Part 6 - Religio-Political issues of the Devalaya

Before giving the records of the land possessed by the Devalaya authority, it is found to be legitimate to give an outline of the legislature under which the lands granted by the kings of medieval period were distributed amongst the paiks. The Assam State Acquisition of Lands Belonging to Religious or Charitable Institution of public Nature Act, 1959 refers to Satras, Maths, Public Temples, Public Wakfs, Public Mosques, Durgahs, Gurudwaras, Churches and similar institutions of Public Nature. Religious institutions with fame had to receive gifts of large tracts of land in the pre-British era from the then royal families. Even a few religious institutions were given land during the early British Rule in Assam, including some as late as in the 1920s, in order to promote cultural heritage and religious traditions. 

This act, which has been brought into force in all the plains districts of the state with effect from 18^th March, 1963 had basically two broad objectives:—

i) Acquisition of land of Religious and Charitable Institutions of Public Nature found surplus, and
ii) Providing financial assistance to such institutions annually as per perpetual annuity for their management.

As a result of the enforcement of the Act, all intermediary interests over the landed properties held by Devalayas, Temples, Satras, Maths, Public Wakfs, etc. have been done away with by means of instituting individual acquisition proceedings. However they were allowed to retain possession, all such lands which on or before last date of Chaitra, 1365 B.S. were in the ownership of the institution and were actually occupied by it by constructing buildings, raising orchards and flower gardens together with compound appurtenant and land reserved for resident devotees for residential purposes, as also the tea garden land, that might be owned by such religious institutions. Such land would be held free of land revenue. This act was brought about as a measure of land reforms and the broad purpose was to settle the surplus land with ryots and tenants who may be already occupying such lands under the religious and charitable institutions for a long time and distribute the balance/unoccupied land to deserving landless cultivators and co-operative institutions. Total area of 3,30,157 bighas of land belonging to some 197 religious and charitable institutions have been acquired so far under the provisions of the said Act, which was amended once in December, 1975. Out of the acquired land, some 46,000 big has of land have been settled and distributed amongst occupied tenants and landless cultivators till September, 1990. Instructions have been given to all district authorities to complete work of acquisition of surplus land from all religious and charitable institutions and arrange the disposal of the acquired land as per law and the instructions issued. Annuity to the 134 religious and charitable institutions was fixed later on. The annuity payable by the government to these 134 institutions worked out to Rs. 8,83,360 only per annum. The list of 197 religious institutions whose excess lands have been acquired under the Assam State acquisition of Land Belonging to Religious or Charitable Institutions of Public Nature Act,1959. In Nalbari district, Basudev Devalaya, Billeswar Devalaya, Sri Sri Shyamrai Satra, Khudiya Satra, Kalia Gossain Satra (Jowardi) have to cease their possession of excess land for the aforesaid purposes under the said Act. (Gangopadhyay:1990:180-187)

The Billeswar Devalaya was always a focal point of attraction for the political dignitaries of Assam since the independence of our country. After independence the Devalaya started to become as a religio-political centre. As for example we may site the background of construction of a road from Barnni Chowk to Solmara via BilweswarBelsor-Singimara-Kaihati. It was constructed in 1950 by the help of accumulated force of villagers from all adjoining villages, whose length was approximately 6 kms. On the day of initiation of construction of the road, the first governor of independent Assam Shri Jairamdas Daulatram visited the Devalaya. He was accompanied by the Chief Minister of Assam Shri Bishnu Ram Medhi and education minister Omeo Kumer Das.

They took part in a grand public feast arranged under a Bakul tree nearby Bilweswar Devalaya, along with the working villagers. For the feast 60 ovens were dug and about 50 castrated goats were cooked to entertain at least ten thousand people. The entire event centered round the magnificence of Billeswar Devalaya. During the construction of the road some people near Bangaon obstructed the work and did not let the worker straighten a part of the road. At that time a villager hailing from Singimara who was popularly known as Ranghaveer for his gallantry and physical vigor who could cut twothree bamboos with his Dao in one go. He undertook to cut and fell bamboos for straightening the road. No one dared to resist him.