Orissa Review August - 2007
Sri Sri Abhiram Paramahamsa Deva : A Great
Freedom Fighter
Thakur Sri Abhiram Paramahamsa Deva is a
Divine-in-person, believed to be an Avatar by
his countless devotees. The advent of Thakur (as
he is popularly addressed) was prophesied by
enlightened saints like Mahapurush Achutananda
Das and Saint Siva Das, as far back as 500 years.
Thakur was born on 18th January 1904
(Magha Tribeni Amabasya Day) in the tiny village,
Karamala (Puri district). Many divine
manifestations were evident from his birth itself.
After completion of his divine mission, he attained
Mahasamadhi on 27th November 1963 (Kartika
Sukla Ekadasi) of his own free will, at Karamala
itself.
When Abhiram was 19 years of age (1923)
he retreated into a lonely forest known as
Khandaba Van near Brahmagiri (Puri Dist.). Most
of the time he was in deep meditation. On one
such occasion, he slipped into "Yogic sleep" for
months at a stretch. It was then Abhiram had a
direct vision of "Goddess Durga" in the form of
"Vana Durga". Imparting secrets of spiritual
knowledge, She ordained him to preach the same
for the good of mankind. Young Abhiram was
transformed into Sri Sri Abhiram Paramahamsa
Deva, at that young age of 19 years.
Subsequently Sri Abhiram Paramahamsa
Deva (henceforth shall be referred as Thakur)
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wandered in the hills and forests of Orissa state,
starting from Ganjam District to Dhenkanal
District. He dressed himself in the garb of a
Sannyasi- a Koupin and a long shirt called Angi
was all that he had on his body.
The fragrance of Divinity of Thakur spread
in every direction. With his intimate, sannyasis,
Thakur traveled on foot through the villages of
Cuttack District, preaching his divine message,
for nearly seven years from 1926-1933. Thakur
explained the intricacies of Ajapa Sadhana and
simplicity of the same for practising by any one of
any age, at any time or place, for realising the
objective of this difficult-to-get human birth
namely Self Realisation. His sweet and lucid
discourses in Oriya, his simple and affectionate
behaviour attracted thousands of men and women
to get shelter and seek fulfilment of their spiritual
craving. Thakur was looked upon more as a close
relation and a well-wisher than a formal spiritual
Guru, by his innumerable devotees and they would
not hesitate to open their hearts before the Master.
During these journeys, at various villages,
a number of enchanting, incredible and miraculous
events took place. Of all such divine events, the
imprisonment of Thakur was the most significant
Divine Leela, with all its far-reaching
consequences. This divine sport is described in
detail in the following pages.
 Orissa Review
Ichhapur village (Cuttack District) was the
first place where Thakur commenced his religious
preaching of 'Sanatana Dharma'. Here in this
village Thakur had composed the first six chapters
of the famous philosophical treatise "Kali
Bhagavat". It was Thakur's first book. "Kali
Bhagavat" is an embodiment of metaphysical
thoughts in allegorical style having a surface
reference to contemporary poltical situation in our
country, in those times. Especially some verses in
Chapters 4 and 22 would reveal a surface
meaning, foretelling the future political situation in
our country, namely that India could be free from
British domination and would gain freedom under
the noble leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. Kali
Bhagavat was first published around 1928. Some
atheists who used to attend the evening preaching
meetings addressed by Thakur, listened to few
discussions on 'Kali Bhagavat'. Of course, they
were not able to understand the deeper
philosophical meaning there in. In those times, in
the whole of Utkal (Orissa), no human being was
being worshipped nor was there any historic
account of any person being worshipped as God
or a Divine being, the way Thakur was being
worshipped. Witnessing all that ritualistic manner,
the Puja and Arati to Thakur was being performed,
a group of jealous atheists considered that to be
on opportune time to denigrade Thakur. They
went to nearby Mahanga Police Station and
complained to the Sub-Inspector. Their complaint
was that the book 'Kali Bhagavat' contained
derogatory comments about King Emperor
George-V and praise of Satyagrahis and their
leader Mahatma Gandhi.
Sub-Inspector Durga Nanda Mishra
surreptiously managed to obtain a copy of 'Kali
Bhagavat' and dispatched a secret report to the
then Bihar-Orissa Police headquarters at Cuttack.
On 2.2.1934, the CID (Special Branch) SP
forwarded the secret report to Madras State
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Government CID (Special Branch) SP Mr. A.B.
Bulkley. Thereafter, Mr.G.T.H. Bracken, the then
Chief Secretary of Madras Government, ordered
that a case be initiated against the author and
publisher/printer of the book 'Kali Bhagavat'. The
case was filed under CPC Rule 195 Section 124/
A on 20.09.1934, and the offence was "the said
publication contained several passages and
seditious matters intended to bring into hatred and
contempt His Majesty the King Emperor and the
Government established by law in British India."
Under Order No.437 Public (general) of
30.4.1904 vide Section 19 of India Press
(emergency powers) Act, a notification was
published in the Gazette of Madras Government,
to the effect that all the copies of the book 'Kali
Bhagavat' were to be seiged and all State
Governments were duly notified. Also, anyone
found reading the book was liable for
imprisonment for one month and a fine of Rupees
Fifty.
Mean while, after touring some more
villages in Cuttack district, Thakur returned to
Karamala along with the few disciples who were
with him. Thakur was arrested and taken to
Chhatrapur (Ganjam district) on 27.09.1934. He
was 30 years of age. The trial took place in the
Court of the then District Magistrate Mr.
A.F.W.Dixon. On behalf of Thakur, bail was
offered by Sri Ganapathi Sahu and Sri Bayapani
Sahu. Sri Lingaraj Panigrahi (Ex-Speaker of
Orissa Legislative Assembly, Ex-Education
Minister and Chief Justice of Orissa) and Sri
Ramana Murthy were the defence counsels for
Thakur and Sri Sasi Bhusan Rath, owner of the
press, Berhampur, where the book was printed.
During the course of the trial Thakur was
unperturbed with his serene bewitching smile
always on his lips.
To witness the Court proceedings Pandit
Nilakantha Das and Sri Biswanath Das (who later
 Orissa Review
became Chief Minister of Orissa and Governer
of Uttar Pradesh) and many other prominent
Congressmen daily attended the Court. Pandit
Nilakanth Das, a noted Oriya scholar and writer
expressed his feelings about Thakur in his 'Gita
Prabesh' book. A relevant extract reads thus.
"The young ascetic stood in the court room,
day after day. He knew he would serve a long
jail sentence. But there was always a natural smile
on his lips. The very sight of him arouses love and
devotion. He was the symbol of Orissa's cultural
traditions, the true incarnation of our Puranic ideal
man. The young sannyasi has indentified himself
with our tradition. He belongs to the common folk,
the unsophisticated men and women, not to
arrogant learned. The villages are his realm. He is
the true representative of the doctrine of equality
of all religions."
After completion of the case hearings, to a
specific question from the Judge, Thakur with his
usual smile replied "not guilty". He was awarded
a punishment of rigorous imprisonment for one
year. Thakur was taken to Berhampur (Ganjam)
District Jail and admitted on 13.12.1934 to
undergo the punishment.
Thakur, by then, became well-known
among the people. There was widespread
agitation showing indignation at the ruthless torture
of an innocent Sannyasi, by the foregin rulers-
British Government. Fearing that there might be
mass upsurges, the Government shifted Thakur
secretly to Rajahmundry (on the bank of River
Godavari, Andhra Pradesh). He was admitted to
the Central Jail there on 9.1.1935. Although
Thakur as per the Court Order, was to be
released on 12.12.1935, a remission of 41 days
was granted and finally he was released on
1.11.1935.
By that time, Thakur had became a well-
known figure in the whole of Orissa. People began
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to look to him not only because he was a saint
with divine powers, but also as a great freedom
fighter in his unque way. In some verses of Kali
Bhagavat, there was on obvious surface reference
to then prevalent political scenario in our counrty.
Thakur had prophesised that the then
British King Emperor Gerge-V would not last
long, all the Congressmen would group together
under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. All the
foreign soldiers would be sent out of the country
and India would gain freedom from Foreign Rule.
All these passages were composed around
1927-28 almost twenty years before India gained
Freedom from British Rule.
Apart from this prophetic writing, the entire
court case, arguments and finally, award of
rigorous imprisonemnt to a simple innocent Sadhu
generated in the minds of general public,
considerable interest and curiosity apart from
indignation. It can be said that this Divine Sport
of Thakur was largely responsible in sowing the
seeds of love of freedom and a determination to
secure freedom at any cost, in the hearts of
millions of people of Orissa. History of Indias
freedom struggle can never be complete, without
a mention and due recognition of the significant
role of Thakur played in his own unique style.
Thakur Sri Sri Abhiram Paramahamsa
Deva would be gratefully remembered by all his
devotees in general, and particularly by the people
of Orissa, not only for his famous books he wrote
in his own hand in his mother language Oriya, on
the philosophy of Sanatana Dharma, but also as
one, who had undergone untold suffering and
humiliation at the hands of the then ruthless foreign
rule, all for the sake and welfare of humanity at
large.
Sri Seshanana Das lives at Sri Sri Abhiram Shanti
Anandashram, Tapovan, Khandagiri, Bhubaneswar.