Clay Images of West BengalCalcutta Notes 16th October 1980 am-Nimtala ghat. In time for the bathing of the kalabau. Lots of processions going down to the Ganges with Kb-drums, gongs, brahmins, utensils. I went with the procession fro the Datta bari. The Kb was housed in the same encosure as the bel tree in the courtyard. On the banks of the G puja was done to the Kb and then briefly immersed and then the procession back. After the immersion Kb was clothed (the 2 bel fruits rather) with a small cloth. Music all the way till Datta bari and then Kb placed next to Ganesh. Puja. Mr Datta was the only one of the family present and he was doing the accounts in a small book. Beside him were some dhotis. A woman appeared (widow in white) and sat a little way off from Mr Datta (a curtain was drawn over that area). Pranprathistha was done by the brahmin touching the chest region of each figure in the following pattern: 1 Durga 2 Ganesh 3 Lakshmi 4 Asura 5 Sarasvati 6 Kartik. By this time the kalabau was dressed in a red silk sari with some flower garlands (white, small flowers). Mr Datta told me that kb represents Bhagavati and is the main object of worship (she is mother of Ganesh). I think I saw 2 sticks in the brahmin's hand as he did pranpratishtha. Next came choku dan. Using a leaf (?) and stick the priest (in the same order except he also touched the eyes of K's peacock) touched 3rd eye of each deity firt then right then left. P and choku dan came in quickish succession. Then the music (2 drums-large) started to play and the brahmin read through the texts. Various individuals (not many) came and prostrated and then left. Astik appeared briefly but didn't appear to take part in anything. I left and came back to Hazra. I went in and took a photo of Nafar Kundu Road family puja and asked questions. The image was made in Krishnanagar. The family, though, comes from villages in the Hooghly district and are called Bannerji. Their puja is 300 years old (I mentioned the inverted G + K and Mr B was interested that I'd noticed). am-Kumartuli. Lakshmi images had already been brought out for production and one Kali in Prodip's studio. P took me to the Bhagbazar image (which cost Rs7000). Very traditional and large and decorated with shaj. Apparently the Simla (in Cal) image is the oldest sarvajanin Dp-over 100 years old. P also took me to others. Rs30,000 was spent on a jute image. P told me that the inverted image (G + K) was typical of Bangladesh. 17th October 1980 - Kumartuli, Dutta house and Banerji house of Nafar Kundu Road 18th October 1980 - Krishnanagar 19th October 1980 - Shibnibash and Krishnanagar rajbari 21st October 1980 - Calcutta, Nafar Kundu Road 22nd October 1980 - Kumartuli and Kalighat 27th October 1980 - Kalighat and Patuapara 29th October 1980 - Asu Datta's house 30th October 1980 - Tarakeswara, Radhanagar, Gopalnagar, Krishnanagar 31st October 1980 - Tarakeshwara and Kolimbar village |