Shri Shri Durga Puja of Dutta Chaudhury family of Andul

r r Drg puj of zmindr Dutta Chaudhury family, Andul.

Shri Shri Kashiwar Jha'u Debottar Estate
www.duttachaudhurichronicles.com
facebook.com/DuttaChaudhuryChroniclesOfficial
Printed: Kalighat, Kolkata- 700026, India.
Author: DHRUBA DUTTA CHAUDHURY, Andul, Howrah-711302, India.
25th August, 2016

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Ancestral deity of the family
Rdh-Mdhava had been the ancestral deity or Kula dba of Andul Dutta
Chaudhury family, which zmindr Krishnananda Dutta Chaudhury (15th Century)
well-known as Krishnananda Dutta used to worship day and night. Krishnananda
had founded Chndula math within his zmindri estate of Chandul, which is the
present day Andul town. Some books have indicated that Krishnanandas
Chndula math is somewhere in Puri, with due respect...without looking for any
proper and authenticate evidences. It is believe that Lord Chaitanya Mahprabhu
(Gaur) spend three nights in the ancestral Dutta Chaudhury home, before leaving
for Puri, by walking. Later Krishnananda also moved to Puri, carrying the deity
with him. Before leaving Andul, he was initiated to Kr-nma-mantra by
Nityananda Mahprabhu (Nit'i ~consider to be an incarnation of Balarma). The
deity is now kept at a rama in Chhoti village of Orissa and well-known as
Rdh-Mdhava of Chhoti and Ancestral family deity of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur
(Kedarnath Dutta).
<< To read more on Krishnananda and full Dutta Chaudhury family ancestry, please
visit the official web-site given above >>
A Nraa il was the next ancestral deity of the family. It is believe that
Gobinda Sharan Dutta Chaudhury (founder of Hathkhola Dutta linage) took it
away with him to Gobindapur (one of the three villages that constituted modern
day Calcutta city) after logger heading with his elder brother- Ram Sharan, on their
ancestral property of Andul. Till now, no one knows about this deity.
A Kula dba is most important element of a zmindr family, loss of it is like loss of
everything. Later Ram Sharans younger son- Kashiwar Dutta Chaudhury had
established Rj Rjwara Nraa sla as a new Kula dba for the family.
Unfortunately that also, has been misplaced.

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Shri Shri Durga Puja of Dutta Chaudhury family of Andul

r r Drg pj of the family

Drg pj has been used as a means to celebrate the festivities of the season in
their own style by Rjs, zminadrs and other aristocratic families of Bengal
(Bnglr bondi poribr) since time immemorial. Dutta Chaudhury family of Andul
is one such zminadr family in Bengal, where Drg pj is about deep rooted
traditions, rituals and culture.
The Dutta Chaudhuries have been celebrating Drg pj from 14th Century; most
probably when Devdas (Tekari) Dutta Bishwas had came to Andul from Bally. Later
he was honoured with the title Chaudhury from third Bengal Sulatna Ghiasuddin Azam Shah (reign: 1390-1411) and established him as the first
zminadr of Andul. Goddess Drg was then worshipped in a chl, by following
Tantric rituals. Drg pj might have stopped in this family, probably for a few
years, when again in 1609 AD (Bengali year: 1016), Kashiwar Dutta Chaudhury
has re-started in a Chndi maapa (in the place where chl was), in Chaudhury
p of Andul. The Chndi maapa built by Kashiwar unfortunately collapsed in
the year 1929 AD, but his descendants took no time in getting a new one,
functioning within a year. It is being observed with the same rites, rituals, and
tradition till date by the present generations, with few alterations. The baton has
been passed on from generation to generation. The observance of this pj adheres
to strict religious sanctity following the Brhnanndikwara purna with Vaiaba
rituals.
There is an old ritual in the family that an un-married girl needs to wear sakha
bangles in their hand from the time of Db paka. They are strictly restricted to
wear any form of iron jewellery(s). The family have started following Vaiaba rituals
in Drg pj from 1609 AD, but the Brhmaas, here priests come from very noble
Brhma families- one has to be a Tantra dhraka, and another has to be a
Nraa priest (Vaiaba), the presiding one.
Dutta Chaudhury folks enjoy 15 days of the festival, starting from Bdhan-toDumi.

Bdhon
The preparations start in August, on the auspicious day of Janmam (the day
Lord Kra was born) when Khm puj is observed. One of the pieces of wood
(Gana kha) needed to create the idol of M drg is worshipped and this marks
the beginning of creating the idol. Earlier bch p, an artisan family had since
generations worked on creating the idol of the family, now theyve been altered. It is
believe that the original dhj of the deity is still with them.
Women of the family welcome the goddess formally to their house on the day
through the ritual of Bdhon. From Kra navam tthi, Bdhon rituals start and
end on Drg navam tthi. According to family practice, Kalprambha and r r
Chan gh puj get started 12 days prior to the deity worship. With that, starts r
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Shri Shri Durga Puja of Dutta Chaudhury family of Andul

r Chan pha. i.e. the recitation of powerful r r Chan lkas, by Brhmaas.
Before 1962 ca, the deity of this family used to be a large one. Colour of tm akti,
pmca mahbhta akti, jd akti, tm akti- di parakti r Drg is painted
Orange, mixed with heated Gold; Her and Uani are Red and Green
respectively. Lakms body is painted same as Drg, Red , but Blue Urani. Bk
db- Saraswats body is painted white, Blue and Yellow Urani. Yud'dh dbKrtikas yellow appearance, white dhooti, bhana partially Yellow and Brown. Face
part of Rd'dhi and sid'dhi Dba- r Gana is painted white, body Pink and dhooti
Yellow. Lion is painted with Yellow and Brown. Asura demon is painted Green.
The bdhi of the deity is still now of soil, which is very unique and is believe to be
very spiritually awaken (Prachana jgrata). There have had several divine supernatural sights.
However, the decoration remains incomplete till ah evening by when the
Goddess and all the other Gods are draped with jewellery items made of gold and
silver. And finally with the Sandhy rati on ah evening, the idol is believed to
be infused with life and the family spends the next few days in her honour.
Sweets like Nrakla nu, chandrapuli, khirra chmca, manhara, etc are offered
to the deity. Apart from this, there is a special type of sweet of the family which is
also offered- gamun, a cone-shape sweet. This is the special one, of this family,
which has been continued from decades. After completion, it gets decorated with
Pistachio, nuts and raisins, before it is finally placed at the top of deitys
mahnaibdya.

Mahsaptam
The dawn at the Dutta Chaudhury household on Mahsaptam is marked by the
sound of conch shells and drums as the men of the house walk to the river to bathe
the naba patrik OR klbau as it is popularly known. While the Brahmin carries
the klbau, and the vessel that holds sacred water from the river, nearby.
This naba patrik is not a simple bark of a banana plant, but a form of Mother
Nature that is worshipped as another form of M drg and is one of the most
primitive forms of worshiping M drg even before idol worship came into
existence.
She is then adorned in red bordered and vermilion is smeared on its leaves, as
a mark of a married woman and placed on a decorated pedestal and worshipped
with flowers, sandalwood paste and incense sticks. Later she is placed on the right
side of r Gana. This ritual is followed by placing the gh full of holy water that
is worshipped for the next few days. This followed by the usual Saptam Pujo, rati,
Bhga rati and Brhmaa Bhjana. In following religious sanctity there has been
no compromise by the members of the family even down so many years from when
the event originated.

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Shri Shri Durga Puja of Dutta Chaudhury family of Andul

In the auspicious day of Mahsaptam, Aam and Nabam, deity gets bathed with
various Holy waters and soils by the head priest.
A Pushpa- ptra is one of the utmost primary essentials to a priest in any puja.
Dutta Chaudhuries fill it up with various Red, Orange, Yellow and other vernal
flowers, including blpt, tulspt , durbo, swt chandana, rakta chandana with
few entities of borol.

MahAam
Mah'aam is always special to the family. The chants of the pupjali echoes
from all around. In the Chndi maapa, the din and bustle is like any of the other
days during the pujo. The arrangements start early in the morning and is followed
by the regular puj rituals. Mah'aam is marked by mahsnna, followed by the
usual puj.
After the mahsnna , the Goddess is welcome by chanting the Hri mantra. This
is followed by the rati and after that all members of the family, who remain on fast
since morning, offer pupjali.
Earlier a practice of eating Luchi and Mangra krm, in the day of Mah'aam
was observed, which had eventually stopped in the early 62. The deity is offered
Onnobhga. Dutta Chaudhury of Andul, being a Brahma-kstha family, offering
Onno to the deity is something one cannot find anywhere in Bengal. At the time of
distribution of prosda, a ritual still goes by saying, Rm shrnr ko'i dhor. The
practice which used to be 4 Century ago is continued even today in the family.
The non-veg item that was eaten earlier during Mah'aam, was not from any
animal sacrifice, because from the year Kashiwar started Drg pj in the family,
there is no animal sacrifice. Earlier, i.e. long before 1609 AD, there used to be
animal sacrifice, and by norms that sacrificed animal meat was not consumed by
the family members. However, Dutta Chaudhuries have their own food gharn
(genre) all throughout the year, like Rdh ballab (with 16 maals), Chop-kala,
Mangra krm, Pul' and Birini.
In Mah'aam , there is a special ritual of doing rati with Black lamp to the deity.

Sandhi pj
Sandhi pj is an event of prime significance even for the Dutta Chaudhury family.
An integral and important part of Drg pj, Sandhi pj is performed at the
juncture of the 8th and 9th lunar day. It lasts from the last 24 minutes of
Mah'aam till the first 24 minutes of Mahnabam. During this juncture or the
sandhikaa, Drg is worshipped in her Chmun form. Db Drg had killed
Chondo and Mundo, the two asuras (demons) at this sandhikaa and thus
acquired the name of Chmun at this point in time.

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The pj is completed by offering 108 lotus flowers, a single fruit, cloth, jewellery,
garland of 108 Jab phula (Hibiscus rosa sinensis), garland of 108 Aparjit phula
(Clitoria ternatea), and garland of 108 Blpt (Aegle marmelos). Dbpaml, a
series of 108 dis are burnt to welcome goddess Chmun to the house with the
Db prasid'dha pariplaa mantra. The rati is followed by the members of the
family offering pupjali. Many of the women of the house observe a fast till the
end of the Sandhi pj ' no matter how late in the night it is scheduled. The Dutta
Chaudhuries following the Vaishnava tradition do not have the ritual of sacrifice.
This ritual marks the end of Mah'aam and the beginning of Mahnvmi.

MahNavam
Mahnvmi in the Dutta Chaudhury family is celebrated by performing the
Kumr pj '. The concept of this ritual is to welcome the daughter 'Drg' who
comes to visit her parents house with her children annually. The kumr is the
most powerful form of Mahakti and the basis of creation. A girl age between one
to sixteen, symbolizing the kumr form of Db is worshipped in front of the idol of
Goddess Drg. The purpose of this worship is to evolve the purity and divinity of
the women of the society. Diminishing the larger than life stature of the Goddess to
someone much nearer and closer is the real reason for this form of worship.
Kumr pj of the family is special and unique. Unlike other household pujas,
there are two kumrs (age between 12-to-18) - one from highly intellect Kastha
(i.e. within the family itself) and another from a Kuln Brhmaa family.
In the dawn of Mahnvmi, the kumr are bathed in the holy Ganga water and is
clad in a new red bordered i, symbolizing a married woman. They are then
adorned with flowers and jewellery, lat is applied to their feet and a 'tilak' of
simdura on forehead. They are made to sit before the goddess and a flower from the
Dbs hand is placed in their hand. Placed before them are flowers, bla (wood
apple) leaves, incense sticks, lamps, mahnaibdya and other things required for
puja. The purhitas then chants the mantras and the sound of hk fill the
atmosphere.
The lady (Kastha) of the family who does the Sakakalpa for the pj offers pj
to the Brhmaa girl and a lady (Brhmaa) offers pj to the Kastha girl. After
the pj, the divinity of the Goddess Drg is said to be seen in the girls. It is
customary to gift the girls and to take their blessings. The last ritual of
Mahnvmi is the yan or hm that is performed by burning wood with ghee as
an offering to the goddess.
The Dhun po is special ritual, categorically held in this day. The ritual is
performed by a married lady, performing Shankalpa. Balancing an earthen plate or
sra on the two palms and one on the head, sit facing the goddess braced in a new
sari. Stray and incense is placed in the three earthen plates keeping the biggest of
them on their head, positioned upon an encircled cloth to avoid heat and the other

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Shri Shri Durga Puja of Dutta Chaudhury family of Andul

two on their two hands. While the priest utters sacred mantras, men of the family
put the resin in the earthen pot and the fire burns brighter. Fumes evokes out of
these vessels. In this position, she prays to the deity for the betterment of the
family members. This continues for 5-10 minutes. After performing the ritual, a boy
of the family sits on her lap and thereafter touches her feet and seeks her
blessings.
atru Boli, L'u Boli and mkha Boli are also performed in this day at a defined
time. The atru is made up of rice, which means annihilation of enemies of the
family. The rice made atru symbolizes enemy(s) of the Dutta Chaudhuries.

Dahumi
Bijaa daumi of marks the end of the festivities. The mood is sombre and a little
melancholy. The members of the family are all emotionally drained and they feel
sad to bid farewell to the goddess who is created bit by bit in the very Chndi
maapa. After the morning puj, the priests un-tie the sacred thread, around the
deity.
The Chndi maapa is decorated with lpan. The canopy over the deity is
removed. It is believed that the structure of the canopy came into being from a
swapna da. The Brhmaas then remove the extra decorations from the Goddess
and puts her down from her bdhi.
In the evening, She is placed in the centre of the courtyard, in front of the Chndi
maapa so that the women folk that complete the Bron rituals. The women of the
family dress in ornate, gr or bnrasi and complete the ritual with all the
necessary ingredients, which necessarily includes lat , simdura, pn, and sweets.
One by one the goddess and all her children and their pets are treated with all this
by every female member of the family. Then the married women apply vermilion by
gracing and greeting each other. The Dutta Chaudhury women are not allowed to
have fun during the bhaa. The hkis play the beats as the women folk have fun
in the courtyard itself and it is a wonderful scene as women of all ages dressed
ornately adorn the courtyard emitting colour and life all around.
The Dutta Chaudhury women offer sweets, sid'dhi and water, to the deity. And a
bunch of pan is given in her hand. Its made out of a special ritual, looks like a
bunch of grapes. Rjaban men come to take the deity on their shoulder to Andul
dulp. An elaborate grand procession then heads towards the place. There again
women of dul [low caste] community perform Bron. Earlier this dul community
used to carry the deity on their shoulder for immersion. They had stopped doing
this work, long ago. Even earlier satya bgha family from Junglepur had come to
do this job. They also had stop doing it.
At present, Rjaban men come from Jhorhat (North Andul) to perform the task of
deity immersion. Earlier Dutta Chaudhuries has given them- Luchi, Bmd, nu
ties all together in a Banana leaf, but now this ritual have long ceased.

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Shri Shri Durga Puja of Dutta Chaudhury family of Andul

Previously immersion had taken place in Dutta Chaudhurys own Ghat, on
Saraswati river channel constructed by one of their forefather- Jadunath
Chaudhury. The family members bid a final tearful farewell to the Goddess as she
floats away in to the darkness. The male members then take a dip in the Ganges
and fill a jug full of water that is brought back home. Dutta Chaudhury men sit on
one side and women on other side in the Chndi maapa. Head priest come and
sprinkle that water as ntira jol following which all members of the family eat
nu and celebrate Bija. The young ones touch the feet of the elders and seek
their blessings while the men embrace and exchange wishes.

Other Pujas in the family.

Lord Kashiwar and other Shiva lingams are regularly worshipped all over the year.
During the auspicious day of Rkhi prim (Full Moon) of rbanamsa (month of
August), special Shiva puj is observed. Apart from these, Dutta Chaudhuries does
not have any other idol worship practice, i.e. no Kl pj, no Kjgar lak puj, no
Jagadhrt puj. While its other off-shoots, like Hathkhola Duttas and Balaram
Dey Street Dutta family do Kl pj, along with the Drg pj.
During the time of gjana, by obeying the old rituals, the dul men still come and
carry Kashiwar Shiva Lingam in their dulp. They have even constructed a
shrine for Shri Kashiwar. On 14th April (paal baikha ) each year, they carry
back the lingam to Dutta Chaudhurys temple, beside the Chndi maapa.

The End

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