During Durga
Puja, one of the most important ritual on Mahasaptami, or the seventh day, i.e.
today, is the bathing of the Kala-bou
or the banana-bride.
On this day, a
small banana tree is taken to the river Ganga, and given a ceremonial bath. The
tree is then draped in a white saree
with red border, with some sindur or
the vermillion powder applied on its leaves. Thereafter, the tree is kept on
the right side of the idol of Ganesh, implying that she is the bride of Lord
Ganesh.
However, the
traditionalists differ on the concept of the Kala-bou as they see it signifying the coming together of Naba-patrika, or the nine leaves. On the
trunk of the banana tree are tied the leaves of the following trees –
Holud gaach or the turmeric
tree
Daalim gaach or the
pomegranate tree
Maankochu or the arum
plant
Rice plant
Ashok tree
Kochu gaach of the
colacassia plant
Jayanti gaach of the saal tree
Each of the
above also stand for different forms of goddesses, like the banana tree
representing Goddess Brahmani, turmeric tree representing Durga, wood apple
tree representing Lord Shiva himself, the pomegranate tree representing
Raktabija, Arum plant for Chamunda, rice for Lakshmi, Ashok tree for Sokrahita,
the colacassia for Goddess Kalika and the Jayanti for Kartiki. All the
goddesses are different forms of the Goddess Durga. Needless to mention, that
each plant/tree has its significance in the day to day life of a common man,
either in the form of staple diet, or as a spice of as part of medicinal plant.
Many have even
opined that the Nabapatrika is a form
of Durga herself, which symbolises all the aspects of
nature in a complex
vegetative state. According to a scholar the plant symbolises the “festive
enactment of Durga’s return of the blood of the buffalo demon to the earth so
that the order of the world be re-established and luxuriant vegetation appear.”
As far as placing the Nabapatrika
next to Lord Ganesh’s idol is concerned, it can be surmised that the same is due
to Lord Ganesh being credited to be the creator of eighteen medicinal plants,
for which he is known as Astadasausadhisrsti.
Many also feel
that the worship of Kala-bou in the
form of Nabapatrika might not have
anything to do with Lord Ganesh at all. It could just have been a local or a
primitive practice of worshipping the Mother Earth for a rich harvest and with
the popularity of the Durga Puja, this ritual was assimilated in the
festivities. In the absence of idol-worship, the Nabapatrika was the symbol of Mother Nature herself. Autumn or sharad-ritu
was also the season for reaping crops and the peasants worshipped the Nabapatrika for a rich and bountiful
harvest. As far as the placement of the Kala-bou
is concerned, since Kartik was a confirmed bachelor, it was logical to place
‘her’ next to Ganesh! In fact, the worshipping of Nabapatrika in its original form is still prevalent in some parts
of Eastern India.
Finally, to
conclude, here is an interesting folktale related to Kola-bou. According to
this tale, the wedding procession of Ganesh had not gone very far from home,
when Ganesh remembered that he had forgotten something. On returning, he found
his mother Durga eating bowlfuls of rice and gorging herself. Ganesh found it
odd and asked his mother, as to why was she gorging herself. To this Durga is
supposed to have said – “Jodi tor bou
aamaake khete na dai? (What if your wife did not give me enough food to
eat?). Hearing this Ganesh was upset, he stepped out of his home, cut a banana
tree and gave it to her saying “etai
tomar bou (this is your daughter-in-law)”. Later, Ganesh was married off to
the banana tree and thus the name Kala-bou, or the banana bride.
Interestingly,
till quite some time back, in rural Bengal many mother-in-laws would be in a
perennial fear of not getting enough food when their new daughter-in-laws came
home, and tried to wield more authority on their sons. An interesting folk tale
with mythological connotations, where the food has always been a source of
trouble!
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