Culture of Bankura district
Encyclopedia
Culture of Bankura district refers to the culture of the present Bankura district
in the India
n state
of West Bengal
.
, were inhabited from pre-historic times by Austroloid
and Dravidian
tribes who were subsequently assimilated with the people and culture of the Indo-Europeans
or Aryans
, who prevailed in northern India, cultural traces of all these groups are visible in Bankura district to the present day.
Initially, there were two primary groups, the Nishadas
(who were Proto-Australoid tribes) and Dasa-dasyus
(related to Dravidians
). Amongst the subgroups were Bagdi
, Bauri
, Jele
, Hari
, Dom
, and others.
Around three-fourths of the Santals
living in West Bengal, live in the Rarh region. Many of these peoples were initially martial races and were great heroes at some point of history. It is not that they form a majority in the district or region but they are substantial in numbers and probably were comparatively more numerous as a proportion of the total population in earlier days. Over the ages these people have exerted tremendous influence in shaping the folk culture of the region. The area was widely influenced by Jainism
, Buddhism
and Shaivite thinking prior to the conversion of Bir Hambir to Vaishnavism
. There were traces of Vaishnavism even in earlier days but since Bir Hambir’s conversion it became the dominant influence in the region. Thus various historical factors have shaped the culture of Bankura district.
Almost all temples in Bishnupur town are Vaishnavite, but many of those scattered in different areas of the district spread outside the town are Shaivite, with traces of Jainism and Buddhism. While some of the older temples were built of laterite the area has numerous brick built temples, some with exquisite terracotta carvings. Terracotta carvings are also found in some temples outside the district, as for example at Jaydev Kenduli
or Antpur
, but the art of terracotta carvings seems to have flourished with the rise of the Rajas of Bishnupur and virtually died out with the fading of their supremacy. Some of the earlier temples built by the Bardhaman Raj
have terracotta carvings, possibly by artisans from Bankura district, but by the time Rani Rashmoni
decided to construct the Dakshineswar Kali Temple
, in the mid nineteenth century, the art of terracotta carvings had obviously faded out.
While Bankura district has some fine examples of rekha deul temples built in what is popularly known as the Orissan style, as for example at Bahulara
, it is the Bengal style of architecture that attracts attention in the district. The Shyamrai temple built by Raghunath Singh in 1643 is perhaps the oldest pancharatna temple in Bengal. With curved roofs in thatched style, it has one deul in the centre and one in each corner. The Jor Bangla temple was built in 1655 also by Raghunath Singh. It is a fine example of the Bengal style of temple architecture. Gods and goddesses were thought of as being close to human beings and as such placed in temples that resembled human habitation, the hut with thatched roof.
Four distinct types of temples may be distinguished in Bishnupur. The first has a single square on a curved roof and is represented by Malleswar temple. The second has a single tower on a curved roof. The best examples of this are Madan Mohan temple in brick and in laterite Lalji and Radha Shyam temples. The pancharatna temple has five towers on a curved roof. The best examples are Shyam Rai temple in brick and Madan Gopal temple in laterite. The fourth type is the Jor Bangla type with two buildings shaped like a typical Bengal hut joined together with a small tower on top. It is the most interesting one from the architectural point of view. The Shyam Rai temple has the finest specimens of carved tiles.
It needs to be mentioned that the powerful Rajas of Bishnupur had a non-descript single storied palace, not even comparable to the Rajbaris of many a somewhat ordinary zamindar
in Bengal. Even the fort at Bishnupur seems to have been constructed for the protection of temples.
The Rasmancha consists of a square chamber surrounded on each side by three galleries with ten, eight and five arched openings respectively, covered by a pyramidal roof. It was earlier used for putting up idols during the Ras festival.
. It has been praised for “its elegant stance and unique abstraction of basic values.” Originally used for village rituals, it now adorns drawing rooms across the world as symbols of Indian folk-art. It is the logo of All India Handicrafts. The principal centres where the terracotta horses and elephants are produced are Panchmura
, Rajagram, Sonamukhi and Hamirpur. Each place has its local style. The Panchmura-style of pottery is considered the best and the finest of all the four types.
Another popular product is the manasachali. The potters of Sonamukhi and Panchmura turn out thousands of manasachali for worshipping Manasa
or the snake goddess.
Among other forms of handicrafts prevalent in Bankura are: dhokra, wood carving
, conch-shell, stone carving
, bamboo craft, bell metal, bel mala, dasabatar playing cards, and lanterns.
s in India, called the Baluchari saris, are created by craftsmen of Bishnupur. When, with the advent of the British, the Baluchari started declining in Murshidadabad, its original home, Subho Tagore, painter, art-collector and nephew of Rabindranath Tagore
, invited Akshay Kumar Das, a master weaver of Bishnupur to learn the intricacies of jacquard
weaving. The latter infused the Baluchari in to the rich traditions of silk weaving at Bishnupur. The silk strands are dyed separately and then put into a loom. Designs are woven with the help of a series of punch cards that are hung from the top of the loom. Mythological stories that formed the wall sculpture in many a temple in Bishnupur, found their way on to the body of the sari. One sari may have an entire episode from the Mahabharata
woven into its border and pallu.
Apart from Baluchari and Swarnachuri saris, which are often produced with tussar silk
, the main cotton products of Bankura district are bed sheets, bed covers, gamchha
, towels, window and door curtains, kachha dhuti
and saris of coarser variety.
Gajan
of Ekteswar
and Dharmarajer
Gajan of Beliatore
. The major Hindu festivals such as Durga Puja
, Kali Puja
, Lakshmi Puja
and Saraswati Puja
are celebrated with pomp and grandeur. Major festivals of other religions, such as Eid al-Adha, Eid ul-Fitr
, Vaisakhi
, Budha Purnima, and Christmas
are also celebrated. Other important fairs and festivals are – Ras Utsab of Bishnupur, Kaliyadaman of Jagadallah and Purandarpur, Pirer Utsab of Indas
, Basuli Mela of Chhatna
and Dhara Utsab of Susunia
. Bhadu Puja
and Tusu Puja find wide participation of women.
Jhapan festival, dedicated to the snake goddess Manasa
, is observed on the last day of Srabon
in the western fringe of the state with a high concentration of tribal population. Idols of Manasa, specially made for the occasion, are carried round the village. The day is also of great significance for snake charmer
s in the region with some kissing their snakes.
Bishnupur Mela is being organised by the state government from 23 December to 27 December from 1988, near the Madanmohana Temple. About 3-4 lakh
people visit the mela. Besides display and sale of handicraft items, cultural programmes including folk songs, are organized on three stages simultaneously, portraying the rich cultural heritage of this part of Rarh Bhumi
.
Bankura Book Fair is organised in December every year.
See also - Bankura Book Fair 2008 pictures
See also - Bishnupur Fair 2008 pictures
follows the Dhrupad
tradition of Hindustani classical music
. The gharana
originated amongst the court musicians of the Rajas of Bishnupur, around the 14th century. It is said to be the only gharana developed exclusively in West Bengal.
During the reign of Mughal emperor Aurangazeb, the oppressive environment in field of art and culture, lead many musicians to the court at Bishnupur. Amongst them was the famous Dhrupad vocalist and dextrous instrumentalist Bahadur Khan, who was welcomed by Raghunath Singh Deo II and honoured as a court musician.
Historical evidence points to Pt. Ramachandra Bhattacharya, a disciple of Ud. Bahadur Khan, as the founder of the Bishnupur Gharana. In the later part of the eighteenth century and towards the early and mid-nineteenth century, when music of different gharanas was gradually veering around the Khyal
style Indian classical music, the Dhrupad style continued flourishing in Bishnupur. It is simple, and devoid of heavy and complicated ornamentation. It has developed its own style with regard to rhythm.
A number of musicians played a role in the evolution and development of the gharana, namely Gadadhar Chakraborty, Krishna Mohan Goswami, Ram Sankar Bhattacharya and his son Ram Keshab Bhattacharya. They were some of the early exponents. Then appeared Jadu Bhatta (Jadunath Bhattacharya), who raised this music to a higher level and made it well known throughout India. Dinabandhu Goswami, Ananta Lal Bandyopadhyay. Rama Prasanna Bandyopadhyay, Radhika Prasad Goswami, Gopeshwar Bandyopadhyay, Surendranath Bandyopadhyay were the next generation musicians, all of whom were great exponents of Bishnupur Gharana. The disciples of Rama Prasanna Bandyopadhyay, Gokul Nag (sitar) and Asesh Chandra Bandyopadhyay (esraj) carried the reputation of Bishnupur Gharana to a higher standard.
(1887–1972), one of the most celebrated artists of modern India, was born in a remote village of Bankura district.
Ram Kinker Baij (1910–1980), the earliest Indian artist to experiment with abstract sculptural forms, was born in Bankura.
Bankura District
Bankura district is one of the seven districts of Burdwan Division in the Indian state of West Bengal. The district has been described as the “connecting link between the plains of Bengal on the east and Chota Nagpur plateau on the west.” The areas to the east and north-east are low lying alluvial...
in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
.
Background
As the Bankura district and adjoining areas, forming a part of ancient RarhRarh region
Rarh region of West Bengal is the region that lies between the Western plateau and high lands and the Ganges Delta...
, were inhabited from pre-historic times by Austroloid
Proto-Australoid
The Proto-Australoids are a hypothesized group of ancient hunter-gather people descended from the first major wave of modern humans to leave sub-Saharan Africa ~100,000 years ago...
and Dravidian
Proto-Dravidian
Proto-Dravidian is the proto-language of the Dravidian languages. It is thought to have differentiated into Proto-North Dravidian, Proto-Central Dravidian and Proto-South Dravidian around 500 BC, although some linguists have argued that the degree of differentiation between the sub-families points...
tribes who were subsequently assimilated with the people and culture of the Indo-Europeans
Proto-Indo-Europeans
The Proto-Indo-Europeans were the speakers of the Proto-Indo-European language , a reconstructed prehistoric language of Eurasia.Knowledge of them comes chiefly from the linguistic reconstruction, along with material evidence from archaeology and archaeogenetics...
or Aryans
Aryan race
The Aryan race is a concept historically influential in Western culture in the period of the late 19th century and early 20th century. It derives from the idea that the original speakers of the Indo-European languages and their descendants up to the present day constitute a distinctive race or...
, who prevailed in northern India, cultural traces of all these groups are visible in Bankura district to the present day.
Initially, there were two primary groups, the Nishadas
Nishada Kingdom
Nishada was the kingdom of the Nishada Tribe, a tribe of people who the Vedic people considered valour and courageous.Ekalavya was a king of a Nishada tribe. He attacked Dwaraka once, and was killed by Vasudeva Krishna in the battle. This kingdom was located in Aravalli ranges in Rajasthan state of...
(who were Proto-Australoid tribes) and Dasa-dasyus
Dasa
Dasa is a term used with the primary meaning 'enemy', especially relating to tribes identified as the enemies of the Indo-Aryan tribes in the Rigveda....
(related to Dravidians
Dravidian peoples
Dravidian peoples is a term used to refer to the diverse groups of people who natively speak languages belonging to the Dravidian language family. Populations of speakers of around 220 million are found mostly in Southern India. Other Dravidian people are found in parts of central India, Sri Lanka,...
). Amongst the subgroups were Bagdi
Bagdi (caste)
The Bagdis are indigenous people descended from people with Dravidian links found in the Indian state of West Bengal and Bangladesh. The Bagdis are populous in Bankura, Birbhum and other districts in the western fringe of West Bengal...
, Bauri
Bauris
The Bauris are people of aboriginal origin, belonging to a caste, low in the caste system in India, found in large numbers in Bankura, Birbhum and other districts in the western fringe of the Indian state of West Bengal....
, Jele
Kaibartta
Kaibarta — The Kaibartas are found to be one of the aboriginal ethnic groups that inhabited in Orrisa, Bengal and Assam from unknown past. The most established theory is that the Kaibartas are Dravidians or they belong to Dravidian stalk...
, Hari
Haris (caste)
The Haris are people of indigenous origin found in large numbers in Birbhum, Bankura and other districts in the western fringe of the Indian state of West Bengal....
, Dom
Doms
The Doms are a Bengali Hindu caste found in large numbers in Birbhum, Bankura and other districts in the western fringe of the Indian state of West Bengal...
, and others.
Around three-fourths of the Santals
Santals
The Santhal , are the largest tribal community in India, who live mainly in the states of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, and Assam. There is also a significant Santal minority in neighboring Bangladesh, and a small population in Nepal....
living in West Bengal, live in the Rarh region. Many of these peoples were initially martial races and were great heroes at some point of history. It is not that they form a majority in the district or region but they are substantial in numbers and probably were comparatively more numerous as a proportion of the total population in earlier days. Over the ages these people have exerted tremendous influence in shaping the folk culture of the region. The area was widely influenced by Jainism
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
, Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
and Shaivite thinking prior to the conversion of Bir Hambir to Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu, or his associated Avatars such as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God....
. There were traces of Vaishnavism even in earlier days but since Bir Hambir’s conversion it became the dominant influence in the region. Thus various historical factors have shaped the culture of Bankura district.
Temples
Bankura district is a land of temples. There are more historical temples in Bishnupur than in any other place in West Bengal. There are several aspects of temple art, architecture and construction that need to be considered.Almost all temples in Bishnupur town are Vaishnavite, but many of those scattered in different areas of the district spread outside the town are Shaivite, with traces of Jainism and Buddhism. While some of the older temples were built of laterite the area has numerous brick built temples, some with exquisite terracotta carvings. Terracotta carvings are also found in some temples outside the district, as for example at Jaydev Kenduli
Jaydev Kenduli
Jaydev Kenduli is a village and gram panchayat in Ilambazar community development block in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum District in the Indian state of West Bengal...
or Antpur
Antpur
Antpur is a village in Jangipara community development bloc of the Srirampore subdivision in the Hooghly District in the Indian state of West Bengal...
, but the art of terracotta carvings seems to have flourished with the rise of the Rajas of Bishnupur and virtually died out with the fading of their supremacy. Some of the earlier temples built by the Bardhaman Raj
Bardhaman Raj
The Bardhaman Raj was a zamindari estate that flourished from about 1657 to 1955, first under the Mughals and then under the British in the province of Bengal in India...
have terracotta carvings, possibly by artisans from Bankura district, but by the time Rani Rashmoni
Rani Rashmoni
Rani Rashmoni was the founder of the Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Kolkata, and remained closely associated with Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa after she appointed him as the priest of the temple...
decided to construct the Dakshineswar Kali Temple
Dakshineswar Kali Temple
The Dakshineswar Kali Temple is a Hindu temple located in Dakshineswar near Kolkata. Situated on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, the presiding deity of the temple is Bhavatarini, an aspect of Kali, meaning, 'She who liberates Her devotees from the ocean of existence i.e Saṃsāra'...
, in the mid nineteenth century, the art of terracotta carvings had obviously faded out.
While Bankura district has some fine examples of rekha deul temples built in what is popularly known as the Orissan style, as for example at Bahulara
Bahulara
Bahulara is a census village under Onda II village panchayat, in Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is from Onda railway station and from Bishnupur.-Siddheshwara temple:...
, it is the Bengal style of architecture that attracts attention in the district. The Shyamrai temple built by Raghunath Singh in 1643 is perhaps the oldest pancharatna temple in Bengal. With curved roofs in thatched style, it has one deul in the centre and one in each corner. The Jor Bangla temple was built in 1655 also by Raghunath Singh. It is a fine example of the Bengal style of temple architecture. Gods and goddesses were thought of as being close to human beings and as such placed in temples that resembled human habitation, the hut with thatched roof.
Four distinct types of temples may be distinguished in Bishnupur. The first has a single square on a curved roof and is represented by Malleswar temple. The second has a single tower on a curved roof. The best examples of this are Madan Mohan temple in brick and in laterite Lalji and Radha Shyam temples. The pancharatna temple has five towers on a curved roof. The best examples are Shyam Rai temple in brick and Madan Gopal temple in laterite. The fourth type is the Jor Bangla type with two buildings shaped like a typical Bengal hut joined together with a small tower on top. It is the most interesting one from the architectural point of view. The Shyam Rai temple has the finest specimens of carved tiles.
It needs to be mentioned that the powerful Rajas of Bishnupur had a non-descript single storied palace, not even comparable to the Rajbaris of many a somewhat ordinary zamindar
Zamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
in Bengal. Even the fort at Bishnupur seems to have been constructed for the protection of temples.
Fort and Rasmancha
The fort has a high earthen wall and a moat around it. The approach is through the Pathar Darja, a large laterite gateway with arrow slits. In the western part of the fort is a building with four solid walls and no entrance except from top. It has no roof. It is believed to have been a dungeon where criminals were thrown in. There are a number of cannons, including the famous Dalmardan (commonly pronounced Dalmadal).The Rasmancha consists of a square chamber surrounded on each side by three galleries with ten, eight and five arched openings respectively, covered by a pyramidal roof. It was earlier used for putting up idols during the Ras festival.
Handicrafts
Bankura district produces a number of terracotta handicrafts, the most popular being the Bankura horseBankura horse
Bankura horse is the terracotta horse, produced in Panchmura village in Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It has been praised for “its elegant stance and unique abstraction of basic values.” Originally used for village rituals, it now adorns drawing rooms across the world as...
. It has been praised for “its elegant stance and unique abstraction of basic values.” Originally used for village rituals, it now adorns drawing rooms across the world as symbols of Indian folk-art. It is the logo of All India Handicrafts. The principal centres where the terracotta horses and elephants are produced are Panchmura
Panchmura
Panchmura is a gram panchayat under Taldangra intermediate panchayat, in Khatra subdivision of Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal.It is from Bishnupur and is famous for the terracotta Bankura horse, a folk artefact and now the national symbol for Indian...
, Rajagram, Sonamukhi and Hamirpur. Each place has its local style. The Panchmura-style of pottery is considered the best and the finest of all the four types.
Another popular product is the manasachali. The potters of Sonamukhi and Panchmura turn out thousands of manasachali for worshipping Manasa
Manasa
Manasa is a Hindu folk goddess of snakes, worshipped mainly in Bengal and other parts of northeastern India, chiefly for the prevention and cure of snakebite and also for fertility and prosperity. Manasa is the sister of Vasuki, king of Nāgas and wife of sage Jagatkāru...
or the snake goddess.
Among other forms of handicrafts prevalent in Bankura are: dhokra, wood carving
Wood carving
Wood carving is a form of working wood by means of a cutting tool in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ornamentation of a wooden object...
, conch-shell, stone carving
Stone carving
Stone carving is an ancient activity where pieces of rough natural stone are shaped by the controlled removal of stone. Owing to the permanence of the material, evidence can be found that even the earliest societies indulged in some form of stone work....
, bamboo craft, bell metal, bel mala, dasabatar playing cards, and lanterns.
Handloom textiles
One of the most expensive sariSari
A sari or sareeThe name of the garment in various regional languages include: , , , , , , , , , , , , , is a strip of unstitched cloth, worn by females, ranging from four to nine metres in length that is draped over the body in various styles. It is popular in India, Bangladesh, Nepal,...
s in India, called the Baluchari saris, are created by craftsmen of Bishnupur. When, with the advent of the British, the Baluchari started declining in Murshidadabad, its original home, Subho Tagore, painter, art-collector and nephew of Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
, invited Akshay Kumar Das, a master weaver of Bishnupur to learn the intricacies of jacquard
Jacquard loom
The Jacquard loom is a mechanical loom, invented by Joseph Marie Jacquard in 1801, that simplifies the process of manufacturing textiles with complex patterns such as brocade, damask and matelasse. The loom is controlled by punched cards with punched holes, each row of which corresponds to one row...
weaving. The latter infused the Baluchari in to the rich traditions of silk weaving at Bishnupur. The silk strands are dyed separately and then put into a loom. Designs are woven with the help of a series of punch cards that are hung from the top of the loom. Mythological stories that formed the wall sculpture in many a temple in Bishnupur, found their way on to the body of the sari. One sari may have an entire episode from the Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
woven into its border and pallu.
Apart from Baluchari and Swarnachuri saris, which are often produced with tussar silk
Tussar Silk
Tussar ,Tushar,Tassar or Tusser or Simply Bhalgapur Silk is a Kind of Silk Produces Mostly in Bhagalpur,,& Jharkhand,India.Various Sarees are made from This Silk Tussar Saree are made in Bhagalpur & Bishnupur Baluchari sarees are made...
, the main cotton products of Bankura district are bed sheets, bed covers, gamchha
Gamchha
A gamchha is a thin, coarse, traditional cotton towel found in India and Bangladesh that is used to dry the body after bathing or wiping sweat. The term "gamchha" derives from the Bengali গা মোছা , which means "wiping body"...
, towels, window and door curtains, kachha dhuti
Dhoti
The dhoti or pancha is the traditional men's garment in the in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. A similar garment is worn in some rural areas of Punjab province in Pakistan, but the use is fast declining...
and saris of coarser variety.
Fairs and festivals
The fairs of Bankura are often organised in consonance with religious festivities. Examples of such fairs and festivities are ChoitroChoitro
Choitro is the last of the twelve months of the Bangla Calendar. It falls from mid-March to mid-April and is the last month of Spring.Choitro is also known as:*Chait in the Nepali Bikram Sambat calendar....
Gajan
Gajan (festival)
Gajan is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is associated with such deities as Shiva, Neel and Dharmathakur.-Etymology:...
of Ekteswar
Ekteswar
Ekteswar , was earlier a village and now a part of the outskirts of Bankura town in Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is situated on the bank of Dwarakeswar River....
and Dharmarajer
Dharmathakur
Dharmathakur is a Hindu god worshipped by villagers in the traditional Rarh region in the present day Indian state of West Bengal as one of their special village gods...
Gajan of Beliatore
Beliatore
Beliatore is a census town in Bankura District in the state of West Bengal, India.Beliatore was the birth place of the artist Jamini Roy who was born here on 11 April 1887.-Geography:...
. The major Hindu festivals such as Durga Puja
Durga Puja
Durga puja ; দুর্গা পূজা,ଦୁର୍ଗା ପୂଜା,‘Worship of Durga’), also referred to as Durgotsava ; , is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess Durga. It refers to all the six days observed as Mahalaya, Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and...
, Kali Puja
Kali Puja
Kali Puja or Shyama Puja is a festival dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali, celebrated on the new moon day of the Hindu month Ashwin in Bengal. It coincides with the pan-Indian Lakshmi Puja day of Diwali...
, Lakshmi Puja
Lakshmi Puja
Lakshmi puja is performed during Diwali, the festival of lights. According to tradition people would put small oil lamps outside their homes on Diwali and hope Lakshmi will come to bless them....
and Saraswati Puja
Vasant Panchami
Vasant Panchami , sometimes referred to as Vasant Panchami or Shree Panchami , is a Hindu festival celebrating Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, music and art. It is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the Indian month Magh , the first day of spring...
are celebrated with pomp and grandeur. Major festivals of other religions, such as Eid al-Adha, Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr, or Id al-Fitr , often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting . Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity," while Fiṭr means "breaking the fast"...
, Vaisakhi
Vaisakhi
Vaisakhi is an ancient harvest festival celebrated across North Indian states, especially Punjab by all Punjabis regardless of religion. In Sikhism the Khalsa was founded on same day as the Vaisakhi festival, so Sikhs celebrate twice as much....
, Budha Purnima, and Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
are also celebrated. Other important fairs and festivals are – Ras Utsab of Bishnupur, Kaliyadaman of Jagadallah and Purandarpur, Pirer Utsab of Indas
Indas
Indas is an administrative division in Bishnupur subdivision of Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Indas police station serves this block...
, Basuli Mela of Chhatna
Chhatna
Chhatna is an administrative division in Bankura Sadar subdivision of Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Chhatna police station serves this block. Headquarters of this block is at Chhatna.-Geography:...
and Dhara Utsab of Susunia
Susunia
Susunia is a hill of southern West Bengal, India. It is known for its holy spring, its natural beauty, its rich flora and the rock faces on which many of the famous mountaineers of this region started their journey. It is one of the rich reserves of medicinal plants...
. Bhadu Puja
Bhadu (festival)
Bhadu is the social festival of South Bengal. The festival starts from the first day of Bhadro, the fifth month in Bengali Calendar and continues till the end of the month....
and Tusu Puja find wide participation of women.
Jhapan festival, dedicated to the snake goddess Manasa
Manasa
Manasa is a Hindu folk goddess of snakes, worshipped mainly in Bengal and other parts of northeastern India, chiefly for the prevention and cure of snakebite and also for fertility and prosperity. Manasa is the sister of Vasuki, king of Nāgas and wife of sage Jagatkāru...
, is observed on the last day of Srabon
Srabon
Srabon is the 4th month of the Bangla Calendar. This is also the 2nd month of Barsha season....
in the western fringe of the state with a high concentration of tribal population. Idols of Manasa, specially made for the occasion, are carried round the village. The day is also of great significance for snake charmer
Snake Charmer
Snake charmer can mean:*Snake charming, the practice of "hypnotizing" snakes*Snake Charmer, a 1983 album by guitarist The Edge, bassist Jah Wobble, multi-instrumentalist Holger Czukay, drummer Jaki Liebezeit, and DJ/remixer François Kevorkian...
s in the region with some kissing their snakes.
Bishnupur Mela is being organised by the state government from 23 December to 27 December from 1988, near the Madanmohana Temple. About 3-4 lakh
Lakh
A lakh is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand . It is widely used both in official and other contexts in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and is often used in Indian English.-Usage:...
people visit the mela. Besides display and sale of handicraft items, cultural programmes including folk songs, are organized on three stages simultaneously, portraying the rich cultural heritage of this part of Rarh Bhumi
Rarh region
Rarh region of West Bengal is the region that lies between the Western plateau and high lands and the Ganges Delta...
.
Bankura Book Fair is organised in December every year.
See also - Bankura Book Fair 2008 pictures
See also - Bishnupur Fair 2008 pictures
Music
The Bishnupur GharanaBishnupur Gharana
The Bishnupur Gharana is a form of singing that follow the Dhrupad tradition of Hindustani music, one of the two Indian classical music forms. It originated in Bishnupur , West Bengal. The name of the town means "city of Vishnu" in Bengali...
follows the Dhrupad
Dhrupad
Dhrupad is a vocal genre in Hindustani classical music, said to be the oldest still in use in that musical tradition. Its name is derived from the words "dhruva" and "pada"...
tradition of Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...
. The gharana
Gharana
In Hindustani music, a gharānā is a system of social organization linking musicians or dancers by lineage or apprenticeship, and by adherence to a particular musical style. A gharana also indicates a comprehensive musicological ideology. This ideology sometimes changes substantially from one...
originated amongst the court musicians of the Rajas of Bishnupur, around the 14th century. It is said to be the only gharana developed exclusively in West Bengal.
During the reign of Mughal emperor Aurangazeb, the oppressive environment in field of art and culture, lead many musicians to the court at Bishnupur. Amongst them was the famous Dhrupad vocalist and dextrous instrumentalist Bahadur Khan, who was welcomed by Raghunath Singh Deo II and honoured as a court musician.
Historical evidence points to Pt. Ramachandra Bhattacharya, a disciple of Ud. Bahadur Khan, as the founder of the Bishnupur Gharana. In the later part of the eighteenth century and towards the early and mid-nineteenth century, when music of different gharanas was gradually veering around the Khyal
Khyal
Khyal is the modern genre of classical singing in North India. Its name comes from an Arabic word meaning "imagination". It is thought to have developed out of the qawwali singing style. It appeared more recently than dhrupad, is a more free and flexible form, and it provides greater scope for...
style Indian classical music, the Dhrupad style continued flourishing in Bishnupur. It is simple, and devoid of heavy and complicated ornamentation. It has developed its own style with regard to rhythm.
A number of musicians played a role in the evolution and development of the gharana, namely Gadadhar Chakraborty, Krishna Mohan Goswami, Ram Sankar Bhattacharya and his son Ram Keshab Bhattacharya. They were some of the early exponents. Then appeared Jadu Bhatta (Jadunath Bhattacharya), who raised this music to a higher level and made it well known throughout India. Dinabandhu Goswami, Ananta Lal Bandyopadhyay. Rama Prasanna Bandyopadhyay, Radhika Prasad Goswami, Gopeshwar Bandyopadhyay, Surendranath Bandyopadhyay were the next generation musicians, all of whom were great exponents of Bishnupur Gharana. The disciples of Rama Prasanna Bandyopadhyay, Gokul Nag (sitar) and Asesh Chandra Bandyopadhyay (esraj) carried the reputation of Bishnupur Gharana to a higher standard.
Literature
A large number of literary little magazines are published in Bengali from Bankura district. Amongst the little magazines are: Aaddaa, Aalor Shisu, Aarja (quarterly published since 1979), Columbus (quarterly published since 1980), Kabitaa Dash Dine, Kaanchan, Kolaaj, Kheyaali (quarterly published since 1981), Graamin Maatir Gandha, Deepti (quarterly published since 1987), Tulsi Chandan (quarterly published since 1982), Pragati, Manikaustav (monthly published since 1981), Jaameeni (bi-monthly published since 1976), Raamkinkar, Lagnausha (quarterly published since 1979), Lokaayata, Shatadal (quarterly published since 1981), Samakriti, Sat (annual published since 1988), and Mukta Kanthaswar (quarterly published since 1988).Art
Jamini RoyJamini Roy
-Early life:Jamini Roy was born in 1887 into a middle-class family of land-owners in a village called Beliatore in the District of Bankura in Bengal .When he was sixteen he was sent to study at the Government School of Art in Calcutta...
(1887–1972), one of the most celebrated artists of modern India, was born in a remote village of Bankura district.
Ram Kinker Baij (1910–1980), the earliest Indian artist to experiment with abstract sculptural forms, was born in Bankura.