Bhaktababa

Bhaktababa was a saint in the region around the town of Purulia, India. His original name is Bholanath Chakrabarty and he established a few Ashramas around Purulia which are commonly known as 'Badrikashramas'. These are generally temples of Vaishnavism, but there are idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Saraswati and Goddess Kali too. He also established the Badrikashrama, a charitable institution whose main objective is to uplift the poor and downtrodden ones in and around West Bengal. He was a forerunner of the famous saint Bamdeva (more popularly known as Bamakhepa) of Tarapith.
Bhaktaba worked to raise the living standards of tribals of Purulia and the surrounding areas. He travelled throughout Purulia and Bankura and collected grant-ins from the rich and used the money to buy seeds. The crops so developed were equally distributed into three parts, the first part was sold for raising profits, the second part was sold for meeting the cost of buying fertilizers and developing crops in future, and the third part was used to feed the poor tribals in and around Purulia. The poor ones were fed under the term that they would have to work for the farmers and peasents who fed them, i.e, to help them in more development of crops. Another notability of Bhaktababa is the fact that, he realized the importance of the herbs in the dry jungles of Purulia and Ayodha Hills and used themedical ones in herbal treatment. His divine message still resoundss in and around Purulia
"Wherever the God makes a lock, he lays the key hidden behind an obstacle, which can only be overcome by true faith in God".
The tribals and aboriginals of the surroundings were greatly benefited by his grand schemes. Even today, his organization serves greatly to the nation of India.
Early Life
His early life was characterized with mysteries. At an early age of 12, he met Maharishi Bamdeva on his way to Kalighat. When Sri Bamdeva was going from Tarapith to Klighat, he woke up from bed at night and came out of his house and started following Sri Bamdeva on his way. Sri Bamdeva advised him to trust in God. He was a shinning student, and went to U.S.A. as a chemist. But he denounced worldly comforts and returned to India again and established the Badrikashramas.
Religious Ascendence
After returning from America, he took Sainvaas, and decided to travel to The Himalayas, where he met another popular saint Swami Bholagiri. Swami Bholagiri advised him to return to Kolkata and to work for uplifting the poor ones of Bengal. It is said that he then saw the cosmic star-signs directing him to move towards the South-West, where the vast lands of Manbhum (now known as Purulia). Bhaktababa went to Manbhum and established a temple of Lord Sri Govinda, a form of Sri Krishna. After establishing the Temple, he decided to plant trees in the surrounding region, which was quite harsh. Although it took many years for him to convert the rough terrain to forestland, Bhaktababa did not give up. He traveled throughout West Bengal and worshipped the Lord in many forms. Later, when he returned to Manbhum, he found that 20 men had come to be his disciples. He accepted them, and asked them to live a noble life and to return to their previous general lives. Once, he dreamt that Lord Shiva was asking him to spread religious consciousness and divine wisdom among people. So, he founded a temple of Sri Mahadeva (a form of Shiva) and named it Sri Omkarnath Lingum, and another temple of Goddess Kali, the female consort of Shiva. He called in his nephew Sri Shankarnath Chakrabarty and gave him the charge of maintaining the Ashrama. Then he founded the temple of Goddess Saraswati, whom he considered to be the mother to all and the creative power.
Later Life
In later ages, he went to the Ayodha Hills in the western portion of West Bengal. He met several great saints of Hinduism, including Swami Bholagiri, who taught him the meaning of meditation. He went to The Himalayas and adopted Sainvaas therein. He was also given dreams by Lord Shiva, advising him to set up the Omkarnath Linga. He further patronized the Kalyaneshwari Kali temple and the Goddess Saraswati Temple. He is said to have meditated accompanied by tigers therein. Although he passed away in 1997, his culture is yet developing. His divine messages include:-
Remember my sons, always recall the names of Govinda, when you are free, irrespective of your state and you will be endowed with eternal happiness by him.
Teachings
Bhaktababa taught all the following:-
1.Never tell lies, for they are said to degrade the religious qualities and virtues.
2.Trust in the God, who is one and formless.
3.Recite and remember the thousand names of Govinda, for they will elevate you up in your religious personalities.
4.A man is never truly a sinner or unclean, but it is the sin which is unclean.
Organization
There are three branches of Badrikashramas, one at Purulia on the western edge, the second being at the top of Baghmundi Hills, and the third and the final being in Kolkata. The mission is a charitable institution and mainly runs on donations and grants. Some of the free services rendered by this organization include: 1.Buying new books and giving money to the poor students. 2.Feeding the poor. 3.Free medical services to the poor and the downtrodden. There are book shops set up by this institution during the Kolkata Book fair. The organization also includes the system of giving Diksha to the disciples. The institution also has several guest-houses in remote areas. 'The Bhaktababa Fund' is another branch of this organization, which controls the finances of the main body of the organization.
Celebrations held by the Organization
A number of Fabulous celebrations are organized and performed by the Organization. Some of the notable ones include the following:
1. Janmastami, the Birth Anniversary of Sri Krishna,
2. Durga Puja,
3. Christmas Celebration (Despite being a Hindu, Bhaktababa considered Jesus to be the incarnation of God and had a great respect for him),
4. The Saraswati Puja.

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