Bratachari movement

The Bratachari movement (from "vrata" in Bengali meaning vow) was a movement for spiritual and social improvement in India initiated by Gurusaday Dutt in 1932. The movement aimed at raising the self-esteem and national awareness among people of India irrespective of religion, caste, sex or age. Basically, it was a comprehensive programme of physical, mental, and intellectual culture based on the best folk traditions of physical exercise, art, dance, drama, music, singing and social service. The movement aimed to nurture the mind and the body and to encourage people to work for national and individual improvement through encouraging traditional and folk culture, especially folk dance and folk song and also to create a sense of world citizenship. The headquarters of the movement was in Kolkata or Calcutta as it was then known.

The Bratacharis pledged to develop their moral fibre and serve the country. Their five governing principles were "knowledge, labour, truth, unity" and "joy". In addition, they also undertook to perform good deeds and strengthen fellowship and to develop the mind and body through dance.

Bratachari societies were established in many places of undivided Bengal. This only magazine of the Bratachari movement, a monthly newsletter called "Bratachari Barta" was published by the Faridpur Bratachari Samiti from November 1934 onwards. The Bratachari movement almost died out shortly after the death of Gurusaday Dutt in 1941, though the organisation still exists as the Bengal Bratachari Society at 191/1, Bepin Behari Ganguly Street, Calcutta 700 012, West Bengal. The All Bengal Bratachari Training camp is held at Bratacharigram in Joka, West Bengal, India. Teachers and youths from all over the state undergo training on the Bratachari system of education.

On the 125th birthday of Gurusaday Dutta in 2006, the Bengal Bratachari Society organised a torch run from his birthplace in Bangladesh to his workplace in West Bengal. 19 Bangladesi Bratachari were participating in the run. The Balgladeshi group started their run on 19/12/2006 from the birth place of Guru Sadau Dutta and ran for the next 3 days untill they reached Banapol port.

In the West Bengal side, 5000 Bangali Bratachari were as awaiting to receive the Bangldeshi Bratacharies. Two leaders from two Bangla, excanged their greetings by exchanging two flamed torches . 'Md.Fahad Bin Aziz Chowdhury', a descendant of Gurusaday Dutta, was the team leader in the "International Torch Run" for the Bangladesh.