Shravan and Baba Taraknath

The Hindu month of shravan, (July-Aug) is an important month for many a devout. The month arrives after the scorching heat unleashed by nature and rains come to soothe parched earth and bear fruits to agricultural efforts. Shravan is also the month of many festivities, like the birth of Lord Krishna, Raksha bandhan, Naag Panchami, etc. all signifying some aspect of the month. However, the deity that gets month long attention is Lord Shiva.

As someone who was born and brought up in Kolkata, West Bengal, one has been brought up by the ‘walkathon’ that many a devout undertake to the temple of Tarakeshwar, a Shiva temple at a distance of about 70kms from Kolkata. People walk the distance from far and further, balancing bamboo sticks on their shoulder, with earthen pots at two ends, filled with water from the Ganga. The walk is arduous especially due to the rainy season and fraught with danger from snakes, scorpions and other such inhabitants of the ground.

In the early days, only men used to walk the distance in groups. But after the release of a popular Bengali movie “Joy Baba Taraknath” in the late 70s, where the heroine of the movie is seen walking all the way, it has become quite popular among women to walk the distance along with men. Locals on the way to the temple arrange for rest and stands for the bamboo sticks, which cannot be placed on the ground till it reaches its destination, and offer refreshments to the pilgrims. Night long, people are heard walking the roads, chanting “bhole baba paar karega” (Bhole baba, or Shiva will show us the way) and “Dhalbo Kothay? Babar mathay” (Where will we pour? On Shiva’s head, of course!) on their way to Tarakeshwar.

Like all religious place, this one too has its origins in mythical tales. According to a legend, Vishnu Das, a resident of Oundh (Ayodhya) migrated to Bengal with his family in the early 18^th century. People did not take to him too well and were suspicious about him. To prove his innocence he is supposed to have held an iron rod in his hand, after which, he was accepted by the locals. Later his brother found a spot in the nearby jungle, where cows would ooze out milk all by themselves. On digging, they found a shiva-linga with a dent at the top. A dream to Vishnu Das is said to have revealed that this was a manifestation of Lord Shiva, or Baba Taraknath and that a temple should be built there. This is also referred to as one of the few swayambhu (self-manifested, or that which is created by itself) temples of Lord Shiva

The present structure of the temple was built by Raja Bharamalla, in 1729 AD. The temple is an example of a typical Bangla architecture, which has an aatchala structure (‘aat’ - eight and ‘chala’ - sloping roof of huts) with a natmandir (a place for offering prayers) in the front. The temple is considered to be one of the oldest temples in West Bengal which holds sway on people on all occasions related to Lord Shiva, especially Shivaratri and every Monday of the month of shravan. Many stories abound of how efforts to shift the temple elsewhere have been foiled by divine efforts, which goes on to reinforce the will of Baba to stay put at the designated spot of His choice.

The practice of carrying Ganga water or jal and pouring it on the shiva-linga also has mythological allusion. It is said that the amrit-manthan, or the churning of the ocean took place during the month of shravan and amongst many things that came out of the churning was halahal, or poison. When there were no takers for this, Lord Shiva decided to consume it and hold it in his throat, which made his throat blue due to the excessive heat generated by it (and thus he is also referred to as Neelkantha, the blue-necked). Seeing this, all the gods gathered and poured Ganga-jal on his head to cool the excessively heated body. The practice of carrying Ganga-jal and pouring it on shiva-linga is carried on till today during the months of shravan!

A similar pilgrimage is undertaken in the neighbouring states of Jharkhand and Odisha too. In Jharkhand, people carry Ganga-jal from the district of Sultanganj to pour at Babadham in Deogarh, a practice which owes it origin to Lord Ram when he undertook a similar journey on foot over the same route. People undertake this 105 kms journey to coincide with reaching their destination on Mondays. Similar journeys are undertaken from different districts of Odisha to reach the numerous Shiva temples of the state, like Lingaraj temple, etc.

During the month of shravan many people abstain from eating non-vegetarian diet and vices like alcohol and smoking. It is said that shravan is the first of the chaturmas (four months) of Dakshinayan, the Southward journey of the Sun, when the nights are longer than days (as against Uttarayana, the Northward journey of the Sun, when the days are longer). This is considered to be the months when the mind is most unstable and full of negative thoughts (nights symbolising dark and devious). Non-vegetarian food is considered to be ‘hot’ and with an unstable mind, the heat would only lead to more trouble! However, a more practical reason could be that this is also the month when the fish lay eggs. To allow them to breed and thrive would only lead to a larger catch next year. It is possible that abstaining from fish led to a general abstinence of all non-vegetarian diet.

Seasons and associated festivals and each having a mythical origin are an old association, which goes on to ensure that norms are laid down, followed and adhered to. Rains leading to remaining indoors, breeding by the fishes and leaving some animals out of the menu ensuring compassion towards them, only reinforce man’s need to coexist in an ecologically dependent system.

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

A recent viewing of a very popular Hindi movie, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag has set me thinking a bit and I am reproducing the thoughts here.

Every hero has a reason to achieve his heroic heights, both mortal and mythological. According to Greek mythology, Hercules had murdered his wife in a fit of anger, and so he set out to atone for them and thus goes the tales of his twelve heroic deeds. Perseus set out on an adventure to bring home the head of the Gorgon Medusa just to prove that he was not a good-for-nothing Greek, but was brave and could do what no mortal had even tried to.

In Ramayan, Ram wanted to get his kidnapped wife back and set a regime of rightful rule in Lanka and thus the battle in Ramayan, which saw his heroic best. Hanuman wanted to do anything and everything to please his idol Ram, and did whatever he was told to, in the process, achieving feats which were inhuman. Arjun in Mahabharat achieved his heroic deeds by the sheer dint of reaching a target which none could and become the best archer in the world then. Amba took the birth of a eunuch just to achieve her sole objective of being the cause of Bhishma’s death. Numerous examples abound in different mythologies, where heroes have reached the peak of their heroism, at some point of time for something or the other.

It was no different for the ordinary mortal Milkha Singh. As a child he ran to school to reach on time and avoid being caned by his teacher, and then during the partition, he ran to save his life. Later he ran fast to avoid getting caught by the railway guards. As an army jawan, he ran for a glass of milk and then for the Indian blazer. He continued to run for something or the other, till it became a habit to satiate a particular need. Does this mean that if you do not have a material cause or a need, you do not achieve heroic heights?

No, many have achieved great success out of passion too. Many actors have achieved stardom out of sheer passion for the art and not primarily for the money. Certain doctors have achieved near-god status, out of the sheer desire to cure. Environmentalists have pursued their mission-like objective just to provide a clean atmosphere for the future generation without any gain for themselves. But even here there is an underlying need, excellence.

So what is the underlying common factor among all the above, irrespective of the status of divinity or mortality that sets man, to achieve what is unachievable for many? The word is motivation. Nothing can be achieved without some motivation. Hercules was motivated by getting to wash of the sins of murder, Perseus wanted to prove that he was not a useless son citizen who could not afford a gift for the King on his wedding. Ram was motivated to get his wife back, Arjun wanted to be the best archer on earth and Amba wanted to avenge her insult. Even the mythical characters had an objective, just as Milkha had different motivations at different stages of life.

Without a motive, there is no motivation. Even altruism is a motivation behind donating huge chunks of personal wealth!

What is your motivation and what does it want to achieve? If all of us ask this basic question, we know what we want and where we have to reach. This objective and the motivation to achieve it, differentiates man from cattle, the leader from the herd.

Who Enjoys More?

If you have not given this question a thought, then let me tell you, that mythology has. And if you have thought about it, well, then you sure are obsessed with questions!

In the course of sex, who enjoys more, a man or a woman? Both Greek mythology and Mahabharata (Mb) seems to have tried to seek answers to this question.

According to Greek Mythology, Tiresias was a blind prophet well known for his ability to predict the future. According to one version Tiresias once came across a pair of copulating snakes and he hit one of them with his stick. Hera, the Queen of the gods was not happy with this and she cursed him to become a woman for seven years. After seven years, Tiresias came across the same sight again, but this time he left them undisturbed. This act allowed him to regain his masculinity. Once Zeus and Hera were having an argument, as to who enjoyed more during sex. According to Zeus, it was women and according to Hera, it was men. Tiresias was called to arbitrate, since he had experienced sex both as man and woman. Tiresias answered – Of ten parts, man enjoys only one! This upset Hera so much, that she cursed him to become blind. Zeus could not do much, so he gave Tiresias the gift of foresight.

According to Mb, after the war of Kurukshetra, before Bhishma decided to die, there was a discourse between Yudhishtir and Bhishma while he was on the bed of arrows. Among many questions asked by Yudhishtir, one of the questions asked was similar to what Zeus and Hera had. To this Bhishma is supposed to have related the story of Bhangashvana. Bhangashvana was an ancient king who was cursed to turn into a woman, by Lord Indra. He was the only creature on earth, to have experienced sex both as a man as well as a woman, and he also had the rare fortune to have some children call him father, while some called him mother. It is said that later when Lord Indra asked him if he would like to regain his masculine form, he is supposed to have declined the offer, on the grounds that he would prefer to live as a woman, mainly for the ability to enjoy sexual pleasure more. Many later scholars have also added (lest this be seen in bad light!) that Bhangashvana enjoyed being a woman, also because as a woman she could love her children more than what she could as a man!

While Greek mythology answers the question in an indirect manner, Mahabharata answers it more directly. Unfortunately Tiresias had to bear the brunt of the ire of Hera, Bhangashvana goes on to enjoy the life of a woman.

Greeks punished the person who gave the answer, while in Mb the person gets a boon of his choice, but in both the cases, the answer was woman.

Statutory Disclaimer - The opinions expressed above were that of Tiresias and Bhangashvana, mythical characters, the Blogger (i.e. me) takes no responsibility for their words and opinions!
 

Ker Puja

Last time we read about Kharchi Puja of Tripura. Fifteen days after the Kharchi Puja, (July 30, this year) comes the second most important festival of Tripura called Ker Puja. However, contrary to the celebrations marking the Kharchi Puja, Ker as the name suggests, is marked with a sense of austerity and seriousness.

After the ritual cleansing of earth (during Kharchi Puja), all the gods and goddesses are now sacred and the entire atmosphere is ‘clean’. The Ker Puja is to honour the guardian deity of Tripura called Ker. A large piece of bamboo bent in a particular manner becomes the image of Ker to be worshiped. It is celebrated in a designated area, which is permanently earmarked for this event. Prior to the starting of this worship, all expectant mothers, ill and terminally ill patients are removed from this area. Once the worship starts, no one can leave or enter the area which has been earmarked for the event. If anything of such nature happens, including a birth or a death, the ritual has to start again at the expense of the person who caused the event. In Agartala, the capital of Tripura, an area has been designated for such event.

Another aspect of this worship is that once the ritual starts, nobody is allowed to speak loudly, joke or make fun, speak lies or derogatory about anyone or anything including uttering of slang and obscenities within the designated area. No celebrations, music and dance is permitted too. The atmosphere in the area has to be clean and not spoilt by anything negative, both in thought and actions. Offering animal sacrifices as part of the festival is another important aspect of the worship.

In the olden days, Ker Puja was observed for the welfare of the village, which now is observed for the welfare of the state. The deities are worshiped to ward of all evil including natural calamities like earthquakes, floods and epidemics as well as external attacks. Earlier the King of Tripura used to bear the expenses of the event, but now the state government bears the expenses as a part of the agreement of annexation by the princely state of Tripura with the Govt of India. The beginning of the worship is marked by firing of guns by the State Police to announce the commencement of the worship.

Ker Puja is considered to be centuries old festival which seems to be having a tribal origin. The same is being followed till date with all its austerity and seriousness. Such worships of appeasing nature to ward off its evil effects is a common phenomenon across the world. Different cultures have different rituals to appease such gods and this ritual being followed with all solemnity only bears testimony to early mans fear and reverence for nature, which people say has ‘eyes’ and ‘ears’. Any disregard of its power is reciprocated with vengeance, one of which we saw recently in Utarakhand.

Ker pic courtesy – www.tripura.org.in