Story of Dukhe

From previous post...

Bonbibi’s story is always followed by Dukhe’s tale. Dukhe (literally ‘sadness’) was a young boy who lived with his widowed mother grazing other peoples’ animals. One day, his village uncle lured him into joining his team to work in the forest as a honey collector. Dukhe’s mother did not want him to go but finally allowed him to leave with the recommendation that he should call out to Ma Bonbibi should any harm befall him. As the boy left for the dreaded forests, his mother prayed out to Ma Bonbibi to protect her son.

Kotha raile bonobibi mai,

Abhagir putra dukhe mahalete jai,

Kangaler mata tumi bipodnashinee,

Amar dukhere ma go tarabe aponi,

Tomar kadame mata sapinu uhare,

Rane bane banabibi tarabe bachhare|

(She {dukhe’s mother} prayed to Bonbibi “where art thou oh mother Bonbibi, the son of this unfortunate mother is heading for the forest, you, the savior of all the poor ones, shall surely save my son. I put my son into your hands; protect him from the perils of the forest".)

 The team left for the forest but couldn’t locate any bee-hives. Dokkhin Rai then appeared to the uncle in his dreams, whose name was Dhonai (from dhon – ‘wealth’) and promised him seven boats full of honey and wax if he could have Dukhe in return. Dhonai cried out:

Raimoni nibedi charane,

Dinga laye ashiachhi mahal karane,

Dhup dhuna ayojone puja bali lao,

Shaat dinga pura more mom modhu dao,

Toma bhabe ashiyachhi laiya taroni,

Tomar choron bina onyo nahi jani,

Mom modhu diya mor rakho bochon,

Natuba tomar age tajibo jibon|

(dhonai the boatman prayed to dokhhinrai for his blessings and asked him for seven boats full of honey and wax from the forest. He worshiiped ray with incense and offered sacrifices. He entreated ray to fulfill his desires: ‘either you give me honey and wax or I shall lay down my life.’)

After some hesitation, the uncle agreed and left Dukhe on the banks of Kedokhali Island and his boat sailed off piled with honey and wax.

Raimoni mokam korila sendu bone,

Pujila rayer pado nana ayojane,

Chini pheni malom sandesh kato ar,

 Dhup diye gondho puja nana upohar,

Shanibare rayer puja dilo dhona naiya,

Ekkhani chaak shese lailo katiya,

Mone mone bole dukhe dilam tomare|

(Dokkhinrai made forest of sendu trees his home. Dhonai made all the arrangements for his worship with incense, sweet meats etc. On Saturday after worshipping Dokkhinrai he cut down a hive and mentally declared “I offer you Dukhe as a sacrifice”.)

  Just as Dukhe was about to be devoured by Dokkhin Rai, he called out to Bonbibi. She took him in her arms.

Echham ajam pariya mata gaete phukila,

Samalia dukhe tokhon uthia bosila|

(The mother Bonbibi chanted hymns in the name of Allah and blew into the pores of his body. Dukhe got back his senses.)

She then rescued him and sent her brother Shah Jongoli to beat up Dokkhinrai. Dokkhinrai ran away from the forest.

Darete osthir rai kapite lagila,

Gaji jendar hujurete hajir hoila,

Bose achhilo barkhagaji kalu dosta jora,

Samnete shaat bagh rohiyachhe khara,

Pingal boron tanu sonar shamiyana,

Nuner putul moto sorir kancha sona,

Saha sikandar badshah Allah jare raji,

Tahar beta chander chhata shah barkha gaji,

Duniya beria tambu dilo jei jon,

Manik poros adi besumar dhan,

Chouda hajar bagh ache sahar prahari,

Mayur murale kalu rai kare gai,

Henokale upanita dokkhiner rai|

(Dokkhinrai began to shake with fear. He went for shelterto the place where Barkhan ghazi sat with his friend kalu. Seven tigers stood up right in front of him. Gorgeous to look at, he had a soft golden halo around him. Shah sikandar was a devotee of Allah, and his son was no other than Barkhan Ghazi himself. His umbrella was unfurled over the whole world and his wealth had no limit. The handsome ghazi sat there with fourteen thousand tigers to guard him. Kalu, decked with peacock feathers was in attendance when Dokkhinrai arrived there.)

In fear for his life, Dokkhin Rai ran to his friend the Ghazi. Ghazi, who is a pir, suggests Dokkhin Rai ask forgiveness from Bonbibi by calling her ‘mother’.

Shuno nek mai,

Tomar hujure mago ek bhiksha chai,

Dokkhinrai pare kop koro dur,

Ei khatire ailam tomar hujur|

(Ghazi asked Bonbibi, ‘good mother, grant me this wish. Don’t be angry with Dokkhinrai. Pardon him.’)

 He then takes him to Bonbibi and pleads on Dokkhin Rai’s behalf. Bonbibi, heeding the Ghazi’s intervention, accepts Dokkhin Rai’s apology and accepts him as her ‘son’.

Atharo bhatir madhye ami sabar ma,

Ma bole je dake tar dukh thake na,

Sonkote poriya jeba ma bole dakibe,

Kadachit himsa tai kabhu na karibe|

(I am the mother of all beings within these eighteen lowlands. Anybody who hails me as mother gets relief from all sufferings. You must not cause injury to anybody who appeals to me in danger.)

Hearing these words, Dokkhinrai filled with remorse, and made a solemn promise.

Shuno shuno mata arjo amar,

Satya satya tin satya satya angikar,

Banete asiya jeba ma dakibe,

Ama hote himsa tar kadacha na hobe|

(Mother, listen my vow, ‘I shall never cause harm to anyone who appeals to you for protection.’)

However, Dokkhinrai starts arguing that if humans are given a free reign there will be no forest left. So, to be fair and ensure that Dokkhinrai and his retinue of tigers and spirits stop being a threat to humans, and humans stop being a threat to non-humans (i.e. wild animals and spirits), Bonbibi elicits promises from Dukhe, Dokkhinrai and the Ghazi that they are all to treat each other as ‘brothers’. She does this by forcing Dokkhinrai and the Ghazi to part with some of their wood and gold respectively and by making Dukhe promise that he and his kind heed the injunction that they are to enter the forest only with a pobitro mon (pure heart) and khali hate (empty handed). She then sends Dukhe back to the village a rich man so that he does not have to work in the forest again.

The personification in the above mentioned songs is virtually transparent. We all get to know at once that Dokkhinrai is none other than the man eating tiger of the Sunderbans, whereas Bonbibi is the spirit of the forest in its benign aspect. Bonbibi saved Dukhe from the clutches of the tiger and sent him home on the back of a crocodile. Dokkhinrai is the fierce spirit of the tiger who must be propitiated. Bonbibi, on the contrary, is the embodiment of the forest itself, cast in a feminine form. The personification of the forest as a kind mother who protects all woodcutters and honey-gatherers is evident in the manner in which Bonbibi allays Dukhe’s fears regarding the crocodile.

Bibi bole ore dukhe,

Kumbhire na khabe toke.

Ei bate nahi daro tumi.

Kumnhirer pith pare,

Jaite Jodi bhoi kare,

Kole niya bosibo j ami.

Sunia tobe dukhe koi,

Se hoila kiser bhoi,

Thaki Jodi jononir kole,

Kahe hin kobikar,

Amon nasib kar,

Bonbibi beta jare bole|

(Mother Bonbibi said: ‘my poor Dukhe, the crocodile will not eat you, don’t have any fear on that score. If you are afraid to ride on the crocodile, I shall take you on my lap.’ Hearing this Dukhe said: ‘if I am on my mother’s lap then I have nothing to fear.’ The poor poet says, whoever had such good fortune as to be called a son by Bonbibi herself.’)

Typical clay figure of Bonbibi with her brother Shah Jongli and Dukhe at her feet.