Aulchand

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Aulchand (Bengali: আউলচাঁদ) (1686–1769) was a Bengali Hindu spiritual leader who founded the Kartabhaja philosophy. Kartabhajas consider Aulchand to be an incarnation of Vishnu and therefore think him one with Krishna and Gouranga.

Early life[]

In 1694, Mahadeb Barui, a resident of Ula in Nadia discovered an abandoned male child in a betel plantation and decided to adopt him. At that time, the child was about eight years of age. He named the child Purna Chandra and raised him for 12 years. At the age of 20, Purna Chandra left his house. Thereafter he stayed in the house of a Gandhabanik for two years and then in the residence of a landlord for another one and half years. At the age of 24, he completely denounced the material life and went about wandering from place to place. He travelled to various regions especially in the districts of Nadia, 24 Parganas and the Sunderban area.

Spiritual life[]

At the age of 37, he arrived at the village of Bejra, where Hatu Ghosh and others became his disciple. Most of his initial twenty two disciples were from the lower castes.

Later life[]

In 1769, Aulchand left for his heavenly abode in the village of Boalia near present-day Kalyani. He was cremated in Parari village near Chakdaha in Nadia district.