DURGAPUJA OF
A ROYAL FAMILY.
On my return journey from a
remote place in NE I met a royal Family in a railway station waiting hall and
heard this story from the Grandma of the Family. She told about the background
and history how this family started their Durgapuja. The history of their Durgapuja dated back to the regime of Nawbab Alibardi about 250 years back. The two brothers were Generals of the royal force and in a battle against the Maratha Force their horses carried them to a safe place. Later on in their dream they were instructed to recover the gold idol of Devi Durga. They reconstruct the broken temple and started Durgapuja. On the day of Vijya Dussami they won the battle against the Maratha. Even in this time on every Vijya Dussami the royal family organize a mock fight. Read the full story for more details.
It
was an unusual long waiting in the waiting all for a Puja Special Train. I was
returning from a remote location of NE
part of India to Kolkata just before few
days before the Durga Puja festival.e Marat
A
big group with children arrived and much to my dismay, the peace of the waiting
hall was disturbed. The group was led by an old lady. She could be well in her
early seventies with faint wrinkles on her rose-pearly complexion.
Her
butter colored pure Silk Saree with appropriate embroidered blue border and
matching pure pearl jewelry and a soft but commanding voice was giving a hint
of her blue blood.
As
I could guess from their talking, they are most likely the few remnant Tea
garden owners who still visit their ancestral Village home in Bengal
during Durga Puja. They are mostly from big Landlord families of old times.
The
majestic Old Lady guessed my disturbance
and asked one of the accompanying helping hands to unpack a carpet and velvet
pillows. Seeing this, the naughtiest of her grandchildren told her
“Thakma
(Grandmother), tell us about the mock fight that we see every year on the day
of Vijaya Dussami.”
Thakma
understood what this naughty child was asking for.
“Sweets
shall be only after lunch.”
His
other brother and sisters who just returned from outside with their mothers
protested
“
No Thakma, . Sweets or not, we want to hear that story from you.”
Their
grandma settled comfortably on the carpet and her grandchildren and the two daughter-in
laws joined. Her voice, although soft but distinct could be heard even from my
position.
“That
time was more than two fifty years from now. The Nawbab of Bengal, Alibardi was
facing a tough time from two sides. Seeing the ailing old Nawbab, the syndicate
of heirs started infighting among themselves. Simultaneously, the Marathas
although taking a heavy amount from the Nawab as “Chauth” were invading his kingdom
continuously. Marathas fighting on horse back and supported by efficient
artillery had more striking powers than his infantry and not so good
artillery.
On
hearing secret news of possible Maratha invasion, Nawbab sent two of his most
brave and loyal generals Vikram and Subir. The generals were brave and unlike
other generals they maintained cavalry
.They had a good knowledge of Fire
Power. Their ancestors went to Tibet
and China
and learnt the technique of making shells of Canon and metallurgy for making
Canons.
Vikram
and Subir were about to win a fierce battle against the
Marathas. Unfortunately, a shell from their side missed the target and it hit
the surface near the Cavalry.
The
horses became nervous and a big chaos happened. The cavalry, covering the two
brother Generals got detached from them. However, while fighting one to one,
the generals were wounded and unconscious. Their horses carried them away from the
battlefield to safe place. The loyal soldiers traced them deep inside a forest
by the side of a big Pond and an abandoned temple.
An
old lady met the soldiers and gave them herbs and a pitcher of Sherbat. As per her instruction, they made a paste of
these herbs, rubbed it on the wounds of their beloved Generals, and slowly fed
them the pitcher of Sherbat.
Overnight
the wounds healed up and both the brothers regained their sense. They got up
and recollected a dream. Surprisingly
both of them saw simultaneously the same dream.
They
saw a goddess in their dream who told them that she was the presiding deity of
the Temple. To
save her from the hands of Marthas, the Head Priest of the temple threw her in
the Pond.
In
the morning, they would see a moving plank floating on the top in the pond.
They should swim in the pond and follow the plank. Wherever the Plank becomes
standstill, first the elder brother would dive down. After he comes back to
surface, the younger brother would dive down.
The
elder brother Vikram recovered only two gold hands of the deity and a Mighty
sword. The younger brother Subir recovered the gold Idol of Durga. The solders
saw the idol and said in the last evening, the old lady who gave them the herbs
and Pitcher of Sherbat had strong similarity with the Idol.
They
placed back the idol in the Temple.
Vikram and Subir decided to send one of their men to bring the head family
priest for further advice.
In
the following night, they saw another dream. Devi Durga asked them to recover a
manuscript written on Palm leaves from a hidden tunnel, inside the temple. They
should worship her as per the instructions and Mantras of the Manuscript.
The head priest along with many others
consisting of family members of the two brothers, artisans arrived shortly.
They also brought important information.
Nawbab
Alibardi breathed his last and infighting among the possible heirs of the
throne started. The capital of Murshidabad was no longer safe from them in the
changed scenario. None of the heirs to the throne liked them and might possibly
snatch away their powers and positions in the court.
The
brothers decided not to return to capital and preferred to remain in this place
to study the follow-ups. One thing was clear to them. Whoever might become the
Nawbab of Bengal fall in the clutches of Mirzafar and alliance. They would
avoid fight with the Mararthas and make never-ending compromises.
The
Priest studied the manuscript of Palm leaves and advised the brothers to start
worshiping the Idol of Durga Devi on the forthcoming scheduled Durgapuja of the
Year.
Only
few month’s time was left. But, the skilled artisans of the Generals quickly
reconstructed the temple and the surrounding village.
This
village was far from the capital town of Vishnupur.
But the King of Vishnupur Hambir Malla came to know about the brothers. The
brothers were well known both for their bravery and for knowledge of Firepower.
The king heard their names before and called them to his court.
Maharaja
Hambir Malla was worried about the possible Maratha invasion in his state. His
soldiers were mostly infantry and without any knowledge of firepower. The Maratha forces were mostly cavalry with firepower.
With quick penetration power, they were superior to his army.
He
appointed the brothers to be the chief of his army and to train his soldiers. The
brothers advised the King to construct tall Minars on war footing around the
kingdom. These Minars installed with canons would not only track the Maratha
force from a distance but at time of need could shell the cavalry of the
Maratha force.
By
that time, the Artisans of Generals developed lightweight canons. These canons
even could be easily loaded on bullock carts.
Durga
Puja started but the people on the Minar spotted the Mararthas led by Bhaskar Pandit were advancing towards the capital. On the day of
Mahastami of Durga Puja, the Marathas were near the Forest
adjacent to the new village settlement of the Generals. The Generals worked out
a strategy to save the capital of Vishnupur Maharaja.
Bhaskar
Pundit’s force saw few Bullock carts
were coming towards them in the narrow path of Forest.
Taking them as villagers, they shouted at them to go back and move sideways to
clear the path of the soldier movement. The bullock carts turned back and moved
in sideways only to surround the invading force in a semicircle.
The
back of each bullock cart was fitted with small canon packed with hay on both
side. As these small canons started firing, it took the Marathas by surprise
and they were flown like hay. They started dispersing here and there only to
fall prey of the powerful infantry of the General’s force.
But
the contingent led by Bhaskar Pandit of Marathas cleverly bypassed this attack
and moved towards the capital.
That
was the morning of Mahanavami day of Durga Puja. Just at the sunrise, a big
platoon of Infantry and artillery of small canons led by the General Subir on
the field of Gangani, the gorge of Shilabati
River, were ready to
counter the move of Bhaskar Pandit.
A
fierce battle took place. Bhaskar Pandit divided his troupe in small groups to
capture the small canons. General Subir deliberately allowed them.
The
Marthas captured the canons only to find out the defective shells that did not
fire. While they wee busy doing it, Bhaskar Pandit was left with few platoons.
The
groups of canon snatchers were returning to join Bhaskar Pandit. But they were
unaware of the Bigger canons fitted in the Minars and on the Gorge top.
As
the shelling started from these places, The Maratha force being confused from all
ends were dispersed leaving Bhaskar Pandit to fight alone with few troupes.
Bhaskar Pandit was a great fighter and few could stand before him. However, he
and few of his followers could not put much resistance but they fought bravely.
At the Sunset, heavily injured Bhaskar Pundit’s
loyals forced him to quit for this time and moved away with heavy casualty on
his side. General Subir and his soldiers returned the capital after wining the
battle on the day of Vijaya Dasami.
The
king wanted to reward the brothers heavily. He told the brothers to take that
much area of the land in his kingdom, which a horse could cover from dawn to
dusk. The brothers politely declined and requested the king to give them only five
villages surrounding their new village.
This
village is our Nayagar. General Vikram and Subir were our ancestors. We also
took a major part in the freedom fighting against the British.”
The
arrival of Holiday special was announced. AS
the Grandma and her grandchildren stood up, the youngest listener asked
“But
Grandma you did not tell us about the mock fight in our village on the Vijya
dussami day”
Grandma
smiled and said, “Do I have to tell you? The Durgapuja you see now in our
ancestral house in the village started from that year of battle wining by our
great ancestors.
Vijaya
dussami is the day on which our ancestors won the battle with the Marathas. The
mock fight, which you see on that day, is between the villagers of four
villages and the village Martha Para in the western side. The Martha para
villagers are the descendants of the Maratha prisoners of that battle. They did
not want to return to their place. Our ancestors gave them that village.”
