Rituals

Any forest going wood cutter or honey collector first propitiates the deities of Bonbibi and Dokhhinrai, which are usually placed at the edge of forests. Importantly in spite of fast depletion and lesser dependence on forest produce for a living along with gradual rigidification of religions, the syncretic essence of Bonbibi has not receded in the remote areas of Sundarbans. For the last few years the people of the kalitala village in north 24 parganas have been encapturing the entire life history of Bonbibi by displaying a panel of clay images which is more than 250 in number.

The wood cutters, bauls, malangis, moules, boatmen and hunters try to placate the tigers and keep them happy by raising altars in the forest and offering roosters and pegions. In the Sundarban region, the tradition of worshipping the tiger under the name Dakshin Ray, Lord of the South, still persists. The moule folk of both Hindu and Muslim communities worship Dakshinray as the God of tigers.

Rakhal Gayen, a village elder from Balikhal village on Jharkhali Island, South 24 Parganas, says: “Maa’s puja does not require a priest or recitation of any mantras. Neither is there any propitious moment to perform the rituals, which are largely done as per our convenience.” The goddess’s shrines are housed beneath hay sheds and bamboo poles and are usually at the entrance to the village. The rituals involved are equally ethnic, says Chandan Giri who takes pride in the social customs of the region. “Wild flowers, creepers, certain weeds and seeds are picked from the forest and offered to her as a mark of our commitment towards saving the forest,” he says.

Among the folk rites associated with the worship of Dakshin Rai, Jatal has a special place. This ceremony is observed in the forest at the dead of night. The worship is performed by lighting torches, beating of drums and offering of wine, meat and hallucinatory drugs. Ducks and goats are sacrificed. In these folk societies various beliefs exist about the divinity and prowess of Dakshin Rai. Invocation of Dakshin Rai is also made in case of diseases of cattle. Dakshin Rai is worshipped mostly as the god who liberates humans from evil influences and helps cultivation.

The most convincing evidence of the differences is in theological orientation. The residents of the Sundarbans refers to Bonbibi as a Musalmani devi, the ritualistic approach is different in the two communities residing in that area. Bonbibi is originally identified by the Hindus as a goddess with Islamic backgrounds who help all people. The Muslims thinks that she is an embodiment sent to the ‘eighteen lowlands’ by Allah to save the people. Hindu worshippers perform ‘puja’ in local thaans, (a structure to house the clay image of the deity) which are specially placed near the edge of the forests for obvious reasons. If one is wondering by foot from villages to forests, he/she may come across such a thaan. The thaans contain a murti (clay idols) of Ma Bonbibi. Sometimes, in the absence of a thaan, locals worship simply by putting a red cloth or a mala (garland) on a tree by the forest edge.

A party venturing into the forest may contain both Hindu and Muslims. So, a visit by both the communities to a thaan, made by a Hindu is not an unusual sight. The Hindus perform pujas, whereas the Muslims perform duaas.

There is an annual celebration of Bonbibi around the time of Makar Sankranti, during which the Jaharnama is recited aloud. The play of dukher jatra takes place along with pala gaans. This is done to teach the younger generation about Ma Bonbibi and keeping all connected with the community, and reaffirms the relation of Bonbibi to the community and with that of the forest. Rice, sweets, and fruit offerings are made. Some offers toys to Dukhe. Muslims offer a special sweet called shirni.

A ritual specialist accompanies a team into the forest. They are called bauleys, gunins and fakirs. Their role in the expedition is to provide protection to the workers in the forest. The ritual specialist has a verbal repertoire of divine origin.

The following is a mantra by a bauley:

O Mother

Thou who lives in the forest,

Thou, the very incarnation of the forest,

I am the meanest son of yours,

I am totally ignorant,

Mother, do not leave,

Mother, you kept me safe inside your womb,

For ten months and ten days,

Mother, replace me there again,

O Mother pay heed to my words|

As evident from the mantra, Bonbibi is also looked upon as a maternal figure. Bonbibi’s clay figure can be seen in two variations as per two communities. The first one can see her dressed in pyajama, braided hair, a cap, complete with a necklace and tiara. She wears shoes. The other sees her in saree, necklace, a garland, and various jewelry complete with a crown. She carries Dukhe with her. Starting from poush-sankranti through the month of maagh, an annual jnatal puja is done and observes a grand fair. The most attractive fair can be seen at the Horinkhalir Maath, Ramrudropur, adjacent to Joynogor police station. Rituals and crowd follow as day slips into evening. Various local sweets are offered to the goddess which includes batasha made of sugar, kodma, mowa, milk, shirni, and various fruits and live animals. One of the main attractions of the fair is that of a kite flying competition among the kids and teens. Some of the ancient Bonbibi’s fairs are that of the villages of Haldia (250 years old) and Baratgarh (100 years old).

Dokkhinrai’s puja is held at Dhopdhopi on the first day of the month of ‘maagh’. It is also known as Jnatal puja. A grand fair is also organised on its occasion. Offerings made to the deity comprises of locally made delicacies of both non veg and veg platter. Many offer live animals like hens and ducks and later release them into lakes or forests. Other than Dhopdhopi, fairs are also organised at Joynagar, Koylapara and Bohdu (Adjacent to Joynagar), Ghateshwara of Mandirbajar, Raidighi of Mathurapur, Sagarer Kenatodi, Salkia of Mograhaat, Ardoh and Dhoniramchok etc.

West Bengal’s sundarban welfare development department took a step and inaugurated a Bonbibi’r Utsav from 2002. Its slogan is designed as ‘love Sundarban, care for it, save it’. The fair sees other forms of folk culture in and around Sundarban area. Kobigaan, tusu, vadu, putulnaach, jatra, gaan etc are held for the people.