GROW TURMERIC: The Goddess Saraswati of Illu-Jagro

GROW TURMERIC: The Goddess Saraswati of Illu-Jagro: “ Do you know where Lord Shiva resides?”- I asked a girl at Deulghata. The child along with his family members   came to offer p...

Manbhum the historical land of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose

It was January 16, 1941 Subhas Chandra left his house from Elgin road  at mid-night in disguise. Subhas was masked as Mohd. Ziauddin-  a travelling inspector of Life Insurance Company. Sisir Bose  his nephew was driving the Wanderer car  accompanying Subhas  in the rear seat.  The car moved through Howrah,Rishra..Burdwan ,Asonsole  and reached Gobindapur-a muffasil town of the then Manbhum. It was early dawn..Subhas was sleepless  ...sooner  the car came to Dhanbad-the sub-divisional town of Manbhum. End destination of Bose was Babri Colliery of Manbhum.. the whole day to be spent in the Bunglow of his relation-nephew AshokeNath.  Ziauddin got down from the car near to the Bunglow. Sisir Bose entered alone and talked to Ashokenath in details about the plan. A few minutes later Md.Ziauddin came and talked with the members in English. No body doubted him. He was given shelter in the outhouse. Ziauddin alias Subhas Chandra took his last lunch in the soil of Manbhum. After the lunch,Bose took rest and nabbed.  Ashkonath went to his office as usual and back in the evening. By this time Ziauddin left the Bunglow and was on the way. Askokenath told the caretakers  that he along with his wife be on nearby tour by car  and accordingly left the  house accompanied by Sisir Bose  .  Subhas was picked up from the road. From Birali 30 kms is Gomo station. Subhas would  ride the train at mid night.  All of them halted at Dumra kalibari in a priest’s hut- 10 kms away from Gumo.  Thereafter reached Gumo.. the Delhi Kalka mail came..Our beloved Subhas  boarded into the train.  The great escape of the great soul  was from the land of Manbhum. The Gumo station has recently been renamed ‘Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’— Manbhum’s Gumo station  is the mute witness of the last journey of the hero...

Subhas Chandra had a long relationship with Manbhum.  He was under prison from 25 October 1924

to 16  June 1927.  During this period his health deteriorated. After freeing from Jail he was advised to visit Shillong for recovery. By this time his Guru Deshbandhu left the eternal world. On returning back from Shillong  Subhas came to Purulia to meet Basanti Devi. His arrival has been documented in the Weekly news paper Mukti, Purulia. Basanti Devi- the wife of Chittaranjan Das used to stay in the garden-house ‘Retreat’. Das’s mother Nistari Devi breathed her last from here. However, Subhas used to call Basanti Devi ‘Ma’.  Ma blessed Bose affectionately.  Subhas Chandra also met Manbhum Janani-Labanya Prabha Ghosh  at her Silpashram. In his first visit Subhas Chandra did not join political agendas although young generations thronged to visit him.  However, after four months from first visit Subhas Chandra again came to Manbhum. He came to Ramchandrapur village, Santuri  to attend Manbhum Zilla Political Conference. On 6^th March 1928,  he travelled a lot right from Bankura,Kenjakura,Chhatna.. Raghunathpur etc. Raghunathpur Municipality honoured him on the way.  A meeting with the public was held at Raghunathpur town. On that very day  he was with high fever. Subhas came to Ramchandrapur via Barakar road which is now renamed as Netaji Subhas Road.

Ignoring social dogma Subhas dinned with the harijans and tribal. Some of the elite groups were not happy with this.  However, it was resolved. Subhas met Rishi Nibaran Chandra Das-the freedom fighter and a true Gandhian of Manbhum here. More than 20 thousands participated during the conference.  Subhas Chandra referred to the history of Panchakot and asked the mass to become fearless and independent and ready to fight with the British. National flag was hoisted by Bose chanting BandeMataram. The whole Manbhum was mesmerized by his one and half hr.long speech. A political tie up bonded between the  great leader and Manbhum.

Subhas Candra’s third visit in Purulia had been covered in Mukti-news paper 12 Nov.1928. In fact Subhas came here to take rest but the restless public wanted him to hear him. A mammoth gathering was in front of the Union Club Purulia. The vibrant speech urging for Purna Swaraj was voiced by him in the soil of Manbhum. The same was acceped in the National Congress 1929.

Subhas Chandra Bose stayedat Jambadoba,near Bhagaat  at his relative house for about one month during 1939. 

During 1930’s Subhas Chandra was undisputed trade union leaders of Manbhum Collieries He had come to Dhanbad m sub-divisional town of then Manbhum, several times and led the labour unions..

The people of Manbhum..owes much to Netaji. There are many events here which people retrieve till now.

My homage and tributes to the great today.

Gangasagar- A revisit to Mythology

In our school days we used to recite a famous poem of Rabindranath- 'DebatarGrass'..The poem describes the difficult path of reaching Gangasagar..it also points out to the traditional sentiments of people over Gangasagar.. & the tragic narrations of how a mother lost her beloved son in the sea water..The sagar remained mysterious to me for a long period. However, later I found many of our neighbours visited and expressed their unbound satisfaction  in dipping in the holy water.  All of them went during Makarsankranti-  and they enjoyed sahi-bath and worshiped Kapildev..

Gangasagar means Makar sankranti when lakhs and lakhs assemble here for a holy dip. This is a tradition from unnown days. In purans it was said 'Ganga is always holy.. but holier in Haridwarm Prayag and Gangasagar, however Gangasagar is un- parallel  and greatest among the three'. There has been a proverb ' You have to cover all pilgrims many times but once all in case of Gangasagar. you can earn Almighty's blessing once you dip in holy water of Gangasagar'. That thoughts still prevails and Gangasagar becomes a sea of people during the Makarsankranti. uncountable people of irrespective genders  come to the beach at the dawn-Brahmamuhurta ignoring cold & wave-they worship the ist sun standing into coldwater..they make tarpan for their ancesters..they seek blessings etc.

This time I visited the sagar on the eve of Makarsankranti. I sensed what could be on that day. Already people from different states have taken position. Sadhus of different sects have set up their Akhra.. Gangasagar is now a cosmopolitan city.. banners,signboards & communications are made in hindi or other than Bengali..Hectic preparations going on..there are more number of boats/staemers plying  inbetween sagar and the main land.. the streets are repaired..flooded with light.. a joyous feeling every where..Tons and tons Hogla leaves are reaching there.. there would be thousands and thousands temporary cottages.. all are free...hundreds and hundred stalls are ready for selling goods.. you can have your choice food in the complex of Kapilmuni Ashram.. Morenumber of priests from Ajodhya are there now.. Arati is done in a serene manner..the conchsound vibrates the whole area..

Although I went Sagar for other purposes but I was in quest of knowing some history of the Gangasagar. History is scanty but mythology is abundant. Let me share some amazing mythology of Gangasagar.

The creator of the world is  the grand Brahma- Marich is his son and father of Kasyap. Manu was his illustrious son. Ikkhaku was Manu's son and his generations ruled the country and it was Ikkhaku dynasty.The thirteenth decendants of the dynasty was Bharat from which the country named as Bharatbarsa. The capital was at Ajodhya. After the death of Bharat  his son Asit ascended to the throne. Asit was of timid type. He was thrown away by rivals. Asit fled and took shelter in HimachalPradesh along with his two wives. Sooner Asit died. That time the two queens were pregnant and rival to each other. One of them poisoned  other so that the later's son can not claim kingdom in future. However, with the blessings of Chabhyan Muni nothing happened. A beautiful son was borne. He was named as Sagar ( gar-means poison).Sagar had also twin wives- Baidarvi & Saiba. Sagar accompanied by his wives made deep meditation and the Lord Shiva asked them their wishes. Baidarvi wanted 60 thousand sons while Saiba wanted one.  Saiba got her son named Asamagna. Asamnga was self styled and dictator. Sagar  drove him away from the kingdom. On the other the 60 thousand sons of Baidarvi became powerful. Sagar wanted to make Asmamedh jyanga..a horse is let free..it will move move independently without obstacle.. once it returns the Jyanga would start and the horse will be sacrificed in the name Almighty. Sagar will be the real crown of the universe. No power can bow him down.
The matter of sacrifice reached to Devraj Indra. Indra was afraid of losing his kingdom. Indra made he tricks ,he stole away the horse and kept in the Ashram of Kapilmuni at Sagar.
The 60 thousand brothers searched everywhere but could not find the sacrificial horse. At last they reached in the Kapilmuni Ashram. They found the horse tied near to his meditation field. All of them shouted and threw ill words to kapilmuni.. Their noise irritated the Muni and as soon as they levelled him as theif,  he was aggrieved   and anger came his eyes and made all of them to ashes.

In the mean while ,Bharat  engaged  Ansuman-the son of Asamnga to find out his cousin brothers and the horse.Ansuman found it in the Kapilmuni Ashram. He was well tempered and sat beside Muni while he was in meditation.  The Muni found a devotee  after the break of meditation. He was pleased with the fellow. Ansuman gradually knew everthing about his brothers. Muni told him to take away the horse and  make Asamedeth Ju\yanga. Finally , he told him to bring Ganges here and wash the ashes to turn back  his brothers.
Janga was completed. Sagar tried to bring Ganga but failed. Ansuman failed his son Dilip also failed to bring back Gangas.. time elapsed ..it was the turn of Bhagirath who made deep meditation.. who pleased Mahadev..Narayan & Brahma.. Later by his efforts the Ganges reached Sagar. With the touch of holy Ganges the 60 thousand brothers were let alive..
The meeting place of Ganges and the Sea became a pious place.
The name of Sagar as a pilgrim place is mentioned in Ramayan.