Clay Images of West BengalCalcutta Notes 12th September 1980 12 a.m.-5.30 p.m. Kumartuli. Pradip and conversation. a lot of his Biskarma images have been painted and clothed. Some Ganeshas were ready and being taken off for tomorrow's puja. Rakkha Kali: 2 hands. Generally worshipped in evening and immersed at dawn. If wishes have been fulfilled this kind of Kali is worshipped. Other figures are included-waving chamaks. Kept on either side-called Shaki. Fair-coloured, curly-haired-western influence. Half naked. Elokeshi-without a crown or ornaments. Rakkha Kali's mouth is shut. No tongue hanging out, right hand skull left a pot of wine (not blood). In Kumartuli sarvajanin puja takes place every year. Mr.Gopeswar Paul (P's mother's uncle) discovered first the separated images. Style different-dynamic movement, all fighting. Which year? Baruari and sarvajanin are the same. Chal chitras-round one called Markin Chali. Square Math (ashram) Chowrie. Another Bangla which has 'doors' of wood one on either side of the background. During immersion the wooden things are taken out and used for next year. This is done in Shobhabazar Rajbari. P knew that kathamo was kept in some families. If the image has brought luck one year then the kathamo is supersititously kept. Lions-typical Bengali face, the lion is like the horse 'Bangla Shingha' white with a black curled mane and long moustache. Can be seen in Orissan temples. P thinks this kind of lion comes from Orissa. Shinghasan-Laksmi sits on it. It is called a bedi, the platform which makes the image more beautiful, keeps it high and finishes the image. Durga-second hand down her right side is chakra. Bengali cast Gondho-banik. All worship Shiva on a bull with Durga on lap, blessing with 4 figures accompanying. Not the usual Durga image. Paper merchant Mr Dutta worships this type. Some types of images are not to be immersed. Sitala left after worship on the bank of a river Hooghly or under a tree. Rakka Kali also left. Manasa puja. Biskarma is immersed.  Siddheswari Kali the one where she is wearing a sari (the definition) red sari. Dakina Kali (4 handed) right dakin leg put forward on Shiva's chest. Left leg put forward. Bama Kali. Same image. P also talking about process of making terracotta. He said that a clayey solution ws made and then filtered to remove the salt. when the filtered solution was sun-dried and ready for use then baked to last longer. An unbaked (kancha mati) image would last at the most 50 years before disintegrating. Mrinmoyi chinmoyi koro-give it life. Original Durga image was very different from present form. The eyes were extremely slanted (like bamboo leaves) and the face was almost triangular and mask like. Previously P told me the shape and large size of the eyes was to convey the idea of tremendous energy. Some headdresses made of clay, some of Daker saj. Today P sold an old (3 yrs old) small Ganesha image which ws about to be thrown away. It was repainted. another image of Lakshmi was up in the attic (old paint and bit in disrepair) which would be done up. P also had some Lakshmi saras-some in semi-relief. From a few days ago-the Basanti (Spring) puja is still done with exactly the same iamge. One is Ravana's puja and the other is Rama's (Ramachandra). The Asvina one seems to be a celebration of Rama's puja. The story of the Bengali version of the Ramayana is seen as the starting point of the worship of Durga in the autumn (Sabarotsaba). Little is known about Kalikapurana or any shastras for that matter. Basanti puja rare these days. 13th September 1980 - Kalighat and Calcutta Museum 14th September 1980 - Kumartuli 15th September 1980 - Kalighat 16th September 1980 - Kumartuli 19th September 1980 - Ramlal Bazar 20th September 1980 - Kumartuli, Nimtala and Dum Dum para 21st September 1980 - Rajbari and Kalighat 24th September 1980 - Kumartuli 26th September 1980 - Victoria Memorial 27th September 1980 - Kalighat 29th September 1980 - Kalighat 30th September 1980 - Kumartuli and Kalighat |