4Bs – Bengali, Bhadralok, Brahmin, & Bamponthi

Marketers believe in 4Ps- Product, Price, Place, & Promotion; People from Bengal believe in 4Bs- Bengali, Bhadralok, Brahmin, & Bamponthi. Let me explain this mix in detail.

We, Bengalis, take pride in thinking that we’re intelligent than any other ethnic group in India. We brag that our understanding relating to politics, economics, and society is higher than Marathis or Punjabis. In short, we think Bengalis are intellectually superior to any other ethnic group in India.

The word Bhadralok in English means Gentleman. The template of a perfect Bengali Bhadralok is who wears kurta-pajama and carries a jhola bag when going out. He should be soft-spoken, implying he had a good education. During my childhood and teenage days, I noticed that almost all Bengali Bhadraloks favors left-wing politics. I even once thought that all intelligent people are Bamponthi (leftist) by nature.

Indian caste system positions Brahmins on top of the caste hierarchy. The mark of a Brahmin person is who wears a sacred thread. In India, Brahmins hold the top positions though they’re less in numbers.

Now, let me explain the Bengal situation or the 4B. Here I’m going to about a section of Bengali Brahmin Bhadralok who acquired wealth during the left rule irrespective of having a communist government in power. Communists came in power in West Bengal in 1977 and ruled till 2011. Understanding the importance of being adaptable, Bengali Brahmin Bhadralok turned Bamponthi. They sensed that the days of Jamindari are over, so they changed their stance.

However, they didn’t stop offering their ‘service’ as priests. They sensed that god-fearing people will require their service because of their caste as Brahmin. It is now quite clear that communists completely failed to turn Bengalis into an agnostic race which they should have. Now, you can imagine the advantage of these Brahmins had during communist rule- first; they were close to the communist party which gave them the power to accumulate wealth, and second, they offered their service as priests in return for money.

These Bengali Bhadralok Brahmin Bamponthis also used to hold a good position in para (neighborhood) because of their connection to the communist party. Durga puja is always a grand affair in Bengal. Having a good rapport with the communist party meant easy access to the Durga puja committee. The same rule applied to the Para clubs. In short, both power and money were secured.

Now when BJP is trying to come in power in West Bengal, imagine the advantage these Bengali Bhadraloks will have. BJP, a Hindu nationalist party, will quite naturally lean towards the Brahmins to intact the ethos of Hinduism. When I'm writing this, BJP has already started luring Brahmin Bamponthis to join their party. I just wonder how much advantage these Bengali Bhadralok will have if BJP comes to power in Bengal.