Durga Pujo of a Christian Household

Trail of childhood memories line up as streets are adorned with fairylights and cacophony of far-fetched music touch my ears. The innocent curiosity of another religion, the madness of festivity and knowing that the word 'Maa' is the ultimate strength. I always asked whose 'Maa' she was? And always been told about her four children. Then I counter questioned then why do everyone call her "Maa", to which I was told, "She is a mother to anyone who call her Maa". 

Durga Puja will always be a part of my childhood nostalgia. Growing in a Christian household, I had access to Durga Puja and it's madness because of my equally enthusiastic Grandmother and Mother. Mahalaya used to mark the beginning of the festive madness. Before the sun could peep in, at the wee hours my mother used to wake up and turn the radio on to Birendra Krishna Bhadra's voice welcoming Maa Durga.

"Jago, Maa tumi jaago..."

A chill ran down my spine as the cool breeze entered from the window. Clinging onto my grandmother's saree, I could visualize a giant green monster being battled by a motherly figure. Someone who wore a saree like my grandmother and had the fury in her eyes like those of my mother. I waited till Bhadra chanted "Yaa Devi Sarva Bhuteshu Vishnu Mayyeti Shabditah

Namas Tasyai Namas Tasyai Namas Tasyai Namo Namah."

By then my mother brought in cups of steaming coffee and a packet of Banana Chips. Munching on the chips and sipping onto the coffee I used to hear both of them speak. They used to talk about their times when everyone used to wake up early in the morning in their compound and gathered around the radio set every Mahalaya. I used to ask innocent questions which were always answered by my Grandmother with her wits. 

 

Grandmother left us in 2010 and my mother in 2016. Mahalaya dawns are lonely but equally thrilling. With my earphones plugged in my ears I visualize scenes in my head. I imagine my grandmother and mother sitting right with me humming the songs one by one. 

Durga Puja marks the festive celebration and sparks nostalgia every year. That's the magic.

There were plans of covering pandals of the area. Plans of wearing this dress on that day and eating this from that shop. Rickshaw-wala or an autowala was to be summoned to take us around. My grandmother always said that hiring a taxi would be better. Then we could go far into North Kolkata and see Lebutala, Sovabajar Rajbari, College Square, Telenga Bagan etc. That was left for my Dad to arrange. 

I never felt it was not our festival. I had every speck of enjoyment my Hindu friends would have. New clothes, new shoes and good food to eat. Durga Puja taught me that no matter who you are, if you accept it Kolkata will embrace you with open arms. Maa Durga is a mother to everyone and Durga Puja, the festival of all. 

Hues to the Rescue

Depression, anxiety, panic attacks and other mental health issues have stricken the youth today. There is no embarrassment to admit that I myself has been diagnosed with clinical depression. But I am not here to talk about myself. The purpose of this is solely to help anyone who is going through depression and anxiety. I am not a professional nor have I consulted any professional before trying this remedy. But I guess colours and shades can never do you any reverse harm.

Long time back, I read somewhere about drawing lines and calming one's mind. It had recommended different patterns for different mental breakdowns. Every pattern had a different remedy and this intrigued me. For the last couple of months or to be more specific, this year I have been occasionally going through phases of anxiety, stress and mental break down. These were there before on a more subtle level and were easier to tackle. I used to speak it out or the best that worked for me was writing it in a poetry. What happened later was that I was unable to write anything at all and I was delved into a major writer's block. I tried reading books, watching films and web series but nothing seemed to work.

Now let me tell you, I have always admired people who can draw. I am awed by the perfection of their skills and felt it was the direct form of expression through art! No manipulation, no facades yet open to interpretation. During my bouts of anxiety I felt a deep urge to express it and one day when I came across a box of old pastels, I was determined to try my hand at drawing. I was never trained so I took to YouTube. I started with the most simple drawings to learn the basics.

My motive was never really to be perfect but I just wanted to learn it. My first one was absolutely a novice product but I was satisfied. One after the other I kept on colouring, blending and drawing. Every time I realized my mind was messed up I left everything and quietly sat down with my art supplies.

Here's how I feel now after I started this:

My mind is focused on the drawing completely without any distraction bothering my mind.

After I finishing the blending, I started improvising my own ideas into it.

When I am done with the drawing I feel an immense joy. I look at it and say to myself, "That's my creation!"

I love creating different coloured skies, trees, birds and human, mostly silhouetted figures.

I love how the pastel shades side by side while blending creates a new shade. Like blue and yellow makes a lovely shade of green. Just like the people around me share their good vibes to create a positive atmosphere. Sometimes, I relate to the lighter shades being overlapped and smudged by the darker colours. So much like me and the monsters inside my mind. Everything goes well until the darker shades smudge while blending. As if the darker shades defeat the lighter shades. They don't create any colour. They just leave behind the dirty stain.

I have discovered the most effective way of handling my sudden break down and anxiety issues. I feel the lovely hues have rescued me!!










Let me know in the comments below if you want link to some awesome YouTube tutorials for pastel shading. 

I do...

To April

Dear April,

While my frozen heart melted from the pale winter cold,
Your storm dilapidated my mind.
Basking in your tanning rays,
I burnt my desires for a green spring.
You brought inaugural of hopes and dreams of love.
Expecting cure for the frostbite of December,
I worshipped you.
You ruled the temple of my trust.
But then you swayed them in your storm at last.

Dear April,
I thought you were my beginning to sprinting spring
And my end to the freezing wall.
My new leaf on the barren tree,
Lonely since the last fall.
I wanted time to stop here,
With no more seasons this year.

April, I wanted it to be April every day,
April I'll live you till it's May,

~Jaismita

Silenced

There's deep mourning inside silenced by the cacophony of the outside world tonight,
The ears that heard are dead deaf.
The one that the eyes seek is one with the soil.
The arms that comforted, the hands to hold onto,
Gone.
Trapped in a frame, smiling...
The smile that can never rejuvenate.
The one who dreaded loneliness,
Left alone leaving behind someone lonely.
Loneliness deep down the soil
Is it more than the loneliness deep down the soul?
Is it felt more?

-Jaismita

No Escape Until You Are Winning...

If you are a person who is constantly facing failures then you know how it feels like to make the people who matter to you disappointed. It will always bother you thinking that the people who cherish your littlest achievements will definitely be disheartened at your huge failures. Sometime, the failures are uncalled for, unforeseen and you don't even know what went wrong. In my experience, some failures occur at the situations that needed to be on your favour. The failure that occurred to be a disappointment could change your life if it wasn't a failure after all. 

I always ponder over how disappointed my close-ones are because I repeatedly let them down yet they put up with me. They smile and show confidence in me and that kills me from inside daily. Every time I know I need to take a decision or prove myself, I fear I wouldn't be able to. The disappointment is not personal. The funniest part is that it is always of the people I care for. I wonder sometimes, if I had no one to care for, no one to care for me, life would have been far easier. I would take risks, shun everything I am compelled to do and live freely. There would be no eyes looking up to me with expectations, no face frowning at my downfall and most importantly no heartache for the ones who expected something out of me.

This whole expectation game is so so bitter that you can't even quit fighting. You can't yell and say ENOUGH! You can't say I QUIT! You can't say I AM LOSING! Because come on girl, you are strong and you have responsibilities. You were meant to be a fighter. And you know what? This fighter never wanted to fight, never wanted to put herself in this battle. 

The easiest thing one could do in my situation was to give up on life. All black, all gone, lost into the mysterious blackness of afterlife. But you know what compelled me to refrain from it? The same disappointed faces of the people who care and I care for. There is no escape from disappointment. No running away from it unless you are winning. 

Ambika Kalna

Ambika Kalna is a historic town in the Bardhaman District. This town is known for its beautiful terracotta structures which is comparable to those of Bishnupur. Though, surprisingly this place is not very popular. Kalna or Ambika Kalna is situated on the banks of the River Bhagirathi Hooghly. A number of temples with beautiful terracotta works are found here. Let us explore the wonderful world of terracotta.

Terracotta work on Pratapeshwar Temple

History of Ambika Kalna

According to sources, the history of Bardhaman’s Kalna and Bankura’s Bishnupur are linked. The King of Bardhaman took over Bishnupur royal estate and settled in Kalna. After which both the places were enriched with the beautiful terracotta work. Later Aurangazeb appointed Raja Jagatram as the administrator of Kalna. Under the administration of Raja Jagatram & his Son, Kalna was further beautified by the art of terracotta. Several temples were built during this period.

In 1757, nineteen temples were built under the administration of Raja Tilakchand. Raja Tejh Chandra Bahadur also contributed to the beautification of the town by building magnificent temples. No place in Bengal other than Bishnupur has so many temples with beautiful terracotta in carved like Kalna.

The Terracotta Temples in Kalna

The region of Bengal (modern Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal) saw a remarkable surge in patronage and experimentation in art and architecture from the mid- 17th to the mid-19th century. Hundreds of brick temples were built in this period in innumerable villages across the land, all built in a new architectural style. There were several reasons behind this burst of creativity and patronage. Gaudiya Vaishnavism, a reformist religious movement was started by the mystic Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the 15th century. Many landlords and merchants throughout the land converted to Vaishnavism, and announced their conversion by sponsoring temples and temple complexes that allowed the congregational worship favoured in this new religion. Religious revival coincided with economic prosperity in Bengal, initially through changes brought about by the Mughal administration, and later through trade with Europe and Southeast Asia. Some temples were sponsored by merchants enriched by trade, others by zamindars or landlords who became wealthy through changes in the political order.

The merchants and small landholders mostly built individual "household" temples, while the large zamindars embellished their capitals at Bishnupur, Kalna, Puthia, Nadia, Kantanagar, and Baronagar with dozens of monumental temples.

Terracotta work on Temples in Kalna

Rajbari Complex

Most of the beautiful structures in Kalna are enclosed in this particular complex. A unique and variant architectural style is found in the monuments and temples. The most common architectural styles are Bengali chala, the multi tower designs, ridges Duel of Bardhaman-Bishnupur style, Flat-roofed, Rashmancha etc. Some of them are described below.

Rajbari Complex garden

Pratapeswar Temple- This beautiful temple is located to the left hand-side at the entrance to the Rajbari Complex. The temple consists of beautiful terracotta works on its walls. It is considered to be one of the finest arts of terracotta in the complex. It was built in the memory of Prince Pratapaditya by his first wife Priya Kumari in 1849. There are figures of Lord Krishna, Goddess Durga & the demon Ravana on the walls of this temple. The roof is made in the style of ridged rekha duel style, which is popularly known as Bishnupur-Bardhaman style. This temple was built by Ramhori Mistry and is a fabulous example of finest terracotta works in Bengal.

Pratapeshwar Temple (left); Terracotta work on the Pratapeshwar Templa (right)

Rashmanch- As one move forward from the entrance, the first structure that catches the eyes is this roofless brick building. This is also made from burnt clay. Its pillars are magnificent. A few Holi or Doljatra rituals are held in this Rashmanch.

Rashmanch

Pancharatna Temples- These temples are raised on low-platforms and are brick-built aatchala temples of varying sizes. These temples in a row were built in the 19^th century. There are Shiva lingas inside these temples.

Pancharatna Temple

The Lalji Temple- It is the oldest temple in the Rajbari complex. It was built in 1739 AD. This temple is brick-built with 25 ratnas (tower). The walls of the temple have beautiful terracotta plaques which depicts the royal hunting scenes. Though it is situated in the Rajbari , complex but in a separate enclosed compound. There is a Radha-Krishna idol in this Temple.

Lalji Temple

Krishnachandraji Temple- This 60 feet tall building was built by Raja Tilokchand during 1751-1755 AD. This temple is also built in the style of 25 Ratnas (towers) and aatchala. The terracotta work depicts various scenes from Ramayana & Mahabharata, of childbirth, hunting etc.

Other structures present in this Complex are- Giri Govardhan Temple, Ananta Basudeva temple, Vijay Vaidanath Temple & Mahis Mardini institution.

Krishnachandraji Temple

Siddesheswari Temple

It is the oldest temple in Ambika Kalna. The place also derives its name from the goddess Ambika Siddesheswari.  This temple was established by Rishi Amburish in 688 AD. Human sacrifices were practiced in this temple. This temple is built in the ekchala style. This is a protected monument now. There are 14 steps leading to the temple, the first five signifying the Tanrik Cult and the nine indicating the Nabagraha or the nine planets. Besides there are two Shiva temples.

Siddesheswari Temple

108 Shiva Temples

This is located just opposite to the Rajbari complex. As one enters the gate, only temples of the same kind are noticed. There is absolute no similarities among the temples except for the Shiva ling inside. Some have white Shiva ling and some black. Maharaja Tej Chandra had sponsored the construction of these temples. This construction was a project to celebrate the transfer of the royal estate. The architecture is interesting as the orientation of the temples is in two concentric circles. The first circle consists of 74 temples with alternate white and black shiva lings. The inner set of temples has all white shiva lings. These temples are also in the form of aatchala style. Women visit these temples during Shivratri. The view of temples aligned one after the other is really beautiful.

A part of 109 Shiva Temples

Jagganathbari

The queen of Burdwan established a few temples in the Jagganathbari in the year 1754. Among them two are of special architecture. Both are of 15-ft and 5-ft high foundation respectively. Beautiful Alpanas, scenes from Mahabharata are clearly depicted in the terracotta work on the temple wall. This place is not under maintenance but the temples are still in good conditions. There is also a huge well inside this Jagganathbari. It is located in the Jagganath para.

Jagganath Bari

  Mahaprabhubari

This was the residence of Gauridas Pandit where Lord Sree Chaitnya took shelter during his visit to Ambika Kalna thrice. The tree under which Lord Sree Chaitanya rested still exists. It is popularly known as ‘Tentultala’ in Mahaprabhu para. World’s first idol of Lord Chaitnya is present here. The foot impression of Mahaprabhu can be seen here.

Handloom in Kalna

There are almost 300-400 handlooms in Kalna. Across the River Bhagirathi is Nadia, Shantipur. Launch services are provided to cross the river. Here at Shantipur, silk and handloom sarees are very popular. This contributes almost 30% to the economic growth of this town. These sarees are brought to Kalna from where export is done to the other parts of the country at much higher prices. It is interesting to watch the skilled workers work in the handlooms. A saree that costs around Rs 2000 in Kolkata can be purchased at much lower price in Kalna.

Tant saree laid to dry (left); Rolls of Tant sarees kept outside the loom (right)

Festivals of Kalna

The main festival of Ambika Kalna is the Saraswati Puja. This festival is celebrated just like Durga Puja in Kolkata. Theme pujas are also organized. Fairs are held, Schools and colleges also organize pujas in their institutions. Band processions begin from the morning, which move around the whole town.

River Bhagirathi

River Bhagirathi is one of the two headstreams of the River Ganges. Kalna is situated on the banks of this river. Water transport is widely popular. The scenery at the Ghats is really beautiful & one can spend hours sitting by the Ghats watching the boats and ferries sailing up & down. The mid-river is extremely shallow due to heavy slit deposition.

River Bhagirathi

Kalna is enriched with the beauty of its terracotta temples. But it is still unknown to many people that a part of history also lies in the shadow of this magnificent place. Under the various rulers, the artistic structures were built that enriched the beauty of Bengal. Many of the temples and monuments are maintained by the state government. The effort made by the ASI is really appreciable as it has led to the preservation of these valuable historical structures.

TRAVEL TIPS

Getting there: Howrah – Katwa local ; Sealdah – Katwa local.

Getting around: Rickshaws are the only alternative. It takes 2 ½ to 3 hours for the entire trip. Charges are about Rs75 per rickshaw for the entire trip, but it is subject to heavy bargain.

Places to eat: The temples and pilgrimages of Kalna can be covered in a day. There are several places to eat. Hotel Priyadarshini, near the bus stand offers good food at reasonable prices.

WHERE TO STAY

There are many budget hotels and dharmashalas in the town. One can also opt to stay at the PWD guest house. It is advisable to book rooms in advance.

-Jaismita Alexander

The same article was published by The Telegraph in Schools (TTIS)