The Legend of Raghu Dakat
It was the 18th century, and Calcutta (now Kolkata) was flourishing as the capital of the British. Madhab Babu was a wealthy businessman who lived near the banks of the Hooghly River in Chandernagore, about 50 kms from Calcutta. Madhab babu was a person of influence, so much so that the administration named a water tank after him.
There also flourished a notorious dacoit who went by the name Raghu. The British government had placed a bounty on his head. But, nobody ever informed against him as he was a Robin Hood, who looted the corrupt wealthy and gave it to famine stricken families, widows, and needy children. Rabindranath Tagore mentioned the same in his collection of poem titled Sesh-Saptak.
One day, Madhab Babu, while entertaining his friends, made a loose comment about Raghu. ‘He dare not visit me. He knows my house is well guarded.’
‘Oh, don’t say that. Raghu is a dangerous and a clever man’ feared one of his friend.
A few days later, Madhab babu received a letter loosely translated to ‘I would like to visit your house Madhab babu’ It was signed by none other than Raghu. Madhab babu panicked, how the hell did the information pass on to Raghu? Being an influential person, he asked for extra security at his own expense from the Calcutta police station. However, nothing happened for the next few days, and the police protection was eventually withdrawn by him as he believed it to be a practical joke by one of his friends.
One late night, under the cover of darkness, a boat silently approached the ghats near Madhab babu’s house. Despite the gate being locked, the occupants of the boat were undeterred. They used the tall coconut trees surrounding the house to scale the walls and infiltrate the rooftop. They slayed the sleeping darbans and looted every single room of the house. Madhab babu was left in a state of utter devastation, struggling to come to terms with the mental and material loss inflicted upon him. To add insult to injury, a few days later, he received a chilling letter, loosely translated to inquire about the “pleasantness” of the visit. It was signed by Raghu.
Raghu, a devout follower of Goddess Kali, stumbled upon a jungle while escaping from the authorities one night. He felt a strong urge to establish a settlement there, which he and his companions eventually did. According to legend, one night, Goddess Kali appeared in Raghu’s dream and instructed him to consecrate an idol in the jungle. Raghu followed her instructions and began worshiping the idol regularly. Before embarking on any expedition, he would roast ‘Lotiya Mach’ (Bombay duck) and offer it to the goddess.
However, on the new moon night of the month of Kartik, Raghu’s devotion took a dark turn. He performed a human sacrifice as an offering to Goddess Kali. Anyone who happened to pass by on that fateful night was captured by Raghu’s men, killed, and offered to the deity.
On one such fateful night, Ramprasad Sen, a renowned poet, singer, and a devotee of Kali happened to pass by the forest. He was captured by Raghu’s men, tied and taken to Raghu. Ramprasad understood that he would now be sacrificed to Goddess Kali. He pleaded Raghu to allow him to devote a song as his last offering to Goddess Kali. Considering it his last wish, Raghu allowed. Ramprasad joined hands and began his rendition. The entire gang, including Raghu was mesmerised. Raghu had a vision of Goddess Kali, ready for beheading. Raghu asked for her forgiveness and promised that he would never offer human sacrifice.
Raghu later became an ardent follower and disciple of Ramprasad Sen, from whom he learned singing and poetry.
Almost two centuries later, in 1967, a movie named Hum Do Daaku was released, which also starred one of Raghu’s descendants, Abhas Kumar Ganguly, also known as KISHORE KUMAR. Although the exact connection is not known, Kishore Kumar is believed to be the earliest known descendant of Raghu.
Reference: Bengal Dacoits and Tigers by Sunity Devee and Kishore Kumar: The Ultimate Biography by Anirudha Bhattacharjee and Parthiv Dhar
