A newspaper advertisement once introduced "Principal Mathur Babu's Dhaka Shakti Oushadhalaya." Complete with product details, branch addresses, and descriptions of remedies, it bore the bold tagline: "The largest, most authentic, and affordable Ayurvedic pharmacy in British India."
The flyer invited readers to write in for a free catalogue featuring medical guidance alongside glowing testimonials from the Governor of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa, as well as prominent leaders like Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das.
The advertiser behind it was Mathura Mohan Chakraborty, BA, a resident of Narinda and former headmaster of Jubilee High School who was listed as a "Hindu Chemist". Reading the ad today offers a remarkable glimpse into the past.
Founded in Dhaka at the turn of the 20th century, Shakti Oushadhalaya gained such popularity that it opened branches across distant cities of the British Empire, including Madras, Allahabad, and Rangoon.
From teacher to healer: The birth of Shakti
Chakraborty, affectionately known as Mathur Babu, was headmaster at Jubilee High School in the late 19th century when he fell gravely ill. After searching in vain for a cure through various treatments, he sought help from the mystic Lokenath Brahmachari at Barodi. Restored to health through traditional Indian medicine, Mathur Babu immersed himself in the study of Ayurveda under Baba Lokenath's direction.
That study blossomed into a pioneering enterprise. In 1901, roughly 125 years ago, he established Shakti Oushadhalaya. He built his medicine factory on Swamibag Road, just a short walk from his residence on Sarat Gupta Road in Dayaganj. That grand original house still stands intact, and despite changing hands over the decades, the pharmaceutical company remains active.
Shakti Oushadhalaya operated two main headquarters in Dhaka (Patuatuli) and Kolkata (Beadon Street), with four retail centres in Kolkata alone. Soon after its founding, over 22 branches sprung up across towns such as Mymensingh, Chattogram, Sylhet, Lucknow, Varanasi, Rajshahi, Jalpaiguri, Gauhati, and Kanpur.
According to the historical volume Dhaka Kosh, Mathur Babu lived modestly, spending half of the profits from medicine sales on public welfare. His business rested on three principles: pure medicine, low profit margins and high volume.
When Dhaka meant Ayurveda
The journey began modestly with just two remedies: Chyawanprash and Swarna Sindur. Over time, as Shakti and its rival Sadhana Oushadhalaya flourished, Dhaka transformed into a major hub for Ayurvedic production.
Mathur Babu's first invention was a Chyawanprash brewed from amla decoction, followed by the renowned Makaradhwaja. Early advertisements highlighted products like Dashan Sanskar Churna for oral ailments, Brihat Khadir Batika for strengthening teeth and freshening breath, Chhagaldya Ghrita for boosting memory, and Marichadi Ointment for skin conditions.
Over time, the factory expanded its repertoire to liquid tonics, pills, electuaries, powders, and oils, eventually building a catalogue of 305 remedies.
Before his death in 1942, Mathur Babu had brought his institution to the pinnacle of success. Shakti competed closely with Sadhana Oushadhalaya, founded by his former student Jogesh Chandra Ghosh. However, the Partition of India severely disrupted the golden era of both institutions.
From enemy property to government auction
Mathur Babu died childless, leaving the business to his brother Lalmohan Chakraborty, and later to his adopted son, Noni Gopal Chakraborty. Following Partition, betrayal by employees forced Noni Gopal to abandon the enterprise.
Ashim Bandyopadhyay, general manager of Shakti Oushadhalaya, has been with the company for 40 years and knows its history intimately. He recalls that Noni Gopal stayed behind in Dhaka to manage the business alone while his family lived on Beadon Street in Kolkata. Intimidated by four outsiders claiming ownership, Noni Gopal left for India via Narayanganj that very day.
Navigating to Swamibag Road with Google Maps leads to the old heritage gate of Shakti, where Principal Mathur Babu's name still shines brightly. Past the gate stands a temple dedicated to Lokenath Brahmachari, also built by Mathur Babu. Down a narrow alley lies the historic factory, where stepping inside feels like stepping back decades in time.
The Chakraborty family residence on Sarat Dutta Road in Dayaganj still retains its grandeur, though descendants no longer live there. In 1965, the Pakistani government declared Shakti "enemy property" and took control, later entrusting management to United Traders Company. In 1969, four claimants filed a writ petition seeking ownership, but the government rejected their claim in 1977 and resumed management.
Mounting losses eventually led to a government auction in 1979, where Masons Enterprise purchased Shakti for approximately Tk2.37 crore, paying in instalments to acquire full ownership.
How it operates today
Navigating to Swamibag Road with Google Maps leads to the old heritage gate of Shakti, where Mathur Babu's name still shines brightly. Past the gate stands a temple dedicated to Lokenath Brahmachari, also built by Mathur Babu. Down a narrow alley lies the historic factory, where stepping inside feels like stepping back decades in time.
Work proceeds in an orderly fashion within the old-style building. Separate rooms house herbal raw materials, preparation areas, and packaging stations. On the ground floor, workers prepare and bottle medicine amidst the historic walls and wooden doors.
Medicines are still simmered in Mathur Babu's original brass cauldrons following time-tested formulas and names. Modern touches have been introduced — machines assist with certain tasks, solar dryers replace open-air sun drying, and modern water purification systems are in place.
Yet management maintains that product quality remains unchanged. Ashim Bandyopadhyay notes that when Masons Enterprise took over, they retained the existing staff and craftsmen, preserving the traditional knowledge passed down through generations.
In a room upstairs, workers hand-package the digestive aid Bhaskar Laban, while downstairs, sacks of Dantaroagari tooth powder are packed for nationwide shipment. Demand for these long-standing remedies remains strong.
Today, nearly a hundred workers operate out of this Dhaka facility, supplying 34 branches nationwide and serving visitors who travel from abroad specifically for these products.
Enduring faith in Ayurveda
Adjacent to the Swamibag factory is a Shakti retail outlet, with another located nearby in Dayaganj.
Sukanta Bhattacharya, a kabiraj (ayurveda practitioner) with 22 years of service at Shakti, observes that customer demand has remained steady over the decades, sustained by conscious consumers seeking remedies free from side effects.
Buyers like Abul Hasnat come seeking tooth powder and tonics. While he relies on allopathic medicine for himself, he prefers Ayurvedic remedies for his children, a choice rooted in watching his father use Ayurveda years ago.
Ashim Bandyopadhyay points out that if these century-old remedies were ineffective, customers would not keep returning generation after generation.
While Shakti has built a distribution network capable of reaching most parts of Bangladesh, liquid medicines are currently transported overseas only through personal luggage rather than commercial export.
Popular remedies
Shakti Oushadhalaya produces over 50 types of medicine today. The most popular items include Dantaroagari tooth powder, Amlaki Rasayan for digestion, and Dashamularishta for vitality.
Other sought-after remedies include Balarishta, Kesharaj hair oil, Ashwagandharishta for nervous weakness, Brahmi Rasayan for memory, and Ashokarishta for women's reproductive health.
Prices remain accessible to regular consumers, ranging from Tk60 to Tk100 for tooth powder and around Tk190 for key tonics.
Many shoppers visit the stores not just for acute illnesses, but out of habit for trusted products they have relied on for decades.
Challenges and future outlook
Because Ayurvedic medicine relies heavily on plant materials, raw material shortages pose a major challenge today.
Many herbs are increasingly difficult to source locally, requiring collection from remote areas or reliance on imports.
Despite these hurdles, leadership remains optimistic about the future as public interest in natural remedies grows among younger generations.
As the oldest of Bangladesh's four recognised medical systems — alongside allopathy, homoeopathy, and unani — Ayurveda holds deep roots in the region. Having navigated over 125 years of political, social, and economic change, Shakti Oushadhalaya continues its work, striving to preserve its legacy for another century.