Clay Images of West BengalCalcutta Notes 6th November 1980 am Interview with Chunder family. @ 1868 Chunders started Dp when PC Chunder's great grandfather became enrolled as an attorney in the Great High Court. He started it and his daughter was also married so to celebrate the occasion the Dp was started. 'But we are told that before that there was a puja with an earthenware pot.'This is the symbol of the deity-don't know exactly when that was started. Earthen pot still worshipped always in front of the image-there's no special pot (no pat puja). Other pujas-4 pujas: Dp, Kali, Kartik, Saraswati and 2 Karticks-because there was a trick played on their forefathers, somebody had left these 2 Kartiks in front of the house-they were taken in and worship started. Dp done consistently, no break (112 years puja). Family lived in Dist of Nadia in village called Khisme in Birnagar principality. Centre of some old family. Chunder's belong to the Kayaistha community. Another well-known family at Khisme-the Senas/Shinghos. No link maintained in this village. Their old home now a field of brinjals. Nabadwip (Nadia) is on the Hooghly river. No thakur dalan in Khisme. Now only one small house belonging to one branch of the family. Present thakur dalan constructed by PCC's great grandfather. Present dalan built by Ganesh Chunder (gt grandfather). No idea who made the images. The artists before used to come and spend some time with the family, eat with the family and started from scaffolding, straw, clay. After 2 weeks-second mud-coating. Fingers finished etc. Now up till the 2nd coating of mud it is done in Kumartuli and the image is then brought and finished. Komal Pal (now dead) up to grandfather made his image. Patuas-hired by kumars to paint the chal chitras (when PCC was a young man). Later on they bought painted pats and pasted them on. Their image traditional one in Bengal. Chunder's family had nothing to do with the East India Company. Their forefather came some time before 1780 and started living in Govindapur region where the present Fort William has been constructed. After construction they were moved to Nimal Chunder Street where they have been living since 1781. Chunder's forefathers not so well-known or wealthy, gradually they came up through hard work. Their family deity is Narayan Shiva (shalagram sila) worshipped daily: morning and evening. Ghat puja annual. They follow Gupta Press punjika. 7th November 1980 - Krishnanagar 11th November 1980 - Interview with Hatkola Duttas 12th November 1980 - Kumartuli + Kalighat 13th November 1980 - Viswa Bharati 14th November 1980 - Patuapara and Kumartuli 15th November 1980 - Krishnanagar 16th November 1980 - Krishnanagar 17th November 1980 - Krishnanagar 19th November 1980 - Calcutta + Dutta family 20th November 1980 - Kumartuli 21st November 1980 - Calcutta State Archaeological Museum 22nd November 1980 - Krishnanagar + Nabadwip 23rd November 1980 - Krishnanagar + Shantipur 26th November 1980 - Mecheda + Tamluk 30th November 1980 - Krishnanagar |