Shankar Math is a Hindu monastery and cultural institution in Barishal, Bangladesh. Founded in 1912 by the ascetic revolutionary Swami Prajnanananda Saraswati, the math served as a centre for Vedanta philosophy and a secret headquarters for the Barishal branch of the Jugantar revolutionary group during the Indian independence movement.[1]
The math was established by Swami Prajnanananda Saraswati (born Satishchandra Mukhopadhyay), who blended spiritual renunciation with revolutionary nationalism. Formerly a teacher at the Brajamohan School, Satishchandra resigned from his post due to administrative conflicts and the British government's hostile stance towards the institution's founder, Ashwini Kumar Dutta.[2]
In 1912, seeking to establish the institution, he purchased a plot measuring approximately 3.5 acres on the outskirts of Barishal town.[3][1] In its nascent stages, the math consisted of a tin shed for a library and a thatched hut for living quarters. The primary objectives were propagating Adi Shankaracharya's Vedanta philosophy and engaging in social uplift through the establishment of schools and libraries.[3]
However, the site was used as a centre for the Jugantar party. Around 1916, amid a crackdown on political activists, police confined Swami Prajnanananda within the math's precincts. This internment turned the monastery into a busy, albeit secret, hub. Revolutionary leaders such as Jadugopal Mukherjee and Nalini Kar frequented the math at night to formulate strategies for armed uprisings.[4] The British colonial intelligence services, suspecting the math's dual nature, established an observation post directly across the street to keep a close watch on the monks' activities.[1]
Transition and leadership
Following the death of Swami Prajnanananda in 1921, his body was brought from Kolkata to Barishal and buried within the math grounds, adhering to the wishes of the Bholagiri Maharaj.[2] Leadership then passed to Dr. Nishikanta Gangopadhyay, a revolutionary and educationist who had been initiated by the Swami. Dr. Gangopadhyay, who held an MA in History, renounced his position as headmaster to adopt a life of celibacy and service at the math.
Dr. Gangopadhyay's tenure was marked by continued opposition to British rule. In 1930, he toured the Barishal district to rally support for the Salt Satyagraha, an act that led to his imprisonment in Alipore Central Jail alongside leaders like Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Upon his release, he was rearrested the day he returned to Shankar Math. He spent his subsequent eight-year incarceration earning an MD in Homeopathy.[5]
The Partition of India in 1947 and the subsequent communal riots of 1950 and 1964 dealt a severe blow to the institution. As the Hindu population in the region was forced to migrate to India for saving lives, the math was left largely abandoned. The once-thriving campus became dilapidated, with the library and primary school falling into disuse due to a lack of patrons and maintenance.[1]
By the early 1980s, the property faced existential threats from local encroachers who filed false lawsuits in an attempt to seize the land. In 1982, a group of dedicated community leaders, led by the revolutionary Debendra Nath Ghosh, stepped in to save the site. They successfully petitioned the government to release the property from bureaucratic obstacles, formed a new board of trustees, and initiated a restoration process that revitalised the institution.[2]
The current complex features the main temple, which houses a Shivalinga in the inner sanctum. To the left of the main deity lies the samadhi (tomb) of the founder, Swami Prajnanananda Saraswati, and to the right stands a statue of the JagadguruAdi Shankaracharya.[1]
Over the years, the complex has expanded to include several other shrines:
The eastern section of the property, covering about one acre, houses a temple affiliated with ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), known as the Radha-Shyamasundar Mandir. This integration has turned the math into a vibrant hub for diverse Hindu traditions.[2]
Social and cultural initiatives
During the floods of 2024, the Barishal Shankar Math Durga Puja Celebration Committee curtailed their festival expenditures to donate funds to victims in the affected districts of Feni and Comilla.[6]
The math is one of the main centres for major Hindu festivals, including Durga Puja and Ratha Yatra in Barishl city, the latter being celebrated with grandeur in collaboration with the ISKCON temple. In 2012, the site was visited by a diplomat from the High Commission of India, Dhaka who emphasised the shared cultural heritage between the two nations and donated books and media to the institution.[7]
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