The holy month of Kartik

Kali pujo and Kartik pujo

We came back home (Orissa) after a long Puja vacation in Kolkata. Weeks of Moglai, Roll, Kobiraji and Chowmin had spoiled us thoroughly. It was time for us to settle back into our daily routine. Groceries had to be brought and the fridge had to be stocked. And then came the shock. Vegetables were scarce. Whatever was available, the prices had gone up. Fish was not to be found anywhere. Special orders had to be placed with my ‘para’ fish seller whose name happens to me Bromha! Bromha later explained that it’s the month of Kartik. People in Orissa turn vegetarian during this month. That explains the rise in price of vegetables.

The month of Kartik which begins from mid-October and continues till mid-November is considered the holiest of all the months in our calendar. Kartik arrives just after Ashshin, the month of Durga Pujo. My grandmother had told me stories why Kartik was considered the most sacred of all months. It was Lord Bramha who had declared that Kartik would be the holiest of all the months. Any pious act or deed committed this month would win the favor and blessings of all the ‘Devatas’ as the deities are much closer to earth this month. By this declaration he had accorded the highest honor to this month. 

The other story I came across on a website (http://astrobix.com/hinduism/tag=kartik-month-significance) is that of Lapsi and Tapsi. The legend says that there were two men Lapsi and Tapsi. Both were very devoted and dedicated towards God. While Tapsi meditated for long, Lapsi regularly offer Lassi to God. One day they started arguing about who was more devout. Narad Muni was passing by and decided to help them out. Next day, while returning home after a bath Tapsi found a gold ring. It was Narad Muni who had deliberately dropped this ring. Tapsi promptly hid the ring and sat down for his prayers. On the other hand Lapsi woke up, took his bath and offered Lassi to God. When Narad Muni arrived, both Lapsi and Tapsi wanted him to identify the devout follower in them. Narad told them that since Tapsi had stolen the ring, his devotion was questionable. Therefore it was Lapsi who was more committed. But Tapsi wanted to know how he could do penance for this act and absolve himself of all sins. Narad advised him to take a bath everyday in the Ganges during the month of Kartik. He also mentioned that whoever listened to this story or told this story to others would be blessed by the Gods.

Lighting Lamps in Assam

Hence many keep a fast during this month. They fast the whole day and sit down for a proper meal after the sun sets. Many opt for vegetarian food. Some cook with only Ghee as oil is considered unholy by many. Men abstain from intoxicants and tobacco. Jagraan and Keertans are common in every locality. Early morning ‘snan’ rituals are regular in most places. 

Kartik is also Lord Krishna’s favorite month. Lord Shri Krishna says, “Of all plants, the sacred Tulasi is most dear to me; of all months, Kartik is most dear, of all places of pilgrimage, my beloved Dwarkais most dear, and of all days, Ekadashi is most dear.” (Padma Purana, Uttara Khand 112.3)

Karwa Chauth, Kali Puja, Diwali, Dhanteras, Kartik Pujo, Bhai Dujj and Tulsi Vivah are some of the festivals that happen during this month. The worship of Tulsi is mandatory for each and every member in the household for the whole month.

This is also the month where we believe that our ancestors travel down to be in close proximity with us. My grandmother would tell us tales of many such paranormal activities that had happened in our ancestral house in Asansol. So scared I would get that I would spend sleepless nights in Asansol during the month of Kartik. There is one such story which is known amongst all our family members. The house in Asansol was a huge one built in the early 1900’s by my mother’s grandparents. It housed some fifty seven people at that point of time since theirs was a joint family. The room at the far end overlooking the garden was the one where my mother’s grandparents lived. One night during Kartik my grandmother saw someone peeping through the window. She awakened the whole household and they searched for a thief. But there was no sign of one. This happened again the next night at the same time. But no one was found. For three consecutive nights the same thing happened and everyone had sleepless nights. The fourth night my mother’s grandfather decided to stay up and keep a vigil with the other servants. Well, that night he did spot an intruder, but beckoned all to stay low. He had given prior instructions that the servants would run for the ‘thief’ only when he signaled. The men waited for the signal. But it never came. Babuji (as we called him) simply sat there. The head of this ‘thief’ bobbed up and down for a while and then there was no sign of him. Next morning Babuji informed everyone that the intruder at night was harmless and everyone should sleep peacefully. Everyone looked at him, their face full of questions. But no one dared to question him and no one dared to look up the intruder that night. Much later he revealed the identity. 

Bulu was a boy who grew up in that household. He became my great grandfather’s right hand, chauffeuring him, ironing his clothes, lighting his pipe. He was a shadow who always stood by him. And Babuji loved him the way he loved my grandfather. But as fate would have it, Bulu died at the age of 20. Babuji lost him to Typhoid. He grieved for him. In fact, as my grandmother said, Babuji never stopped grieving him. He stayed up many a night wondering the fine young man Bulu would have become had he lived. Babuji had no trouble recognizing Bulu that night. Yes it was Bulu who had come back to see Babuji. He had come back after a year of his demise to pay his respects. That month he came back every night. Kartik was the last month he visited us.

Kartik is the month when these spirits, who remain in various strata of the atmosphere, cross all obstacles and boundaries to descend down and remain in contact with their near and dear ones on earth. That’s the reason we light an ‘Akashprodeep’ or an ‘Akashdeep’. We light a lamp, the highest in the terrace to show light to our ancestors. It’s a mark of respect, a gesture to show that we remember them, we love them and we do cherish them forever. 

This year I was away vacationing with family in the hills. I arrived home two days late but did not fail to light my Akashdeep. The fain blue light which remains lit since evening soothes me. I lost my maternal grandmother this year in May. Last year when I lit a Prodeep for my maternal grandfather, my grandmother was very happy and urged me to carry on this tradition. Hope she is smiling at me now for continuing it. The nights in Orissa are beautiful. All the terraces are lit with different shades of light from the Akashprodeep. While mine has a blue haze, some are red, some are orangish and few are green as well!

Katik Purnima is the most auspicious and is celebrated with lot of fan fare in Orissa. The significance of Kartik is understood the best in Orissa. People follow the customs of Kartik with sincerity and rigor. Availability of fish is restricted and prices of vegetables and fruits soar high. The otherwise sleepy town wakes up early in the morning for a proper ‘snan’ in the Koel river. 

Dr K K Agarwal in his blog ( http://blog.kkaggarwal.com/2011/10/lifestyle-in-kartik-month/) mentions the science behind the holy Kartik.

•   Its known for Pitta aggravation in Ayurveda
• As per Ayurveda Pitta is imbalanced and one should eat less pungent, sour and salty foods
• Ayurveda mentions avoiding eating split pulses in this month
• Ayurveda also prohibits eating non vegetarian esp meat in this month
• Kartik Snan or Kartik early morning sun bath is mentioned in Vedas. Sun bath provides vitamin D supplementation.
• Tulsi Vivah with Vishnu is also in this month. Tulsi seeds make the semen concentrated and are good for increasing fertility. Kartik is the month for increased fertility. It’s also the marriage season. The chances of getting pregnant are highest in this month. The results of IVF pregnancy are also best in this month. Kartikeya was also born in this month from Shiva and is an example of asexual reproduction. Kartik Pujo is common amongst the Bengalis.

Gram Banglar Pujo III; Away in Assam

The year we got married, I had in my mind, planned for a nice vacation in some exotic place. One fine, romantic evening, this new man in my life placed a very unusual request to me. ‘Cholo Charu-Piyari ke dekhiye ashi tomai’ (Let me show you Charu-Piyari). I couldn’t turn him down. His face was lit with his love for his hometown. Well, I decided that day I could go anywhere with this man whom I loved so much. Ok, so the first year of marriage would be dedicated to Charu-Piyari. We landed in Dhubri, Assam during Durga Puja. I had no expectations from this ‘Charu-Piyari’. I had dismissed them as a distant relative whom my husband was very fond of.  

Pujo in Dhubri, the place where my husband hails from, has a distinct flavour. There is no extravagance. It’s a simple, traditional affair. The rituals follow the Bengali Ponjika strictly. My father-in-law has been involved with this Pujo since many years back. The budget is minimum. Except for prosaad and bhog, there are no arrangements for Bhuribhoj. People donate money depending on their ability; it ranges from Rs 20 to Rs 200. But the music sets this Pujo apart. The music here is authentic. 

This tiny place comes alive during Durga Puja with scores of people filtering in from adjoining towns and villages. ‘Cholo Charu-Piyari ke dekhe ashi’ is what the people tell each other.

Charu-Piyari is the famous duo who are the official Dhaaki for this Pujo. This uncle-nephew duo has been around since many years. They date back to some 40 years back. Piyari has been playing the Dhaak with Charu since he was a little boy. After Charu passed away a couple of years ago, Piyari took on the mantle. In his 60’s, Piyari not only beats the drum but dances to the drum beats as well. He downs a few glasses of ‘dishi’ (locally made) liquor to keep him dancing through the night, balances the Dhaak with one hand and does acrobatics with the other! Accompanied by his assistant who plays the shanai, he is the centre of attraction in this sleepy, little town. People from neighboring areas visit this Pujo only to watch Piyari beat the Dhaak. It is customary for Piyari to beat the Dhaak on Nabami night till the Dhaak punctures! 

On Dashami, the residents have a tough time bidding farewell to this genius. With the absence of Piyari the town once again slumbers back to its routine existence.

Gram Banglar Pujo; Sonajhuri, Shantiniketan

For the last few years, I have been hearing people rave about a ‘shaotali’ (tribal) Pujo near Shantiniketan. This Durga Puja has also acquired international fame. People from far and wide troop down to Tagore’s abode to have a glimpse of this famous Pujo.

Last year we decided to visit and find out more about this Pujo. Yes, it’s highly innovative and markedly different from all the Pujo we see around. The rustic setting, in fact, sets it apart from all the Pujo around. The Baul mela nearby adds on to the excitement further. Since ours was a day trip, we were told that we would miss the evening celebrations which comprise of tribal dances and folk songs by the locals. 

It was started in 2001 by Badhon Das in the Sonajhuri village. Hence also known by the name Sonajhurir Pujo. Badhon Das was an artist and a teacher in the Government Art College. Popularly known as the Hiralini Pujo, it was named after Heera, Badhon Das’s sister and Nalini Das, Badhon Das’s father. It’s a tribal Pujo as tribals from the nearby areas in Birbhum, Jharkhand and Dumka (the erstwhile Santhal Parganas) join hands to design the Goddess, organize the Pujo and manage the show. Every year the Pujo is based on a theme. In 2001 it revolved around terracotta, in 2002 the theme was wood, followed by iron in 2003, bamboo in 2004, clay in 2005.This has been the five year plans for the Hiralini Pujo as desired by Badhon Das and has been followed religiously every year. Besides Dhaak and flute, Madol constitutes one of the main musical instruments.

The best part about it is the little ‘mela’ outside the Pujo premises. Petty sellers and artisans with their collection sit in row after row. Terracotta jewellery, decorative items made of straw, pots, wall hangings and many such knick-knacks are sold here. 

What caught our attention was the mud –walled, thatched restaurant called Shakuntala. Beautifully built, adorned with alpana and with earthen pots hanging in every nook and corner, it resembles any village dwelling. A peek inside revealed ‘haari’ (earthen pots) of various shapes and sizes filled with a variety of Bengali delicacy. Reasonably priced and highly aromatic, it was a delightful experience. Bhaat, dal, vegetables of all kind, mutton, chicken, fish, payesh and sweets of many types were there. Goja, monda, nolengur were there as well.  It proved to be a gastronomic delight for us!

This Pujo is a unique experience. The beautiful Goddess, the ethnic décor, the Baul mela next door, the artisans outside and the Bhuri bhoj is all worth the day trip! Only four hours away from Kolkata, I would recommend it all who want a respite from Kolkata’s chaos!

Gram Banglar Pujo; Bhandarhati

Pujo maney thakur dekha….raat jege thakur dekha…line diye thakur dekha….

Durga Pujo is synonymous with pandal hopping and staying up the whole night visiting pandals. But, these days I seemed to have had enough of this pandal hopping. The traffic snarls in Kolkata, the long queues, trudging kilometers on foot is no longer a good idea. And, after staying up the whole night, the next day is spent in a haze of lethargy!Also with various awards and competitions, Pujo in Kolkata has become highly competitive, studded with celebrities and quite artificial. But, I do appreciate the skill of the artisans, the theme of the Puja and the wonders that they create.

So these days, we run away from the city during Durga Pujo. We run away into the rural interiors of Bengal which is known as ‘Rarh Bangla’. Therein lies the true spirit of Pujo; a proper Dhaaki who has the sense of taal and loy and doesn’t beat or sway to meaningless Bollywood numbers, more emphasis on the customs that make the Pujo grand and yes the ‘Bhuribhoj’. 

It was a couple of years ago that we chanced upon one such Pujo during our adventures in ‘Rarh Bangla’.
 

2009: We were the proud parents of a baby boy. Pujo Dorshon in Kolkata was ruled out that year. Ashtami morning we stepped out in search of a Pujo with a ‘distinct flavor’. Cruising down the National Highway towards Burdwan, we decided it was time for a ‘chai break’. As we sat down for some ‘cha-biskoot’, we learnt from the ‘cha-ala’ about a ‘bonedi barir’ Durga Puja (belonging to the aristocracies) in Bhandarhati, a village 1.5 hours away from Bardhaman.

Driving past lush green fields, mud houses, Anganwadi centres and Panchayat offices we reached this nondescript village. Many years back this village was ruled by the Chowdhury’s, the Zamindars of the area. The Choudhury’s are still there and are a highly revered family. 

The Pujo was started 195 years ago by the Chowdhury patriarch. Today there are two Chowdhury’s in the village who are siblings but, markedly different in their tastes and way of life. While one lives in the ‘shohor’ (city) and has adopted the city way of life, the other has chosen to stay back in the village and embrace all the villagers as his kin. The former has a huge house from the bygone era, which leads the way to the Pujo mandap. His house is opulent and well-maintained. The driveway to his house remains crowded with luxury cars. It’s known in the village that this Chowdhury babu entertains ‘only shohurey’ (city - bred) guests during Durga Puja.

The other babu whose name is Dhiren Chowdhury is just the opposite. Bare bodied and clad in a simple, white dhuti, he is the epitome of simplicity and humility. It is this Chowdhury babu who has continued with the age-old tradition of celebrating the Bhandarhati Pujo. He has chosen Bhandarhati as his home and stayed back to maintain what his forefathers left for him. Despite various hurdles, mainly financial, he has tried his best to maintain the Durga mandap and the Pujor dalan on his own. His quarters are adjacent to the Pujo mandap. They also date back to many years and lack the show and grandeur of the other ‘babu’s residence.
 

Utter strangers, we were given a very warm welcome by Dhiren babu. He served us fol proshaad (fruits offered to the Goddess) and took us on a tour of the Pujo mandap and the dalan, all the while regaling us with stories of the Zamindari system. That year the Ashtami Pujo had been completed in the early hours of the morning while Shondhi Pujo was scheduled to happen at the usual late hours of the night. Hence the gate to Ma Durga’s mandap was locked. The heavy grill gate prevented any view of the Goddess. But Dhiren babu ignored the norm and threw open the gates for us. On hearing that we had a newborn baby with us, he acted as the purohit and did an ‘abhishekh’ in front of the Goddess. His pronunciation of the mantras, the bass of his voice and the purity of his attire is something which remains firmly engraved in my mind for ever. 

The most striking aspect of this Pujo besides the historical touch is the Goddess herself. Decked up in gold (Known as the ‘Shonaar shaaj’), she is a beauty, you would keep on gazing at. Devoid of any of those wonders in the city, she is simple, divine and beautiful. Adorned in traditional jewellery, she is a glorious sight. The unique feature about this Goddess is that she doesn’t have an Asura. Mahishashur and the lion are absent. White and ethereal, there is no violence depicted here.  The Goddess appears in her ‘borabhoy’ (non-violence) avatar. 

Another interesting feature is the bhog offered to the Goddess. It is ‘aamish bhog’ (non-vegetarian). It is mandatory to serve the Goddess a variety of preparation in fish besides various kinds of vegetables, dal, shukto, labra,chutney and payesh. While the members of the household sat down for the feast in the Pujo dalan, the villagers (proja) sat down in the shed that leads to the mandap. Women of the household, bejeweled with traditional heavy ornaments and clad in red sat down with us. The beautiful women in red and gold were a sight I would never forget. You can mention any kind of traditional Bengali jewellery and they had it on them.

I would recommend this Pujo to all if you want a way out from the cacophony of the city. But, yes there is a big BUT! This is a ‘ghoroa’ pujo. They are not commercial. If you decide to participate in their Pujo, do get an introduction from me, offer a dakshina which would be a donation for the Pujo and please do not travel in a large group.