Memories of the1950's, Lakshmi Puja in Calcutta
Having grown up as a pseudo-intellectual in the Calcutta of the 1950's, I used to flaunt my rebellion against the religious traditions of the Datta family.
The Dattas were fierce Shaivites, who had by axe and gun cleared a part of the Sunderbans, calling their forest dominion ‘Sahash,' or ‘Courage,' lording it over as zemindars in day and dacoit chiefs at night. Their faith was an asura mixture of the Sakta and the Vaishnava.
On Diwali, the Dark Goddess Kali was worshipped simultaneously with fair and benign Lakshmi in a hybrid ritual in which live goats were sacrificed in a sea of blood, while the women piled their gold jewels and looted mohurs at the feet of Lakshmi.
On Partition, the Dattas came over to India. Memories grew blurred. Traditions weakened.
To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.desitalk.com
The Dattas were fierce Shaivites, who had by axe and gun cleared a part of the Sunderbans, calling their forest dominion ‘Sahash,' or ‘Courage,' lording it over as zemindars in day and dacoit chiefs at night. Their faith was an asura mixture of the Sakta and the Vaishnava.
On Diwali, the Dark Goddess Kali was worshipped simultaneously with fair and benign Lakshmi in a hybrid ritual in which live goats were sacrificed in a sea of blood, while the women piled their gold jewels and looted mohurs at the feet of Lakshmi.
On Partition, the Dattas came over to India. Memories grew blurred. Traditions weakened.
To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.desitalk.com
Labels: Calcutta, Dark Goddess Kali, Datta family, diwali, Lakshmi Puja, religious, sahash, traditions, Vaishnava, zemindars
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12:28 AM
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