Clay Images of West Bengal

The ritual of Manasa puja (July-August)

The Purohita Darpan recommends that the householder places a sij branch on a bedi for the worship of Manasa. After invocation to Manasa the samkalpa vow is made, ordinary arghya offered and after rites of purification Ganesh and the other deities are worshipped and Manasa is meditated upon. Puja is performed and the pithas (holy places) are worshipped. An important part of the ceremonies is bathing Manasa with milk. She is offered sandalwood, a garland, vermillion and sweetmeats. Her eight snakes are worshipped with padya water. Puspanjali (offering of flowers) is done followed by obeisance and the conclusion of ceremonies with dakshina and bisarjan. The clay image of Manasa is taken in procession and immersed along with music and dancing.

Milk is offered as it is considered a special offering in snake puja. The hymn recited to Manasa is taken from the Brahmavaivarta Purana, Prakriti Khanda. Ghee is also offered along with Nimb leaves which are placed inside the house and eaten by the priest.

Manasa images are usually immersed after worship although they may also be left to decompose naturally under a tree. Although Manasa puja is not popular in urban areas it is popular in rural Bengal and Assam where it is common to find clay images being used for the festival of Manasa puja. In the Deccan, clay images of snakes coloured yellow and black are worshipped during the festival.

During the festival Manasa Mangals are recited and patuas tell the story of Manasa and the spice merchant Chando using long scrolls or pats.

The worship of the snake goddess Manasa probably originated in East Bengal. Today her worship is popular in Dacca, Mymensingh and the Birbhum District of West Bengal. Manasa worship is also very popular in Assam particularly in the districts of Kamrup, Goalpara and Darrang. There is a popular belief that the Manasa cult spread into Assam from Bengal after the Muslim invasion of Kamarupa in the 15th c, although there is no historical record to support this belief.

Poems dedicated to Manasa are known as Manasa Mangal in Bengal and Padma Purana in Assam, 'padma' or lotus being one of Manasa's epithets. Manasa's left eye is her poison eye with which she can kill at a glance while her right eye is her nectar eye, a look from which can revive those killed with the left eye. The evil eye is connected with snakes. Manasa is also known as Vishahari because she is the Remover of Poison.

In texts, Manasa is described as being worshipped in the snuhi (screwpine) tree or in a pot filled with water covered with a twig from the tree. One dscription is of an elaborate puja in which Manasa's pot is placed on a dias in a four cornered mandap with plantain trees in each corner and a picturesque cloth stretched out above, four lamps, incense on stands, offerings of food and flowers. The holy diagram (alipana) is carefully plastered in cow dung. Various other deities are worshipped and sacrifice is made. Brahmins perform puja with mantras and women sign songs and dance to music.

In Keteka Das' 17th c Manasa Mangal the term 'mrinmayi' or 'consisting of clay' appears several times when describing the worship of Manasa, indicating that clay images of Manasa were possibly used in her worship from this time.

The Manasa Mangal and patua painting