thakur and TMC MP Mamata Bala Thakur have come together for the festival's organisation, a development that has triggered speculation on whether a new political equation is emerging ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.
    This show of unity is in stark contrast to the long-standing rivalry within the Matua Thakur family.
    In past years, the Thakur household had seen sharp divisions, with separate camps supporting either the BJP or the TMC.
    At one point, Mamata Bala's daughter Madhuporna Thakur even staged a hunger strike against her cousin Shantanu Thakur over property disputes within the Thakurbari premises.
    However, during this year's Baruni Mela, the two sides have appeared to put aside their differences, opting for cooperation over confrontation.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)