Unity prevails: Trinamool Congress and BJP factions bury hatchet to organise Baruni Mela at Thakurbari
Times of India | 27 March 2025
12 Thakurnagar (North 24 Parganas): Politics had split Thakurbari, but faith and lineage have brought them together.
The division between Trinamool Congress and BJP has created a rift in the revered Matua Thakurbari during Baruni Mela — the largest religious congregation for Matuas — in Thakurnagar. This year, however, the rival camps — of Trinamool's Rajya Sabha MP Mamata Bala Thakur and BJP's junior Union minister Shantanu Thakur — have decided to press pause.
Interestingly, the two warring factions decided to jointly hold the mela even after Calcutta High Court on March 25 dismissed Shantanu's plea challenging Mamata Bala's position as All India Matua Mahasangha Sanghadhipati and her right to organise the event. Both Thakurbari factions have now jointly formed a 12-member committee who will organise the week-long mela scheduled to begin on Thursday.
It was the youngest Thakurbari member, Madhuparna Thakur, Mamata Bala's daughter and Bengal's youngest MLA from Bagdah, who helped bridge the gap during a district administration meeting on March 21.
According to sources in Thakurbari, Matua spiritual leader Harichand Thakur was born on ‘Madhukrishna Trayodashi Tithi' of the Bengali month of Chaitra. The Baruni Mela, which begins on his birth anniversary, holds a 214-year-old historical significance. Matua followers will take a holy dip in Kamana Sagar while devotees, monks and group leaders will arrive with drums, conch shells and red flags to perform kirtan at the temple.
According to Matua Mahasangha sources, representatives from both factions recently held a meeting where several key decisions were taken. "Sabyasachi Kirtaniya, from Mamata Thakur's camp, has been appointed secretary of the mela committee, while Bijit Kanti Mandal, a close associate of Shantanu Thakur, has been named president. Additionally, Urmi De Biswas, the SDO of Bongaon, has been appointed chairperson," an official of the new committee said.
Mamata Bala said: "We have received permission to organise the fair, which will be conducted under the new committee's management. Working together will send a positive message to the Matua community."
Shantanu said: "The fair will happen even if none of us are there. That is the reality. The important thing is that no negative message should go out. I thank myself for realising this, for my conscience awakening to the fact that it should be done together."
Madhuparna emphasised the importance of unity within the Thakurbari family. "For the past 15 years, my mother has got permission to organise the fair. Shantanu and Subrata Thakur are my elder cousins. We share the same lineage. We are very happy to organise the mela together this time, and I am confident it will be peaceful. Lakhs of our beloved Matua devotees will also be pleased to witness such unity at this traditional event," she told TOI.
Shantanu's brother and BJP's Gaighata MLA, Subrata Thakur, also expressed optimism. "For whatever reason, this did not happen before. This time, the fair will be held peacefully and with due respect. We hope that both committees will continue to organise the Baruni Mela together in future."