Home > Indian History > History of India > Satnamis of Chhattisgarh
Satnamis of Chhattisgarh
Led by Ghasi Das, the Satnamis of Chhattisgarh were a group of people who formed a socio religious movement in Bengal.

Share this Article:

Satnamis of Chhattisgarh, Socio Religious Movement In BengalThe Satnamis of Chhattisgarh were a group of people, who formed a socio-religious movement in Bengal during the British period. The movement was founded and led by Ghasi Das of Bilaspur district and he was thought to be an untouchable leather worker (Chamar). He was a servant in the villages of Girod in Raipur district during his adulthood. He and his brother went for a pilgrimage to the Vaishnava temple of Puri in Orissa, sometime during the 1820s. However, they did not complete the journey and they returned after reaching Sarangarh. After returning from the pilgrimage, Ghasi Das started to reject the social inequality and caste system and he gradually gained popularity among the lower caste people.

Ghasi Das soon gathered a group of people to spread his ideas and thoughts. He and his followers are popularly known as the Satnamis of Chhattisgarh. Although everyone was welcomed to join the group, most of his companions belonged to the Chamar caste. Ghasi Das preached a new religious doctrine and advised his followers to abandon idol worship and all that it entailed. He believed that all men in the world are equal. He also urged his followers to restructure their dietary practices and to avoid taking meat, liquor and anything that resembled flesh or blood. The dietary restrictions were also applicable for the vegetables like tomatoes, lentils and chillies. Apart from diet and basic belief, Ghasi Das also asked his followers to refrain from using cattle for ploughing after midday or from taking food out to the fields. However, though he advocated the dietary changes, Ghasi Das brought his untouchable disciples in compliance with the upper-caste customs.

The primary focus of the Satnamis of Chhattisgarh was to improve the status of the Chamars in the society through adjustments within the untouchable society. After the death of Ghasi Das in 1850, his eldest son, Balak Das became the leader of the Satnamis. He adopted the sacred thread that was worn only by the first three Varnas of the society. Balak Das was aggressive and radical in his attitudes to caste discrimination and mainly because of his aggressive moves; a group of Rajputs assassinated him in the 1860s.

Satnamis of Chhattisgarh, Socio Religious Movement In Bengal The murder of Balak Das triggered a social protest and rebellion against the upper castes among the Satnamis and the conflict led to riots and further murders. The next leader of the Satnamis of Chhattisgarh was Sahib Das, the son of Balak Das. However, the real control of the group rested with a brother of the founder, named Agar Das. After the death of Sahib Das, the two sons of Agar Das, namely Ajab Das and Agarman Das became the leaders of the Satnamis of Chhattisgarh.

However, the Satnamis of Chhattisgarh soon witnessed a split among themselves. Two groups of Satnamis started debating over a ban on tobacco and smoking, which was laid by Ghasi Das during the foundation of the group. One group claimed that Ghasi Das did lift the ban before his death and they eventually broke away from the parent group. This new sub sect of the Satnamis became popular as Chungias and soon, another subdivision of the Satnamis came into existence. This sub sect was comprised of the Jahorias and hence was named as Johar (essence). Mainly the Satnamis who took vows of mendicancy were involved with the Johar sub sect. They ate only pulses and rice, wore only uncoloured clothes and they never slept on bed.

The Satnamis of Chhattisgarh rejected all the Hindu deities, temples and the authority of Brahmins and they also gave a call to believe only in one formless God - Satnam (meaning true name). The formation of Satnam-Panth by the Chamars was actually a reaction to their economic and cultural exploitation. The traditional agricultural economy made their survival difficult and they also had to put up with subordination in the matter of rituals owing to their "impure" occupation. The Satnamis appropriated and rejected signs and symbols of the caste system. They rejected the dominant status of Brahmins; however, they adopted signs of ritual purity. They were aimed at removing the "impurities of the bodies of its members".

The Satnamis of Chhattisgarh started to grow in numbers with the course of time and a majority of the Chamar community of Chhattisgarh joined them very soon. Chhattisgarh was the centre of this movement and most of the Satnamis were concentrated within this state. The Satnamis of Chhattisgarh also became a permanent subdivision of the Hindus in the Central Provinces, during the British period.

The movement led by the Satnamis of Chhattisgarh was actually a single-caste socio-religious movement with its own hierarchical system of priests, its sacred centres and a calendar of ritual events. The movement persisted as an untouchable form of Hinduism and its area of impact was mainly limited to Chhattisgarh plain.


Share this Article:

Subscribe to Newsletter
Learn unknown facts about India from a curated list of informative articles.

Related Articles

More Articles in History of India

History of Indian Drama
History of Indian Drama is rich with Vedas and Indian epics and has gradually changed with time and remains unaffected by any foreign influence.
History of Khajuraho Temple
Located in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho is country’s most magnificent groups of temples.
History of Ayurveda
History of Ayurveda dates back to 5,000 years old and is widely considered to be the oldest form of health care in the world.
History of Uttar Pradesh
The state was the heart of Mahabharata war and the history of Uttar Pradesh is very much the history of India. The place finds its mentions in Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.
History of Indian Photography
An overview of the development of photography, through the various stages in India.
History of Delhi
History of Delhi began with the advent of Indian regal dynasties. Delhi witnessed the rise and fall of Hindu dynasties, Muslims and the British as well.
History of Indian Radio
History of Indian Radio dates back to late 1930s with the first establishment of All India Radio in 1936 that improved further after independence.
History of Punjab
History of Punjab dates back to the 16th century; however its formation is traced in the great epic Mahabharata.
History Of Archaeology In India
History of archaeology in India contributes a lot to define the past history and the social life of India.
History of Maharashtra
Maharashtra, the land of charismatic Marathas, unfolds the legend of diverse culture and tradition, keeping in pace with the modernity. The gallant history of Maharashtra is still echoed amidst its historical relics and archeological wonders.
History of Kerala
History of Kerala can be interpreted from the inscriptions of Ashoka, Mauryan Emperor. History of Kerala is as interesting as its wide-ranging geographical features that make the land a place of versatile appeal.
History of Bihar
History of Bihar goes back to the very dawn of the human civilizations. Many eminent personalities and leaders from Bihar contributed for India’s freedom struggle.
History of Assam
In the ancient Indian epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata, Assam was known as `Kamarupa` or `Pragjyotish`. In the Mahabharata, the Puranas, the Tantras there are references of Assam as Kamrupa kingdom.
History of Andaman and Nicobar Islands
History of Andaman and Nicobar Islands dates back to the settlement of the East India Company in the territory of the Islands.
History of West Bengal
History of West Bengal is rooted in richness and is an important episode in the history of India. The history of Bengal played an important role in shaping the history of India.
History of Jharkhand
One of the fairly newer states, Jharkhand was carved out of the southern portion of Bihar in 2000. The history of Jharkhand is seeped with a variety of cultural significances starting from the Vedic era to Mughal period and finally the British administration.
History of Sikkim
History of Sikkim declares the pre historic culture and the colonial era hilly politics and the rules of Sikkim.
History of Nagaland
The history of Nagaland mainly revolves around and deals with the customs and economic activities of the Naga Tribes and how the state has evolved since the Indian Independence.
History of Mizoram
History of Mizoram includes the various historical events and incidents which occurred during the various ages, right from before the age of the Mughals.
History of Jammu & Kashmir
History of Jammu and Kashmir involves a series of political and geographical transformations from every ancient era to the modern times also. Even now, Jammu and Kashmir has its political tension between Pakistan and India.
History of Puducherry
Puducherry was invaded by different invaders in different times. The invaders include Pallava Kingdom of Kanchipuram, dynasties of the South, Cholas of Thanjavur, Pandyas and Muslim invaders.
History of Chandigarh
In 1947, the British India was partitioned into India and Pakistan. Punjab was also included in this partition. So, there was a need for a new capital for Punjab, as the old capital Lahore became part of Pakistan during the partition. So, in 1948, under the leadership of chief architect Mr. P.L. Verma the construction of Chandigarh city began.
History of Daman and Diu
During the early stage, i.e. from 8th to 13th century, Daman and Diu was part of Goa.
History of Lakshadweep
History of Lakshadweep defines the first settlement on these islands under the Union Territory of India that was ruled by Cheraman Perumal, who was the last king of Kerala.
History of Karnataka
History of Karnataka comprised of the different rulers of different dynasties of various religions like Hindus, Buddhists, and later the Muslims.
History of Goa
History of Goa dates back to the 3rd century BC and reflects the rule of the mighty rulers and gained its independence under Jawaharlal Nehru.
History of Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh possesses a rich historical heritage of culture of the ancient tribes. Being a bordering state of India, Arunachal Pradesh also has a history of military unrest since ancient Indian age.
History of Andhra Pradesh
History of Andhra Pradesh traces its origin back to the 5th century BC. According to the inscriptions, Kuberaka, the oldest Kingdom in South India had an empire in the coastal Andhra during that period.
History of Himachal Pradesh
History of Himachal Pradesh narrates about the various settlements and dynasties that emerged in the region over time.
History of Uttarakhand
History of Uttarakhand finds mention in the early Hindu scriptures as Kedarkhand, Manaskhand and Himavat. Uttarakhand is called as the Land of the Gods (Dev Bhoomi) because of its various holy places and shrines.
History of Rajasthan
The history of Rajasthan is dotted with tales of valor, chivalry, camaraderie and romance.
History of Tamil Nadu
History of Tamil Nadu reveals that this ancient place in South India was ruled by various kingdoms like the Pandyas Dynasty, Cholas Dynasty, Nayakas Dynasty and Pallavas Dynasty.
History of Haryana
History of Haryana depicts various events and influences that have cast a profound effect on the culture and people of the district. The place gained statehood on 1st of November 1966
History of Odisha
History of Odisha goes back a rather long way. Most of the history of the state is replete with the dynastic as well as tribal struggle for territorial superiority. Odisha is a place where one can find the religion, culture and history flow in away that lead to cultural amalgamation of early India.
History of Manipur
History of Manipur can be traced back to the prehistoric ages and this was followed by a number of rulers who reigned the land from age to age till it came under British rule and later joined the union of India.
History of Gujarat
History of Gujarat can be dated back to the 14th century that later witnessed the supremacy of many powerful dynasties.
History of Tripura
History of Tripura is dealing with the early mythological history and the history of British rule in North eastern part of India.
History of Meghalaya
The history of Meghalaya predominantly comprises of the three tribes of the state- Garo, Khasi and Jaintia tribes. Later on Meghalaya was formed by carving out two districts from the state of Assam.
History of Chhattisgarh
History of Chhattisgarh dates back to the era of epics and traces through the reign of powerful dynasties in India like Marathas. The area developed a rich cultural heritage during British era.