Bonedi (aristocratic) houses of Kolkata: Mahanavami, 18.10.18
What an unbelievable experience!
If you do not know the North of Kolkata, then you do not know Kolkata at all. All the history is there. The nouveau riche, kayasthas, of the early to mid, to late 19th century all lived there.
I am doing this documentary on Durga Puja.
So I decided to visit the pujas of the North of Kolkata that are linked to aristocratic houses.
My quest took me to Muktaram Babu Street, Nimtala Ghat Street and to Pathuriaghata.
Pathuriaghata blew my mind principally because I chanced upon the house of Jadunath Mallik, very rich landowner of the late 19th century and something of a patron to Sri Ramakrishna. Although, Thakur has made disparaging remarks about him in the Kathamrita. Like, 'Jadhunath Mallik reads novels' or that he is not much given to generosity.
This house was not on my itinerary. But as I entered the narrow lane that is Pathuriaghata, I saw this looming palace, moss ridden, gloomy and huge. The house had a tattered elegance, but nonetheless a bygone splendour that could not be ignored.
Was it chance, destiny that I turned to ask a pleasant looking older man, whose house it was? He said, he was the 'Gurudeva ' of the house, that it was Jadnunath Mallik's house and that he would take me inside.
Inside this splendid Victorian ghostly house, emerged a beautiful elderly lady whose elegance was really the last word in elegance. Lovely smile. So unspoilt. Head covered.
She said I couldn't go in. It was the 'andarmahal' or zenana, the inner quarters. We were in the 'bahir mahal' or outer quarters which were where outsiders were entertained.
She said she liked keeping her head covered. She revered the ways of the past. She stood for the 5th generation from Jadhunath Mallik's father. She is ardently devoted to Mother Simhavahini, the presiding deity of the house.
The Thakurdalan is empty though. Ma Simhavahini's temple, I think she said, has shifted. Didn't quite catch that. Empty Thakur dalan. Memories of the past. Ghostly thakurdalan. A picture of Sri Ramakrishna on one side and Jadhunath Mallik on the other.
She said, she spent her time reading spiritual texts and Vaishnava literature (more on this)
She said that it was in this thakurdalan that Thakur had bhava samadhi on seeing the bigraha (image) of Simhavahini, so many years back.
She said it was in Jadunath Mallik's garden house in Dakshineshwar, that Thakur had a vision of Christ.
What an unbelievable experience!
If you do not know the North of Kolkata, then you do not know Kolkata at all. All the history is there. The nouveau riche, kayasthas, of the early to mid, to late 19th century all lived there.
I am doing this documentary on Durga Puja.
So I decided to visit the pujas of the North of Kolkata that are linked to aristocratic houses.
My quest took me to Muktaram Babu Street, Nimtala Ghat Street and to Pathuriaghata.
Pathuriaghata blew my mind principally because I chanced upon the house of Jadunath Mallik, very rich landowner of the late 19th century and something of a patron to Sri Ramakrishna. Although, Thakur has made disparaging remarks about him in the Kathamrita. Like, 'Jadhunath Mallik reads novels' or that he is not much given to generosity.
This house was not on my itinerary. But as I entered the narrow lane that is Pathuriaghata, I saw this looming palace, moss ridden, gloomy and huge. The house had a tattered elegance, but nonetheless a bygone splendour that could not be ignored.
Was it chance, destiny that I turned to ask a pleasant looking older man, whose house it was? He said, he was the 'Gurudeva ' of the house, that it was Jadnunath Mallik's house and that he would take me inside.
Inside this splendid Victorian ghostly house, emerged a beautiful elderly lady whose elegance was really the last word in elegance. Lovely smile. So unspoilt. Head covered.
She said I couldn't go in. It was the 'andarmahal' or zenana, the inner quarters. We were in the 'bahir mahal' or outer quarters which were where outsiders were entertained.
She said she liked keeping her head covered. She revered the ways of the past. She stood for the 5th generation from Jadhunath Mallik's father. She is ardently devoted to Mother Simhavahini, the presiding deity of the house.
The Thakurdalan is empty though. Ma Simhavahini's temple, I think she said, has shifted. Didn't quite catch that. Empty Thakur dalan. Memories of the past. Ghostly thakurdalan. A picture of Sri Ramakrishna on one side and Jadhunath Mallik on the other.
She said, she spent her time reading spiritual texts and Vaishnava literature (more on this)
She said that it was in this thakurdalan that Thakur had bhava samadhi on seeing the bigraha (image) of Simhavahini, so many years back.
She said it was in Jadunath Mallik's garden house in Dakshineshwar, that Thakur had a vision of Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment