In the 10th century AD , five great Sanskrit scholars of India by the
names of Sriharsha, Bhattanarayan, Dakshya, Vedagarva and Chandha came to
Bengal to improve social conditions and recultivate Vedic
Customs, at Imperial orders from Kanauj.Their descendants later assumed titles
of Gangopadhayay, Bandopadhyay, Chattopadhayay, Mukhopadhyay etc. Sabarna
gotriya Vedagarva, the son of Maharshi
Shaubhari Upadhyay, is held as the founder of the Gangopadhyay
(Ganguli) family of Bengal. The 21st descendant of this family was Jiya
Gangopadhyay (1535 – 1620) was a Versatile Sanskrit scholar with gifted talents
over the Nayay School of philosophy. He was a Vidya bachaspati and under his
leadership Halishar became famous in India as a center of classical education
only next to none. Jiya was married to a noble lady of extraordinary charming
beauty named Padmabati. Their hard penance at Kalighat and discovery of the earthly
remains of Satis mortal body earned them a child. Soon after the birth of the
child on the day Kojagari Lakshmi puja in 1570 AD Padmabati
died. The son was named Lakshmikanta. Highly grieved at the demise of his wife,
Jiya renounced worldly life. He entrusted Atmaram Brahmachari, the priest of
Kalighat and a wet nurse with the duty of upbringing the infant. Jiya took up
the life of an ascetic and became a parivrajakacharya. Atmaram consecrated him
as kamdeva Brhamachari. After touring many holy places, Jiya ultimately settled
at Varanasi, where later he consecrated Mansingha the Moughal general as his
chief disciple. In the mean time Lakshmikanta
grew up to a tough warrior, a versatile scholar of Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic
languages. He joined the administration at Jessore and proved as the
most the trustworthy and able official of Pratapaditya. When Pratapaditya
became corrupted and murdered his Uncle Basanta Rai and declared himself as a
Independent ruler of Bengal, Lakshmikanta denounced the royal service and
returns back to Kalighat to lead a religious life. Mansingha defeated
Pratapaditya and came to Kalighat to meet his Guru’s son Lakshimikanta.
Laksmikanta
Gangopadhyay in 1608 was granted Jaigirdari of large areas ( nine parganas ) in
and around Dihi Kalkatah by Man Singha as Gurudakshina. He was also
conferred the titles of “Ray” and “Choudhury”. Henceforth his decendants came
to known as members of Sabarna Roy Choudhury family. It was Laksmikanta who
developed and civilized the land and made the place well known to the world for
its cottage industries and cultures. He started the oldest durgapuja of Bengal in the year 1610 at Barisha.
In
the year 1690 Job Charnock landed at Sutaluti and settled there as a tenant of
the zamindars. He died on 10 th January, 1693. His son-in -law Charles Eyer
fetched a firmaan from the Moughal court which asked our the then zamindar
Vidyadhar Roy Choudhury to give the three villages of Sutaluti,
Govindapur,& Kalkatah to the the British. But the then governor
Azim-us-maan adviced Vidyadhar to make the transfer of the three villages of
Kalkatah, Sutaluti,and Govindapur to the British but through an invalid dalil.
This dalil was signed by two minors and was executed at Barisha Aatchala
on 10 th november, 1698. We have fetched the copy of that
dalil from the British Museum.
It
should be remembered that much of the land thus bestowed upon Laksmikanta was
uninhabited jungle and unculturable waste. Laksmikanta converted the whole of
the area by his own indomitable energy, unflagging industry and unrivalled
sagacity into habitable and culturable land and fetched thousands of people
belonging to different caste, creed and profession to settle there upon.
People
who have some knowledge of the difficulties of reclaiming waste lands, will
understand the enourmous cost, labour, industry, intelligence and attention to
details which the reclaimation of the total area within Laksmikanta s Jagir and
Zamindaris must have entailed upon him. As the result of hard strenous work
spread over half a Century, Laksmikanta managed to raise the comparatively
small income of his landed properties to something over twelve lakhs of rupees
per annum. He was recognised as one of the greatest Bhumiyas of Bengal and was
loved and honoured by all.
This
is also to be noted the Renowned Bengal Poet Bipradas Piplai in his magnum opus
and well known Poetical work Manasa Vijaya, written in 1495 has described the
place called Kalikatah, the old name of Kolkata. Also the name appears in
Ainee-Akbari written by Abul Fazl in 1596. Thus
Kolkata was present before the birth of Job Chornock and
whatever lease of the land was given to the British was done much after his
death. So, as believed, Job Charnock cannot be
considered as the Founder of Kolkata. The
Hon’ble Kolkata High Court in a lndmark Judgement delivered on May 16, 2003 has
also clearly declared that neither Charnock is the founder of the City
nor 24 th August is the birthday of the City. No one alone can
ever found a city. But if at
all somebody is to be given the recognition and honour as the Father of Kolkata then it should be my ancestor
Laksmikanta.
The
Sabarna Roy Choudhury family today is
spread throughout the whole World. The main settlements are at Barisha,
Halisahar, Uttarpara, Nimta, Birati, Kheput etc. In all these places the family
members believe in one tradition, culture and faith. Everywhere the
legacy of Laksmikanta continues.
At
the biggest settlement at Barisha itself about two thousand family members
live. The settlements at Barisha are divided into nine houses. Today each of
these nine main houses have expanded into a number of other buildings creating
a Para on the name of the main house due to expansion of the family. But still
the basic bond of a single joint family has not been destroyed due to the
western influences. During any festivals or social programmes every member of
the family try to participate and enjoy the very occasion.Thus
everywhere in the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family, a bond of brotherhood and an
idea of a big joint family can be seen.
This is a typical image of our Durga. The
oldest idol of Aatchala. All the eight Durga Pratima are being created
almost in the same manner. The uniqueness of the Pratima is that it has Chaalchitras divided into
three parts and have pictures of the the ten different images of Ma Shakti known
as the Dasamahabidya. On
one side of the Pratima there sits an idol of Shiva and on the other side its
Rama. They are also being worshipped. The colour of the Durga is reddish or it
can be of light golden as mentioned in the Durgabhaktitarangini. The Asura is
green in colour depicting the evilness and jealousy in him. Here Karkikeya is
dressed in the princely style. In total the Image brings hope and prosperity
for the worshippers.
The first settlement of the family
at Barisha. Lakshmikanta constructed some sort of a Kutchery Bari soon after
receiving his estates in circa 1608. Here he later constructed a traditional
Chandi Mandap to house the first ever Swaparibara Durga Puja celebration of
Bengal in 1610, inspired by his wife Bhagawati Devi. This brought for the first
time Goddess Durga being worshipped with Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and
Kartikeya. Today this Puja is considered as the oldest Durga Puja
in Kolkata and is highly regarded among the masses. The adjacent Radhakanta
temple and the twelve Shiva temples are also of traditional architectural
pattern and are objects of interest to tourists.
Sabarna
Barta is the annual tabloid published by Sabarna Sangrahashala during Durga
pujo which highlights the new research works and activities undertaken by the
Sabarna Roy Choudhury Paribar Parishad. Articles on various topics are also
included in the four page tabloid.
When
one thinks of the Durga Pujo of Kolkata, the very first name that comes to mind
is that of the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family. Really here the pujo is not only
unique but also a fusion of history, heritage and tradition.
After
the grant of tax free Jaigir of eight parganas by Emperor Jehangir, Ray
Laksmikanta Gangopadhyay Majumdar Choudhury and his wife Bhagabati Debi started
Durga Pujo in autumn at Barisha in 1610 CE. For the very time in history
Goddess Durga was worshipped along with her children – Lakshmi, Saraswati,
Ganesha and Kartikeya in the same Chaalchitra, which later became the normal
custom in the Hindu society.
In
the Sabarna family the Durga Pujo is performed according to the rites and
rituals as prescribed in Durgabhaktitarangini by Bidyapati.
As
Sabarna family settled at different places and family grew bigger, it was
decided to establish a few more Durga pujos in the family so that each and
everyone could learn the rituals and carry on the legacy and traditions of the
family generation after generations. Therefore today a total of eight pujos are
being held. Aatchala Bari, Baro Bari, Benaki Bari, Mejo Bari, Kalikingkar
Bhawan, and Majher Bari in Barisha while the seventh is at Birati Bari and
eighth one at Nimta-Pathanpur Bari.
Exclusive
rituals, rites and customs are followed during the pujo. A special pujo called
Mashabhaktaboli is offered Mahasthami and Mahanabami to the presiding powers of
Trilok including the Yoginis and the Upadevatas, believing that they too have
cooperated with us to perform the pujo successfully. This is also the only
Hindu family whereby Tri-dhara Sangam- Shakta, shaiba and Baisnab traditions
are followed together reflecting a unique fusion of spiritual ideology.
It
will not be untrue to remark that the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family has
successfully upheld traditions and customs in its purest form for more than
four Centuries now, and the legacy still continues…
Durga Pujo was founded in the Sabarna Family in the year 1610 CE
Courtesy: Subhadip Roy Choudhury
(Member of Sabarna Roy Choudhury Paribar Parishad)
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