MANASA PUJA
Manasa an anthropomorphic serpent goddess is worshipped in over West Bengal. An exclusive cult known as the Manasa cult has developed in this part of the country and it is highly popular among all sections of Hindus though more so among the lower classes in some areas. The rites observed in connection with the worship of the serpent goddess Manasa are widely indifferent parts of Bengal, but from a careful analysis of them it would be clear that they have originated common source. The elements of difference which is developed in the course of time are nothing but local factors and as such have no intrinsic relationship with the fundamental tenets.
Of all places of Bengal the area covered by the Birbhum, Burdwan and Bankura has undoubtedly the largest number of votaries of the serpent deity Manasa. Even to this day, serpent worship in this area is very well developed and living cult. Almost in every village in this region a visitors come across one or more serpent shrines which are but low mud – walled straw – roofed structures situated within the house – quadrangles of some of the lower class Hindus. Daily worshipped is offered in most of them where in invariably a Hinduized Adivasi conduct services. People are various section of the Hindu community ungrudingly joined the worship though the educated higher class Hindus generally disassociate themselves from it. The shrines are maintained by a class of priests known as Deyasis. Due to the growing influence of Hinduism, the services of Brahmin priests are also requisitioned on special occasions. Sometimes the maintenance of the serpent shrines is the only source of income of the Deyasis who also act as exorcists in snakebites. No provision is, however, made in these shrines for the entry of air and light from outside when the only door is closed after the daily worship. Within are installed on raised alters the image of serpent – deity known by various local names at various places.
A Bagdi, Kaivarta or Mal, all Hinduized adivasis, is entrusted with the duty of performing the worship which is adopted as a hereditary profession. On the raised alter within the shrine are to be seen three, five or seven earthern pitchers with the carvings of hoods of snakes around and covered with a thick layer of a vermilion deposited on them since the day of their installation. Very rarely, however, a pitcher representing the deity is also seen, but in all cases they must add up to an odd number. On the top of the each imaged are placed the green leaves of the milky hedge plant which are daily replaced at the time of worship. Sometimes brass nails, which are offered by the devotees in fulfilment of their vows, are stuck on the outer side of the clay pitchers. These nails are known as chik (one which glitters) as they shine in the dim light of the lamp burning within. The images are considered to be mutually related to each other as sisters and they are also differently named. Numerous legends are in vogue in connexion with these earthern pitchers which are worshipped as the serpent deity.
In the area of Bankura serpent worship has developed some special features. The shines of the snake deity are maintained here by free gift of land made mostly by the Malla Rajas. It seems that before the royal family of Vishnupur was initiated into Vaisnavism, it was a great patron of local cults and during that period it had made liberal donations of land for maintenance of the shrines of the local deities in almost every important village. Among the local deities Dharma Thakur and Manasa are the most important and the land donated has been shared by them almost equally.
In Bankura the worship of the goddess Manasa commences on the Dasahara or the tenth day of the bright half of the Bengali Jyaistha (May – June) and ends on Dak–Samkranti or the last day of Aswin (September – October). In the course of about there four months, the deity is sung and skill in curing snakebites is publicly exhibited by qualified exorcists in many places.
Although there are shrines for the goddess, an open space of land, generally under the shade of a tree, is more usually considered sacred to Manasa. Such a place is known as a Manasa – then or the seat of Manasa. Sometimes Shashthi, the guardian deity of new born babies, is also offered worship at the same place. The abode of goddess is generally marked by numerous offerings of baked clay horses and elephants of various sizes. Annual fair are held near by in honour of Manasa. Sometime the serpents deity is regarded as the presiding deity of a particular village and she is then offered community worship like any other village god or goddess. On the last day of the Bengali month of Srabana (August – September), the serpent deity is offered worship in the Sij tree when people abstain from cooking and sometimes also on the following day. On these days a branch of the Sij tree is placed in the household even by every housewife and uncooked food is offered to the deity in the hope of general welfare of the family. People of the Dom, Khaira, Bagdi, Bauri, Kaivarta and Met Castes are the chief votaries of the serpent goddess.
Of all places, in Bengal, it is only in the area of Bankura that a regular Gajan with all its usual features is held for Manasa in the manner of Shiva’s Gajan and Dharma’s Gajan which are the most widely distributed folk festivals of Bengal. On the tenth day of the bright half of the month of Jyaistha (May – June), at the village Ayodhya, only three miles from the Ramsagar railway station, the annual Gajan festival of Manasa is held. Ayodhya then becomes a place of pilgrimage, in the real sense of the term, of the worshippers of Manasa in the district of Bankura. There is a remarkable image of Manasa here. She is represented by a clay pitcher having golden eyes and a face believed to be made of Silver. Besides the pitcher representing the deity, there are six others, three on each side representing her six sisters, or according to a different tradition, six sisters – in – low of Behula. A big fair, lasting for a fortnight, is held on the occasion. Women of the village take a more active part in the Gajan celebrations then men. It looks like an annual housewives’ conference. A remarkable feature of the women’s assembly is the brides and bridegroms’ procession. A batch of women from themselves into a mute procession some representing the brides and some the bridgrooms and march along the village thoroughtfairs. More then a hundred women Bhaktyas (selected devotees) take part in the festivities every year at this place. At duck they assemble before the shrine and chant incanatations to Manasa. Some among them get ‘inspired’ and make child prophesies on diverse aspects of social and individual life. Besides many rituals requiring great physical suffering like fire – walking etc. are observed. Ceremonial ablution of the image of Manasa is also a festure of this festival. The Bhaktyas observe the usual fast and abstentions.
It is a common belief in Bankura that the serpent – deity Manasa does not accept offerings from Brahmins who, as a rule, do not offer her worship in any dorm in village shrine. But on the occasion of Nag – Panchami, which is the orthodox serpent festival of the Indian Hindus, the Brahmins act here as usual. The priests of Manasa come from the Hadi, Dom, Bauri and Kaivarta Castes as also from the Hinduized Adivasi communities alone.
A remarkable sculpture having twelve arms representing Vasuki, the king of the Nagas of the Mahabharata Naga legend is to be found at the courtyard of the temple of Ekteswar near Bankura town. It has a canopy of twelve snake – hoods spread in a semi – circular way. Twelve – armed Vasuki is unknown in India.
No comments:
Post a Comment