Day -2(Gohal puja)
Bandana Festival Of Kudumis of Odisha and Westbengal 💛💛❤️❤️🙏
Dr. Basanta Kumar Mohanta
Sudhansu Shekher Mahato
The second day of Bandna parab, popularly know, as Gohal Puja is the most important part. The female members of the house purify the floors. Tulshi manch and Aangan with cow dung solution in the morning. The Bagals and the male members of the family carry the Haai Juyant, Karha and Mair etc. to the nearest pond and water source to wash it properly with straw brush. The washed implements are brought back to house and are erected in a systematic manner facing the east. Then comes the turn of catties to be washed properly and bathed by the Bagals.
The headman of family goes to take bath with a hanshua. After taking bath he cuts a bundle of paddy straw in his paddy field and returns to home. On his way buck he makes no conversation with anybody. At home he keeps the paddy bundle on a Charpai and then begin to knit merwair (a kind of knitting with paddy straw). The knitted merwair are always of odd number in totality and kept on a new basket, specially brought for Chuman (benedictory Kissing). After smearing oil and sindoor on the cattle the mewair are hanged in their necks and forehead. Further, it is also tied to the Dharma (central pole) of each house. The mewair hanged in Dharna becomes of immense importance because of its requirements in the mental ceremony.
The palm/finger impressions of grinded area rice solution are put on either side of the doorframe and Sindoor Tika (vermilion dot) is given on it. The upper side of the doorframe is also smeared with the help of middle fingers. The small straight-line marks given are always of odd number.
The lady of the house like the previous day goes to the ponds with arwa chawal in a tonki. It is washed properly and having taken the bath, return to the house. The wet chawal is out on chhain for drying. Then the arwa chawal is made into fine particle (Gudi) with the help of Dhenki. Chalen/ChaIni (Sieve) is used to filter to fine parts. The Gudi prepared is made into solution with water and a gum like liquid extracted either from Gamhar (Gmelina arborea) leaf or on heating the stem of ladies finger. This helps in maintaining the continuity of the chawk. (Alpana) made with the solution. The Chawk is designed and prepared by the lady who happens to be in fasting and begins from the entrance. The design may vary from one clan to another. At the entrance lie a few branches of Surgunja/Genda flower, Chitchiti or Apang, a chunk of cow dung and a stone. The cow dung symbolizes purification, the stone gives the representation of Lord Nirakar Siva, the Surgunja/Genda flower welcome the cattle whereas the Chitchiti or events the entry of evil forces. The Chawk prepared is generally criss crossed squares, connected with one another and a triangle attached to the side arms of the square. The apex of the tingle is further joined with three curved lines. The squares, triangles and the curved lines are drawn with the four fingers of the right hand dipped into solution. Vermilion dote out on each joints, gives an attractive look to it. (Figure1) But mythologically it symbolizes breeding. The Goth puja is performed out side the village, on the way through which the cattle are generally drawn in and out. The Mahato/ Majhi/Pahan performs this Goth puja by making a chicken sacrifice or breaking of an egg. He further sprinkles the Gudi solution on the cattle and they (cattle) are made to cross through it. On completion of the chawk pura all the cattle are made to pass over it.
The lady then begins to prepare Goraiya pitha (A special kind of sweet cake made of rice) in a new Palam on the newly built chullah, in order to maintain the purity of the cake. The house owner arranges all the puja materials for Gohal puia. The worshipping materials comprises of Arwa chawal, Sindoor, Gudi, Surgunja flower, Garaiya pitha on separate Dona (leaf cup) of sal patta and Handia or Ranu, milk, Diwa, Dhupchi and Hansua are arranged in a new winnowing fan. An assistant keeps three chickens ready and both came to the Gohal for puja. The puja is performed to the Garaiya deity, made of mud having cylindrical shape, kept in the eastern side of the Gohal. Some clan members’ even use Mohua (bassia latifalia) wood for making the Garaiya. Offering is made to the Garaiya deity praying for better health of the catties and increment in the number of cattle. The Garaiya is given finger impression of Gudi solution and Sindoor tika on it. (Fioure-2) Further, the pieces of Garaiya pithas offered for three times followed by pouring of milk and handia. Then the chickens of separate colours mainly black (for Gai Gariya) and rangua (for Koda/Bhainsh Garaiya) are sacrificed. (Fjgure-3)
Close to the Tulshi manch the puja is also offered in the name of their ancestors for the welfare of the family. The cleaned Hal are placed at the courtyard facing east and the Juant, Mair and Karha are placed over it. The fasted lady brings Arwa chawal, Sindoor, Dhup ghansh (a kind of grass), Gudi solution and Diwa for the Chuman. She gives the palm impression of Gudi solution on these agricultural implements followed by Sindoor tika over it. Then she sprinkles the arwa chawal and Dhup ghansh on it. It is interesting to note that, except this day, throughout the year, the women folk are not allowed to jump or touch these agricultural implements following to it the female members of the house make a chuman to the catties with arwa rice and Dhup ghansh (Figure-4).
At the end of the day lies the Nimcha Nimchi ceremony, in which all the catties are drawn out to the outskirt of the village, while the lady with burning Dhupchi put on Andri/ Chitki jada patta in her left hand. She picks up mustard seeds from her Khaincha (a pocket made with anchal of her saree) and after making a round over the back of the cows, she put the burning Dhupchi inverted on the ground and crushed with her left leg. This act of performance signifies the drawing out and crushing of the evil spirits if at all residing on the cattle.
Every member of the family enjoys the sacrificed cocks in the dinner. Even the nearest friends and clan members also share the joys. The Bagals and male members gather in the Kulhi at night with their musical instruments to sing and dance.
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Reference
Agrawal , D. P.; 1982 Archaeology of India. London; Scandinavian Institute of Asian Studies.
Jain, Santosh Kumari; 1987 Kurmali Lokgeet: Ek Addhayan (in Hindi) Ranchi; Santosh Prakashan.
Mahato, P.P 2000 Sanskritization Vs Nirbakization. Calcutta; Sujan Publications
Megta B.K 1989 Kudmali Chari (in Kudmali), Ranchi, Mulki Kudmali, Bhaki Baishi.
Mital , Kanak 1986 Tribal Identity in Changing Industrial Environment. The Santal Case. New Delhi; Metropolitan Book Co.Pvt. Ltd.
Mohanty , B 1997 Festivals of Orissa. In P.K Mishra edited Comprehensie History and Cultural of Orissa. Vol. 2 New Delhi; Kaveri Books : 657-705.
Roy, S.C. 1912 The Munda and their Country, Calcutta; City Book Society.
Sankalia , H.D 1974 The Pre-history and Proto-history of India and Pakistan. Poona Deccan College.
Shukla C 1997 Bihar Ke Bedia (in Hindi). Ranchi , Bihar Tribal Welfare research Institute.
Singh, P.K 2000 Aapna Astistya Ki Lodhai Lodh Rahain Hain Jharkhand Ke Kurmi (in Hindi). Prabahat Khabar (Hindi daily publishing from Ranchi) Date 15-11-2000, Jharkhand Special Appendix 4, p.-6.
