Fair & Festivals of West Bengal Part- XVI

CHANDIDAS FAIR

Chandidas fair is held at Nanur near Birbhum in the month of Phalgun (February – March) every year. 

Nanur also called Chandidas Nanur, is 20 km noth – east of Bolpur. It is known as the birthplace of Chandidas, the Vaishnava lyric poet of the 14th century A.D. There is a mound to the north of the village near the temple of Basuli or Bisalakshi worshipped by Chandidas. It is said that the residence of Chandidas was also located there. A portion of the mound was excavated by the University of Kolkata about two decades back. On excavated five occupational level could be traced, of which the lowest belonged to the Gupta Age. Apart from bricks and pottery, some gold coins were also unearthed. One coin displayed the figure of soldier on one side, and the figure of the deity in padmasana on the other.

The name Chandidas signifies association with Chandi, a Sakta goddess and Basuli, to whom he was devoted, is also a tantrik goddess. But in fact Chandidas was a Vaishnavite and there are legend speaking about the conversion of Chandidas to Vaishnavism from Saktaism. It is said that one day Chandidas saw a beautiful flower floating on the river where he has gone to take a bath. He took it up and went to worship his own deity Bisalakshi with it. The goddess then appeared in person and asked Chandidas to put the flower on her head and not at feet, because her master Krishna had been worshipped with it. On hearing this Chandidas changed his faith and became a Vaishnavite.

Chandidas has immortalized Rami, washeruoman in his love lyrics and songs. A stone plank kept to the west of a tank named Dantan is shown as the plank in which Rami used to wash clothes. These are several Siva temples in the village, two on the opposite of the Bisalkshi temple, and five behind these two. Near about there are another row of four small char – chala Siva temples and a Shiva temple and a solitary at–chala Siva temple.

A big fair called Chndidas mela is held here on the full moon day of Phalgun (February – March) on the occasion of Doljatra festival every year. The fair commence through a worship of the goddess Bisalakshi and last for about a month. It is interesting to note that in lower Nanur water is available at the depth of the 10 to 12.