Sabarna Roy Choudhury
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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 theDurgabhaktitarangini. 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…
Sabarna Kuladevi Mata Bhubaneshwari
Sri Panchanan Gangapadhyay, commonly known as “Panchu Sakti Khan” was one of the most celebrated forefathers of the Grand Savarna Kula (Sabarna Roy Choudhury Family). According to the family genealogy he was the 19th generation counted down from Pundit Vedagarva who first came to Gour-Vanga (Bengal) from Kanauj and settled here in the late 10th C. C.E. Sri Panchanan Gangapadhyay was an adroit general of the Mughal army during the era of Emperor Humayun(1530-1540 & 1555-1556 C.E). Being a skilled warrior he valiantly fought the famous battles commanding the Mughal army against Sher Shah Suri, the chieftain of Bengal and Bihar. For his heroism and dedication he was honoured with the title “Sakti Khan” (The Powerful) and Jaigirdari of 85 villages in Haveli Pargana (Today North 24 Parganas) in Bengal by Emperor Humayun when he regained his lost empire in 1555 C.E. and thus became famous under the prestigious name “Panchu Sakti Khan”.
In his last life he dedicated himself in Tantric Austerities and gifted the family with a beautiful deity of the Mother Goddess, the deity of his worship. The deity is made up of black stone with his name “Khan Panchanan Ganga” engraved in the pedestal, in old Bangla alphabetical style. This proves the depth and intensity of his devotion in the “Sadhana”. The deity is about 9” high seated in Yogic posture over three layers of lotus petals. Her four arms are adorned clockwise with Blessings (Barabhay), Falchion (Khadga) , Human skull (Munda) and a Trident (Trisul). She is wearing a garland of human skulls. Her beautiful and very attractive face is similar to Goddess Kalika. Her background is ornamented with Mughal motifs. She is “Purus-Prakriti Bhava” of Tantric practice.
Different Tantric texts describe such deity figure as Devi Bajreshwari or Bajra Yogini Chandika. But Khan Panchanan named his beloved Mother Goddess as “Mata Bhubaneswari” and installed Her as the Kuladevi (Family Deity) of the Royal Savarna Clan.
Durga Pujo was founded in the Sabarna Family in the year 1610 CE
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