মতুয়া সাহিত্য : সমাজ সংস্কার, শিক্ষা ও নারী জাগরণ/ Matua Literature : Social Reform, Education, and Women’s Awakening

Abstract

The present research paper is an attempt to analyze the sociological and aesthetic significance of 'Matua Sahitya', a secular yet revolutionary literary genre of 19th and 20th century Bengal. The main focus of this research is the message of social reform, universal education and especially women's emancipation propagated through the entire genre of Matua Sahitya. The paper has made a text-based analysis of folktales and proverbs, along with narrative poems like 'Sri Sri Harililamrita' and 'Sri Sri Guruchand Charita'. Matua literature stands in opposition to the prevailing religious dogma, presenting a progressive philosophy of life, rooted in a work-oriented philosophy such as 'Haate Kam Mukhe Naam'. In particular, the importance of women's education and the dignity of women in domestic life are highlighted in this literature, which gives rise to a unique 'feminist consciousness' in the contemporary context. The article also discusses how this long-standing educational movement of the Matuas has taken institutional form in the present era—one of the signs of which is the establishment of the ‘Harichand Guruchand University’ in Thakurnagar, West Bengal, and the inclusion of this literature in the curriculum of higher education. Finally, this study proves that the usefulness of Matua literature is not limited to the historical context alone, but its global relevance in building a communist and inclusive society is undeniable even today.