MAITHON

        Maithon has an exciting 'buy one get one free' offer. A visit to Maithon means visiting some breath-takingly beautiful spots of West Bengal as well as the neighbouring state of Jharkhand. This is because the Maithon project of DVC is housed by both West Bengal & Jharkhand.

        Damodar Valley Corporation came into existence in the month of July,1948. Now it's difficult to imagine what the emaciated Damodar was like in the past. It was the deadly Damodar devastating Bengal & southern parts of Bihar ( now what's called Jharkhand) every monsoon. In 1943 the flood situation was so serious that Kolkata was marooned & cut off from rest of the country.

       DVC was formed to manage Damodar & perform other functions like irrigation , power generation etc. It was India's first multi-purpose river project. Dr.Meghnad Saha played major role in it.


        Maithon dam was inaugurated  by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1957.It's different from other three DVC dams as it's constructed not on Damodar river but Barakar. The underground hydel power station, the first of its kind in south east Asia is situated in Burdwan district of Bengal & rest of the project in Dhanbad district of Jharkhand.


        Barakar river is captivated in a vast reservoir spreading over an area of 65 sq. km. This is the biggest DVC reservoir. It acts as the canvas on which Nature paints with beautiful colours. There are hills of various heights in the reservoir. Hills in green drapes standing in the midst of vast blue of water soothe the nerves.

MAITHON RESERVOIR

        There are some islands in the lake whose shapes are amazing.

SPOON ISLAND

TORTOISE ISLAND

         One can reach such an island named Swabuj Dwip (Green Island). There are small bridge,chairs & merry-go-round,all in the thick vegetation  on the small island. It's maintained by the West Bengal Govt.
         Boating is a must. Most of the tourists opt for speed boats. But I suggest that you ride a country boat in the setting sun. It's riot of colours in the sky, on the water, all around you. It's one hour of playing holi !

SUNSET

 

        BHANDAR PAHAR

        The first thing I want to say about Bhandar pahar is ' looks are deceptive'. The hill,nearly 2 km away from Maithon dam is 170 ft high, according to the locals. A flight of stony staircase welcomes & starts taking you to the top. 

        After scaling a considerable height you'll go "OMG!!!!!" discovering the flight of staircase has come to an end & the only option is climbing or crawling over the rocks to reach the temple atop. 

        More than 50% of the distance is covered by trekking amid a pretty dense forest. You'll hardly find any people around you. The temple is named after Amarnath. The linga is white. Shivratri is observed with pomp,up there.

WAY TO BHANDAR PAHAR

AMARNATH SHIV MANDIR ATOP BHANDAR PAHAR

   

        KALYANESWARI TEMPLE

        Bengal is the abode of Goddesses. Each and every district has at least one temple of either  Goddess Durga or Goddess Kali which is the district's pride. Some of those temples are world-famous.

        Burdwan district is proud of Kalyaneswari temple. Ma Kali appeared as Kalyaneswari, the goddess of fulfillment. It's believed that the Goddess blesses the childless with child.The deity is different from that of Ma Kali. It is covered with a red cloth.

        Goddess Kalyaneswari was worshiped by King Harigupta in 3rd century AD.  The temple he built gave in to time and was reduced to ruins. Much later, in 16th century the King of Panchokot rebuilt the temple. The foundation is still there inside the fortress of Garh Panchokot.

FOUNDATION OF KALYANESWARI TEMPLE IN GARH PANCHOKOT

        

        Later the temple was relocated to where it is now. It is at a distance of only 4 km from Maithon dam. The temple premises is very neat and clean. The devotees stand in queue & offer puja peacefully. 

        It's a must-visit place in Maithon.

SANCTUM SANCTORUM OF KALYANESWARI TEMPLE

PART OF THE TEMPLE

       

PURULIA

        Purulia unveiled a new face of Bengal before me. I've been to the hilly parts of Bankura district. But Purulia is different. It's rough & enigmatic. And believe me, this harshness is the beauty of Purulia.
        There is a large forest cover. Still the area looks nude. There are rivers & falls. But the area is arid.

         We got off at Barabhum station from where  trekker takes approx.40 minutes to reach Baghmundi, the nearest town to Ayodhya hills. When we left the station area behind we entered a whole new world of undulating land, red soil, forest, rocks & hills.

    

       AYODHYA HILLS

          Ayodhya & other hills in the western parts of West Bengal are parts of the Eastern Ghats. Ayodhya,situated in Purulia district near the border with Jharkhand is under thick forest cover & houses many wild animals. In the parts where human activities are high, density of forest & animal species is low. Other parts or peaks are out of reach the tourists.

         In 2008 was inaugurated Purulia Pumped Storage Project, a hydroelectric power plant generating 900 MW of energy. When the water rushes down from the upper to  lower reservoir, its kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy.

         The upper & lower reservoirs, popularly known as  upper & lower dam are breathtakingly beautiful.  Large water bodies on the lap of the hills provide our body, soul & mind with much needed relief in this land of hard,solid rocks! Rigidity & fluidity here lie together & create beauty.

LOWER DAM

UPPER DAM

DAM TOP ROAD ( UPPER DAM)

        

            Mayur pahar (peacock hill) is a peak of Ayodhya hills. Getting to its top is no difficult job. Mayur pahar allows the panoramic view of  Ayodhya range. 

FROM TOP OF MAYUR PAHAR

PART OF THE PANORAMIC VIEW OF AYODHYA

       Bamni is a beautiful river flowing on the hills. Rocks of various shapes & sizes try to hinder har path. But Bamni is undomitable. She makes her way through the rocks & ultimately falls off the cliff making an enigmatic falls & a lake below. Adventurous souls climb down to catch a glimpse of the falls. 

      Though rattling sound of the water, huge rocks, thick foliage & solitude give an eerie sensation, Bamni falls is a must-visit place.

BAMNI FIGHTING WITH THE ROCKS

BAMNI

BAMNI

YOUNGSTERS BEFRIENDED BAMNI

BAMNI FALLS

        Matha buru ( 'buru' means hill) is the training ground for the rock climbers. The hill is quite high & almost nude. Hats off to the people who climb up this formidable mass of rock !

MATHA BURU

        Popro kocha was suggested by the locals. According to them, this is the best spot in Ayodhya. We drove past the tribal villages. Their houses are fine examples of artistry!
     
       The tribal people don't have any formal training in painting. But that doesn't deter them from embellishing their humble mud houses with beautiful designs. The sketch, colour combination, everything is impeccable.

A TRIBAL HOUSE

        When we reached Popro kocha, we all went  'WOW!'  In front of our eyes was a huge lake surrounded by hills. On the backdrop was a hill with two peaks standing like two bodyguards in 'alert' position. Near the lake was a plain field.  Maybe Nature was tired of making plateaus & hills & for a change crafted this small piece of plain land!

POPRO KOCHA

THE PLAIN  LAND

        CHORIDA

        Chorida is 3 km. away from Baghmundi. This can be called 'village of masks' because Chorida produces masks used by the chhau dancers. Also,the smaller masks used as showpiece are made here.

        People of all age groups in the village are engaged in the business. The village looks like a workshop. You'll find masks being dried out roadside, little boys preparing the headgears, seniors doing eyes,lips etc. of MAA DURGA. The masks are made without using mould.

       Chhau dance depends heavily on MAA DURGA. This power packed dance form depicts the tale of GODDESS DURGA killing the dreadful demon MAHISHASUR.  So, the masks of MAA DURGA, GANESHA, ASURA dominate the market.

       

         Bengalis love simplicity. They have the ability to create extraordinary with the help of ordinary. To believe this you have to see how the masks are made using paper mash, soil,plastic beads, iron wire etc.

JAYRAMBATI

       SRI SRI MAA SARADA DEBI, divine consort of  SRI RAMKRISHNA PARAMHANSA DEB was born to Ramchandra Mukherjee & Shyama sundari Debi in the year of 1853 in the village of Jayrambati in Bankura district.  Like other Indian villages in 19th century Jayrambati was handicapped by poverty,ignorance,superstition & exploitation.

      Some people are like stars. They keep emitting light & illuminate everything even when they are no more. SARADA MAA is one of them. She was born in Jayrambati,that's why the place has become a pilgrim centre & a seat for the worldwide Ramkrishna movement.


      Get off at the bus stop known as Maa-er ghat  It's named so because there's a large water body by the road which is related to SARADA MAA. When SHE was in her childhood,SHE used to collect herbs for cattle from the pond. The little girl fearlessly walked through the water infested by snake,leech etc. to make sure the domestic animals were well-fed! Motherhood knows no boundaries.

MAA-ER GHAT

      To reach the temple cross the road & walk down the lane lined by shops selling terracotta items,conch shells etc.There's a makeshift shop run by a lady who sells must-have chops.  The lane before taking a right turn leads you to the outlet of Ramkrishna Mission which sells various items like t-shirts,bed covers, bags,wallets etc. made by local people. They are trained in handicrafts as a part of RKM's rural development programme. The products bear the testimony of  expertise of the rural people, especially women.


     Beside the outlet is Bhanu pisir bhite ( house of aunt Bhanu). Bhanu pisi was a child-widow living with her parents in Jayrambati. Though there was no blood relation, Maa called her pisi (aunt). While all the villagers took Ramkrishna Deb for mentally challenged, Bhanu pisi didn't mistake. She recognized HIS supernal character.  Pisi's house is no more. Her family members handed over the plot to RKM. Now there stands a slab with engraved forms of MAA & Bhanu pisi.

BHANU PISIR BHITE

     Next to Pisi's bhite (house) is Matri Mandir (Temple of the Mother).

        MATRI MANDIR

         In the temple premises there are two houses of  MAA, MAA-er kulo debatar mandir (the guardian deity of MAA's family), a guest house, dining hall, kitchen, office, book shop, a police outpost & the temple of MAA ( MATRI MANDIR).

         The two houses are known as old & new house of MAA ( MAA-er purono ar notun bari). But the old house is not the original house. Temple of the MOTHER was built on the spot where original house of Mukherjees was situated. Maa was born in that house. The antur ghar or the room where pregnant women would be in child-bed was where the sanctum sanctorum is situated now.Later, Ramchandra moved in a the house he built on  a new plot. This is known as Old House. His sister-in-law (bhai-er bou)  used to live in one corner of the original house with her daughter. MAA's brothers used the vacant portions of the original house to store the paddy-straw. maa's aunt (kakima) happily handed over her portion  to RKM. MAA's three brothers after a lot of persuasion agreed to sell their portion & charged Rs. 300. Construction started in 1921 & the temple was inaugurated on 19th April,1923.

         Then The temple was much smaller. The natmandir ( room for dancing & musical performances) was added later. In the sanctum there was a photograph of MAA. The marble statue was installed in 1954 & the photograph was shifted to the room behind.

         THE OLD HOUSE ( PURONO BARI)

         The house was built when MAA was 9-year-old. SHE lived here till 1916 when a new house was built by Sharat Maharaj. The house still retains its original form & charm. The room where MAA is worshiped now was HER bedroom. Adjacent room was HER thakur ghar ( room for worship & prayer). Now it is used for the same purpose by the monks only. There are rooms of Shyama sundari Debi & pagli mami ( mad aunt - MAA's youngest sister-in-law), kitchen & drawing room.

        All were served food on the veranda of this house.sed When they were done, MAA used to cleanse the place herself! 100 years ago it was unthinkable as casteism was rampant in the society. One day niece Nalini revolted : aunt, what's this? You are cleaning the scraps of meals irrespective of caste n creed! MAA smilingly replied, what caste n creed! All are mine. (sab je amar)

       Old house witnessed MAA's battle against casteism,bigotry,superstition & exploitation. This house in Jayrambati became a centre of the spiritual movement that SRI RAMKRISHNA DEB initiated in Dakshineswar. The old house was actually an abode of new.

THE OLD HOUSE

        THE NEW HOUSE (NOTUN BARI)

        Number of devotees was increasing. To call on MAA people would go to Jayrambati from far-off places like Barishal,Coochbihar etc. MAA used to live in the old house with HER big family consisting of brothers, sisters-in-law, nephew, niece, sons-in-law & grandchildren. Some monks also were there. The house became too small to accommodate all.

       Sharat maharaj planned a new house for MAA. The land near Punyi pukur was purchased & under the supervision of Rasbehari maharaj the house was constructed. In 1916 MAA moved in HER notun bari (new house) alongwith Radhu & Nalini.

     Here the rooms were not attached to each other. MAA used to live in the room where SHE is worshiped now. The room is divided into two floors. here were rooms for Radhu di & Nalini di also. Radhu di would live with her baby boy. Her husband would visit frequently. Jagaddhatri puja  used to be held in this house. Now it has been shifted to the lawn of the temple.

NEW HOUSE

        Adjacent to the house is a large water body, punyi pukur. At hat time the pond was filled with  herbs & filth. RKM bought this pond & the monk, Gyan maharaj cleaned it. The pond is used by the Mission as well as the local people.

PUNYI PUKUR

       In front of the old house lives the family of Bhudeb Mukherjee, nephew of MAA. They worship a statuette of GOPAL (little KRISHNA) which SHE gave to HER nephew. This is the room where Jagaddhatri puja was held for four years before it was shifted to the new house.


       On the northern side Jayrambati was bordered by a river called Amodor. It was fed by the mighty Kangsaboti. Since MAA was fond of the Ganga, She called it 'the Ganga of Jayrambati'. SHE loved to bathe in that river. Ramchandra Mukherjee, MAA's father used to meditate on the bank of Amodor. RKM  has discovered that spot & converted it into a beautiful garden of both terrestrial & aquatic plants.

GARDEN ON THE BANK OF AMODOR

        Now Amodor is in rudimentary stage. It remains dry if water is not pumped in. But the picture was different in the past. People needed boats to cross it. Some wrote in their memoirs that they have seen crocodiles in Amodor. Now RKM takes care of the river.

AMODOR

       MAA was deeply pained  because Jayrambati was deprived of modern healthcare, education & safe drinking water.   A well was dug up on HER  instruction. It was used only for drinking & cooking by HER family, Mission & the neighbours. SHE established a free school & a charitable dispensary. These were the seeds which later germinated into high school, junior basic school, vocational training school, library, coaching centre, homoeopathic-cum-allopathic dispensary & mobile medical unit.


      There are tourist lodges, shops & a continuous flow of tourists in Jayrambati. Vehicles of all shapes n sizes ply on the road. In spite of all these Jayrambati is surprisingly tranquil.  You'll feel pacified, rejuvenated. It's the magic of Mother's touch.


       

        

BENGALI FOOD

        Bengalis are made of fish , rice & sweetmeats. They are obsessed with mutton & chicken. They hold vegetable in high regard. They never shy away from trying out exotic cuisine. They cannot spend the evenings without gorging on junk food. In a word, Bengalis are passionate about food. They love to cook, eat & feed.


        There are only three categories of Bengali women : good cook, better cook & best cook. They are never below 'good'. Cooking is in their genes & they excel with fish, meat, vegetable,sweets, maybe everything on earth. Bengali women's another passion is feeding their near & dear ones. Even in a financially backward family a homemaker serves  a beautiful spread before everyone ,everyday. How can she manage to do so is  ... a magic!

        FISH

        Freshwater,marine ; bony,cartilaginous ; scaly,without scale ; big,small; Benaglis love all types of fish. Their passion for ilish (hilsa) is  ' you-have-to-see-to-believe' kind of. In monsoon they forget about water logging, getting marooned, late marks in office,dampened floor, leaking roof etc. if there is abundant hilsa in the market. Bengali men returning home from work with an ilish machh (hilsa) in his bag is a common sight in the rain-washed evenings.  

       Fish is part of our life. To rest of the country Bengalis are known as 'fish loving community'. They wonder how do Bengali women remove the stubborn smell of fish ! This aquatic crop has found its place in Bengali literature,music & cinema. Even in Bengal it is offered to God also. This is unbelievable in other parts of India.

      Sorshe ilish, bhapa ilish, chitol machher muitha, tel koi, chingrir malaikari ( Bengalis consider chingri/prwan as fish) are some of the preparations which are no less than artworks.  Even ordinary fish curry with vegetable is surprisingly delicious.

ILISH  BHAJA (FRIED HILSA)

BHAPA ILISH ( STEAMED HILSA)

        SWEETMEAT (MISHTI)

        Bengalis are famous for their sweet tooth.  It's true they eat sweets on all occasion. It's also true they need no occasion for eating sweets. Just check out the fridge of any Bengali household anytime, you'll find some sweets there! 

        Expertise of Bengali confectioners is unparalleled. They have invented some items which are out-of-the-world. Others have tried to create the same magic but failed. Rasogolla tops the list. These are white,medium-sized spheres of cottage cheese with a hollow core. Rasogolla is the darling of the nation. Visit to West Bengal remains incomplete if Rasogolla is not experienced. Bongaon & Basirhat are two places famous for rasogolla.

RASOGOLLA

      Bengal's another gift is Mishti doi (sweet curd). Milk is fermented & sweetened to produce this wonderful substance of firm consistency.  Doi is usually white in colour. In Nabadwip, a special type of mishti doi is prepared which is reddish. This is known as Chandrachur doi / lal doi & a must-have in Nabadwip.  

      There's jol-bhora-sandesh. It's core is filled with syrup while the outer surface is completely dry. How the leakage is prevented is a mystery! 

      There're so many preparations which made Bengal stand out. Mihidana-sitabhog of Burdwan, Moa from Joynagar, Lyangcha of Shaktigarh, Kacha golla of Bongaon are some of them.

      In West Bengal, sweetmeats are of two categories. Those mentioned above are sold in the market. There are some which are prepared in the household kitchen & usually not found in the shops. Bengali women give the confectioners tough competition.  They use ingredients like rice,milk,coconut etc. to prepare desserts. Payes, pitha, naru are some of  out-of-the-world delicacies which are Bengali women's forte.

NARU

           VEGETABLE

            Bengalis are graceful omnivores. They eat all parts of plant body. mocha (flower of banana), echor (young jackfruit), mankochu (Alocasia), kochur mukhi (Colocasia), thor (stem of banana), alu bhaja (fried potato), begun bhaja (fried brinjal), posto (poppy seed),shak (edible herbs) etc. are what Bengalis can't live without.  kumro ful (flower of pumpkin) & bok ful (Sesbania) are used to make chops which even the most health-conscious people love to gorge on.

BOK FUL

       
         In Bengali cuisine vegetable is paired off with fish so impeccably that these two become an integrity. begun diye ilish machh ( hilsa with brinjal), kochu shak diye ilisher matha (head of hilsa with Alocasia), mulo diye shol (fish with radish), lau diye chingri ( shrimp with gourd) fulkopi diye koi machh ( fish with cauliflower) are some of the fish-veggie combinations to die for.

        Bengali cuisine reveals the creative & adventurous nature of Bengalis.

MAA DURGA & DURGAPUJA

        MAA DURGA

        Maa Chandi or Maa Durga is the Supreme Power. Utilising Her enormous energy She created the universe & protects it from all sorts of danger. Usually the Goddess is formless. She is present in all living & non-living objects on earth. When Her creation is in danger, She takes forms & rescues it.

        The image Bengalis worship is known as Dashobhuja ( Goddess with ten arms).  There are weapons & other objects like conch shell, lotus, snake in the ten arms of Maa Durga. She kills the notorious Mahishashur ( buffalo demon) piercing his chest with a trident. She rides a lion which also attacks the demon. Beneath lies the corpse of the buffalo into which the demon hid. The image Of Maa Durga depicts violence to the fullest. Still we are not scared of Her!

      Hinduism uses symbolism bigtime. Here the tales, rituals have an outer & an inner meaning. Symbols  make the lessons interesting & comprehensible.

 Maa Durga symbolises the power of good & the demons are vices of human beings viz. lust,anger,greed,infatuation,vanity & envy. These must be killed,at times ruthlessly, to keep our lives beautiful.Ten arms indicate the Goddess protects us from ten directions. She takes care of our body, mind & soul. Lion is the symbol of power & determination. We should try to control these as Maa Durga controls the mighty lion.   The weapons also have significance.  

     The trident symbolises sattva (inactivity),rajo (activity)  & tama (non-activity).

      Conch shell indicates OM , the most primitive sound of the world.

      Chakra or the discus rotates around the index finger the Goddess without touching it. It indicates Maa Durga controls the universe, rotation of planets, satellites etc.

      Bow & arrow symbolises the potential (bow) & kinetic energy(arrow). We should have control over these as Maa Durga has.

      Lotus is the symbol of success & beauty. The flower is born in mud but free from filth & moves towards the sun. Likewise, we should try to shed our vices & move towards the beauty.

      

MAA DURGA

12th CENTURY AD IMAGE OF MAA DURGA (THE LION IS MISSING)

     

        DURGAPUJA

        Bengalis consider Maa Durga as their daughter. They even created a full-fledged family for Her. To the Bengalis Durgapuja is homecoming of their daughter. The Goddess,accompanied with Her four children & husband comes to spend four days with Her parents. In Durgapuja Maa Durga is worshiped reverentially  as well as showered with parental affection! This is a unique relationship between God & desciple. On the last day of the pujas ladies bid adieu to Maa Durga with teary eyes. It's like saying goodbye to a daughter. In Bengali households daughters & Maa Durga have been merged.

THE ILLUSTRIOUS FAMILY OF MAA DURGA

        Durgapuja is held across the world. West Bengal stands out thanks to its people. They work round the year for Durgapuja. In Kolkata it's a grand affair.  Pandal, idol, lighting, theme bear the testimony of Bengal's creative skill & good taste.  In the narrow lane,park or on a small plot between two houses is created excellent artwork. After four days it is demolished & a new set of artworks is created in the following year.Durgapuja reminds us creation & destruction go hand in hand.

THE PANDAL IS IN THE FORM OF CHINAROSE !

CHANDELLIER

HERE THE BATTLE IS OVER & MAA DURGA HAS FORGIVEN THE DEMON

HERE THE THEME IS RAJASTHAN. THIS PANDAL IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF MERGER OF TWO DIFFERENT CULTURES.

HANDICRAFTS OF BENGAL AS THE EMBELLISHMENT OF PANDAL

THE CITY WELCOMES THE GODDESS TO SUCH BEAUTIFUL PANDALS

       In rural Bengal autumn plays the main artist. Deep blue sky, beautiful blooms both on land & in water & lush green in the fields contribute to the grandeur.

STHAL PADMA , AVAILABLE  IN CITY AS WELL

       Here it must be stated that spirit of Durgapuja is not dependent on  grandeur or climate. The joy comes from within. That's why poor villagers in remote corners celebrate Durgapuja; people brave the rain & go out for pandal hopping;  Bengalis living abroad fly down to Kolkata to buy the idol of Maa Durga from Kumartuli & perform  puja on exotic soil over the weekends !


      Durgapuja has other dimensions as well. It is used as the platform for promoting serious issues  like  women empowerment, female education, Bangal's handicrafts, battle against environmental pollution etc.  Several puja committees, NGOs, media houses gift the street children new clothes, accompany the senior citizens from old age homes for pandalhopping etc.

HERE THE THEME IS  'AFFORESTATION'

     Like all mothers Maa Durga  is a teacher who teaches us to fight against the wrong, work selflessly & make others happy. Durgapuja is Her teaching aid.



     Durgapuja is the festival of power, joy & harmony. Kalna, a town in Burdwan district is going to set an example in this regard. A puja committee in the town has selected a muslim girl for Kumari puja where she will be worshiped as the embodiment of Maa Durga. Kumari puja, the ritual of worshiping  under-12 Hindu girl reveres women power & reminds the society of the fact that equality of men & women is inevitable for its progress.

KUMARI PUJA IN RANI RASMONI'S HOUSE