23rd November 1980
am Anandamayi Tola in Krishnanagar. Went to an area called Palpara where all the kumars of this area hang out. It's not a particularly large or systematic area, rather just a bend in the road plus extension into an alleyway. What I noticed was that there were quite a few unsold Durga and Kali images. Also saw a Lakshmi image and a broken Manasa one. A lot of these studios were also selling putul dolls nd large earthenware pots and I realised that this trade still is the other half of the kumar's life. It occured to me that if I find out what tools belong to the kumar and which to the sutradhar or mistri I could solve the question as to who made the artistic and decorative terracotta plaques. This in turn would help divine the source of the art of the traditional kumar. Is it possible that some of the bulky bodies of the terracotta panels and the sharp lines reflect influence from Rajasthan stone cutters art? Where is the link?
It also occured to me that kathamo puja is a restricted practice rather than a general one-it is not relevant in cases of Kartik, Lakshmi, Biskarma (i.e the smaller pujas). Went past tree a few yards from the south gate of rajbari at the base of which were hundreds of clay votive figs of animals. Pir worship?.
pm Went to Santipur to meet Mr Gobinda Chakraborty and family. They were busy preparing for the night's Rash Lila procession. Within their grounds they have a Dol-Mancha which is a square building one-storeyed, elevated, painted white and now decorated with paper-chains. An outer square of columns is copied by an inner square. Within the inner square is a wooden roundabout for the gopis and Krishna's chak. On the wooden wheel were six or seven couples (gopis and Krishna) painted, clothed and made of clay-kancha mati. These figs were all of the same height @3'. There were additional figs on the south balcony. One of Krishna as a boy stealing butter, another group of Krishna playing holi with 2 Sakis. In between the inner sq and outer a shinghason of wood that was empty, facing south. A lot of these wooden diases were in the compound (i.e. 3/4) and looked quite old, of greyish wood.
On raised dias a bit of decoration was going on. A 'boat' of paper and bamboo was being decorated for one cart in the procession. Another 2 additional 'thrones' were being decorated. Nearby were 4 figs of Naginis (?) and one of the young Krishna on top of a snake (Sesa?). The latter had one of these 'thrones' to itself. Outside the archway 2 bullock carts were standing and an elaborate throne that would be lit up from several light jars. I was told that cowpat and oil was used to make the lights.
The temple is one storey, 3 archways, flat roof, steps leading up. Broken into shrine areas, though no actual inner division except 3 diases. Figs placed inside. On left Gaur Nitai, yellow standing figs. On the right a seated man and woman, also in yellow and clothed with cloth, looking happy. Resembling Jaina figs with stone like appearance in the formulation of the limbs but they were in fact of clay. I asked how old they were-50 years probably and they were repainted every 2 or 3 years. One thing I noticed was that they didn't have white paint on their eyes. Very simple yellow and black kind of eyes and very round face and low forehead. Typically Jaina cf painting. In the middle shrine a small empty shinghashon. The images were kept in the house today and were being decorated.
In the house images very small (Krishna @ 2/1 1/2 ', Radha @ 1' high). K-kosti stone from Brindaban (these images came from Brindaban I was told); Radha-astadatu. K had an elaborate peacock headdress that tilted to the right. The black stone had been painted in red (hands and feet and white decorative dots on the forehead and limbs). Playing flute. Radha had a sari.
One thing I noticed about the Gaur Nitai in the temple was that they were both stadning on very regular lotuses (cf Prodip's remarks about clay images prepared for stone cutters).
The Radha-Krishna images would be placed on the elaborate singhashon outside the archways and taken in procession.
The house belongs to the teacher of Chaitanya of Mayapur, Nabadwip-Daityacharjya. Santipur-place of Vaisnab tirth (so is Nabadwip). Radha-Ballab jiv of Chota Goswami family named as Chak tera Adaitya adhipurush of this family. This man's grandfather was the minister of Raja Ganesh Charjya of Bengal. This coming Magh, birthday of Adaitya-549 years ago (i.e. 1431 he was born).
Rameshwar Chakraborty-the main predecessor of the present Chakraborty family after Adaitya (the 4th descendant after A-he was a gt scholar and had big chatuspati, his sloka was 'Diner rash, rater dole ei holo Rameshwarer bol'.
This house-family of Shantipur Nath i.e. Adaitya. The wooden structure being used in Rash jatra of Radha Ballab jiv made by Haranchandra Sanna (resident of Shantipur. priest-Soroj Kumar Rai (of Shantipur) a Nitya Sheba.
The wooden structure is square within square building is called chak-hence the name of the house Chakfera (fer=circulating). The temple @ 400 years old.
Ishtadevata-Sri Sri Radhaballab Jiv.
Gurukul-Shivprashad Mukhopadyay of Shantipur.
Debatra Sampati-the compound (2 bighas)
Money-person's money (not puja) 3 shops-Radhaballab's tenants who pay Rs15-25 rent monthly. These shops are on the road and one temple . The money is used only for Radha Ballab jiv.
As I was waiting by the side of the road I saw several Shiv Nataraj figs of clay in procession to bisarjan (with dhaks). I saw several elaborate pandals with Krishna inside. I went to the Kumarpara (much like the Anandamayi Tola area. Some putul dolls were being sold. I bought one Radha-Krishna for 8 annas and 3 small crude dolls painted red and black for 5 pais each.
Also saw Kali that had funny waist band. I noticed in one of the puja brochures a photo of Agameswari Kali. Very unusual image with large head. There is an Agameswari temple but the image is just made for Kp and then immersed.
Also Patesvari-a @200 year old pat in a temple depicting Shyama (?) Kali though I never got to see it.
The crowds at Shantipur were absolutely immense so didn't stay for Rash. I got the impression that all the clay images of Shiv, Kali, Krishna were immersed in the afternoon and then the Rash Jatra procession took place between 9.00pm-4.00am (i.e. the whole night). All the household/temple images are decorated and toured in a circle round the city in illuminated carts.
I asked about Jagaddhatri puja and it is done here but mostly in one para of the city-can't remember the name. Apparently people of all religions (including Muslims) come to Rash and Muslims even participate in the organisation.
26th November 1980 - Mecheda + Tamluk
30th November 1980 - Krishnanagar