Rahul Gandhi 'Stopped' From Visiting Sankardeva’s Birthplace: What is Significance of Batadrava Than?

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was stopped from visiting Batadrava Than in Assam earlier today, after which, he took a veiled dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying ‘only one person can visit the temple today’. Rahul Gandhi was stopped at Haibargaon en route to the sattra (Sankardeva’s birthplace) in Assam Nagaon at 9:30 am on Monday.

A word of war followed after the Congress leader was prevented from visiting Batadrava Than with the sattra managing committee claiming they had made it clear on Sunday that Rahul Gandhi would not be allowed to visit the premises before 3:00 pm after the consecration ceremony concluded in Ayodhya on Monday.

What is the Significance of Batadrava Than?

One of the most sacred sites for Assamese Vaishnavites, Batadrava Than is a temple complex at the birthplace of revered Vaishnavite reformer Saint Srimanta Sankardeva. According to the Nagaon district’s website, “Sankardeva founded the first-ever Kirtan Ghar at Bordowa in 1494 AD to practise and preach the neo Vaishnavite faith during the fifteenth century in Assam, and propagated the Ek Saran Naam Dharma.”

According to an Indian Express report, the Ek Saran Naam Dharma focuses on worship in the form of bhakti (devotion) to Lord Krishna, through singing and congregational listening of his name and deeds.

Political Importance of Batadrava Than

As one of the most prominent Thans, the Batadrava Than is often frequented by politicians.

In September 2023, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said the Assam government was planning to bring in a law barring “non-indigenous people” from purchasing land in an eight-kilometre radius around the Batadrava Than.

Speaking during an event to mark Sankardeva’s 575th birth anniversary, Sarma had said, “We are making efforts for a law so that people other than indigenous folks cannot buy land around it. In the meantime, I have told the DC also that till the Act is not finalised, they should not give permission to people other than indigenous people to buy and sell land around here.”