The Satyagraha Movement centred around the Tarakeswar temple, located within the Tarakeswar police station of the Hooghly district. Commencing on 20 May 1924, under the guidance of Swami Satyananda and Swami Vishwananda, it aimed to confront the unjust actions of the Mahanta of Tarakeswara Temple. The Mahanta was involved in the unjust mistreatment of pilgrims, unjust financial demands through harassment, and similar oppressive behaviours. Despite the British government siding with the Mahanta, Swami Satyananda and Swami Vishwananda, along with their dedicated Mahabir team, stood up against this injustice, ing a substantial following to join their cause.
On 8 April 1924, the movement was instigated by Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das. Despite numerous attempts by the British government, the movement persevered. Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam was closely associated with this movement, spending considerable time in Tarakeswar. Many volunteers from the Arambagh sub-division joined the Tarakeswar Satyagraha, including Dr Radhakrishna Pal and his associates.
Motivated by Nazrul's poetic composition, Satya Bandyopadhyay, leader of Mahanta's Lathial, symbolically offered his stick to Nazrul and Deshbandhu, vowing to bring an end to the tyranny of the Mahanta. Subsequently, most of the Lathials joined the Satyagraha movement. Over time, the movement gained momentum, guided by the Bengali Provincial Congress Committee. Despite the British government siding with the Mahanta and resorting to suppressive tactics, the Satyagrahis persevered with unwavering patience. Their commitment to non-violent resistance led to the expulsion of the Mahanta.
The impact of this movement greatly inspired Congress volunteers in the Hooghly district and it eventually contributed significant strength to the subsequent Civil Disobedience Movement.
Source: Chhaya Kumbhakar, Contributor for CCRT