Bratachari Movement

The Bratachari movement (from vrata in Bengali meaning vow Bengali: ব্রতচারী আন্দোলন) was a movement for spiritual and social improvement in India initiated by Gurusaday Dutt in 1932. The movement aimed to raise the self-esteem and national awareness of people of undivided India regardless of their religion, caste, sex or age. It was a comprehensive programme of physical, mental, and intellectual culture, based on folk traditions of physical exercise, art, dance, drama, music, singing and social service. The Bratacharis undertake to perform good deeds, strengthen fellowship and develop the mind and body through dance.

Gurusaday Dutt, the founder of the movement, in his book "The Bratachari Synthesis"(first published in 1937) wrote

Bratachari purports to present a complete synthesis of life, an integrated system of culture consisting of a complete philosophy of life, coupled with and expressed through a simple scheme of practical training and discipline for the building up of the inner life and character as well as the body, or in other words, for the simultaneous and harmonious cultivation of the body and soul of man.

"Brata" signifies a solemn or sacred purpose, ideal or objective which is pursued as a joyous rhythmic ritual simultaneously through an integrated use of thought, word, and physical movement, and is also used to signify the combined joyous integrated ritual itself. "Chari" denotes one who pursues a purpose, ideal or objective. According to the Bratachari, the whole of life should be regarded as a Brata and should be pursued as a complete whole and as an integrated ritual, inspired by a noble purpose which is at once spiritual and practical. The single Brata or solemn purpose and ritual of life is divided into five bratas representing a five-fold path in the complete realisation of life which, however, must be pursued simultaneously and not in separate compartments. The five bratas are: Knowledge, Labour, Truth, Unity and Joy. The name Bratachari thus denotes one who has solemnly undertaken the duty of buildingt up his or her life through the systematic and integrated pursuit to the five bratas.

Therefore, the ultimate goal of a Bratachari is the attainment of the ideal of the complete man by attaining perfection in self-development in all spheres of life– physical, mental, moral and social; or in other words, the attainment of the ideal of a perfect citizen of the world. At the same time, it is an essential principle of the Bratachari teaching that before one can be a complete citizen of the world, one must, be a complete citizen of a particular regional unit.

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