78. Bhromonkarir bhromonbritanto 3 - Rasikkrishna Bandopadhyay

 

   The travels of Bengalis in the past 

                        Sumana Dam

                (Continued from the last part)

The author commented that to describe the numerous temples in Puri, another separate book would need to be written. However, he has given descriptions of certain notable temples. Puri was the site of the great sage Markandeya's presence. Currently, there is a Shiva temple named Markandeshwar and a water tank called Markand Pushkarini. Puri has 700 monasteries. The noble intent behind the construction of these monasteries by accomplished individuals for deity worship and offering has largely failed, as the funds are being used for the luxury of the heads of these monasteries, according to the author. In the western part of Puri, there is a self-manifested Shiva temple named Loknath. The idol of Mahadev is located in a cave, which is often filled with water, and only on Shivaratri, after much effort by the priests, is the idol retrieved. The residents of Puri hold deep reverence for this Shiva idol. Inside the premises of Puri's main temple, there is a temple dedicated to the goddess Vimala. Although the Jagannath temple serves only vegetarian offerings according to the Vaishnavite tradition, non-vegetarian offerings are also made at the Vimala temple on specific dates. It is also sometimes stated that Jagannath is regarded as Vimala's Bhairab. The reconciliation between Vimala Devi and Jagannath Devi is a very difficult matter. There is a goddess named Harachandi in the nearby village, and her worship and animal sacrifices are conducted with great enthusiasm. At the seashore of Puri, where pilgrims bathe, it is known as Swargadwar (Gateway to Heaven). Nearby, there are many monasteries, including the those dedicated to Kabir and Nanak. To the west is the tomb of Sri Chaitanya (but was it actually there at that time?). The sandy coastline is dotted with trees planted by the monks. Several saints, including Nanak, Kabir, Dattatreya, Shankaracharya, Tulsidas, and Sri Chaitanya, are believed to have spent their final days there (though in reality, only Sri Chaitanya's divine play ended in Puri, and others are said to have spent some time there). The seat of Sage Dattatreya is located to the left of the Swargadwar in Puri. The monastery of Shankar Swami (Shankaracharya) is on the seashore, and it houses many ancient books. The head of this monastery, Damodar Tirtha Swami, is a profound scholar, while the priests of Puri are wealthy but uneducated. The city of Puri is long in size and divided into seven villages or palli. In these villages, one or two Durga Puja celebrations take place. On Dashami (the tenth day of Durga Puja), all the idols from the city are collected and displayed in front of the Simha Gate, an event known as 'Vhet.'

After spending the end of summer and the beginning of autumn in Puri, the author left for the south along the coastline of the Bay of Bengal. After traveling ten miles, he visited the Harachandi Temple. According to legend, Lord Ram installed this idol during his exile and worshiped it. Then, after traveling another two miles, the author stayed the night at Katakuri. From here, the Chilka Lake begins. The place has only three small shops selling grocery. Boats for traveling to Chilka are available from here. The author sailed to Chilka the next day. The water in Chilka is salty. Thirsty, the author asked a sailor for water, and a fellow passenger made him a two-foot deep hole on the bank where sweet water could be found. On the right side of the boat, villages are visible, while on the left is the sandbank. Fishermen are seen catching fish with nets, and some fish are drying in the sun along the shore. The author passed by a three-mile long sandbar known as Parikuda, the capital of the Parikuda kingdom. The sandbar has the king's palace surrounded by the homes of peasants and agricultural lands. After spending two days at the royal palace and conversing with the king, the author moved on. He traveled along the coastal road, where the Utkal and Madras regions meet (At that time, Andhra Pradesh did not exist, and Madras referred to present-day Tamil Nadu). From the Chilka Bay, the author could see the hills on the shore. Once on land, the path leading to Madras was visible. Between these hills was the capital of the Khallikot kingdom. The royal palace seemed hidden among the mountains for self-protection. The governance of this kingdom was poor, and the king was oppressive.

Next, the author traveled through the jungles of Utkal or the Karad Rajya (Revenue states of the British). He followed the road from the previous mountain pass towards Utkal’s jungle region, reaching Banpur, a place that was once the capital but now only has a few old temples. From there, he traveled six miles southwest through the jungle to an outpost, which marked the boundary between the kingdoms of Nayagarh, Khallikot, and Khalsa Mahal. No one travels this route after sunset due to the presence of tigers and bears. The author stayed at this outpost overnight. The head constable warned him that if he needed to go outside after dark, he should call the constables and watchmen who would light a fire and accompany him for safety. The following morning, the author traveled eight miles northwest into the jungle with a local resident and stayed in a village overnight. The next day, after traveling two miles, they had to cross a mountain. The descent from the mountain was slippery and dangerous. After five miles of travel, they took shelter in a Bhagwat recital hall in a village. The next day, they reached the capital of Nayagarh. The author had a conversation with the young king. The capital is flanked by two mountains. Afterward, the author went to a place called Khondapada, ten miles away. Here, on a small hill, the statue of Nilamadhava is situated. The place is very picturesque. On Maghi Purnima, the author witnessed a fair at the Nilamadhava temple, which attracted nearly ten thousand pilgrims. On the opposite bank of the Mahanadi River were the kingdoms of Nrisinghapur and Dashpala. The author visited the kingdoms of Dashpala, Ramachandrapur, Bomrajya, and Kandamala. The Kandamala region was inhabited by the Kand or Khond tribe, who, until recently, practiced human sacrifice, which the British had stopped. Afterward, the author visited the kingdoms of Hindol and Angul. The oranges of Angul are very sweet. These oranges grow in the wild and are collected and consumed or sold by the indigenous people. Then, they traveled by boat on the Mahanadi River towards Cuttack. After four days of travel, they reached Cuttack, where they took a steamer to Bhadrak and then to Balasore. Afterward, they returned to Mayurbhanj almost a year later.

The author concluded the book with a commitment to publish the second volume, but it is unknown whether these travel accounts were ever written or published, as the books are not available anywhere. Therefore, although the author mentioned in the preface that the book would describe various districts of Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, and Assam, this book ends with only the descriptions of Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha at that time.

77. Bhromonkarir bhromonbritanto 2। - Rasikkrishna Bandopadhyay

 

   The travels of Bengalis in the past 

                        Sumana Dam

           (Continued from the last part)

Mayurbhanj was a tributary state under the British government. During the writer's stay in Mayurbhanj, he witnessed the grand celebrations, hospitality, and hunting arrangements made by the king in honor of the arrival of the British commissioner. Eventually, despite strong objections from the king’s guardians and subjects, the British commissioner forcibly took the minor king of Mayurbhanj to Cuttack for English education. (Maharaja Shree Ramchandra Bhanj Dutt, who reigned from 1870 to 1902, was the young king in question). Mayurbhanj is a mountainous and forested kingdom. It is traditionally said that Mayurbhanj was once ruled by Kichaka, the brother-in-law of King Virata from the Mahabharata. There is a temple of Kichakeshwari (located in Kiching). In Mayurbhanj, there is a Jagannath Temple modeled after Puri, where the Rath Yatra is celebrated with great fervor. There is a banyan tree in this temple with leaves resembling the shape of a cow's ear, thus it is called the Gokarna Banyan Tree. (Hari Baldev Ji Jagannath Temple, Baripada).

Afterward, the writer set off for Balasore. Traveling 32 miles south from Baripada, he crossed the Buribalam River on foot. On this route, there is no drinking water for 8 to 10 miles. After traveling one mile on the Cuttack Road, the writer reached Balasore town. The Bay of Bengal is located at the border of Balasore district. From Kolkata, water vessels carrying passengers and goods travel back and forth every eight hours. Passengers travel quickly on this route, but they face much discomfort due to the rude behavior of the waterway staff.

From Balasore, there is a wide royal road leading to the seaport of Chandabali (which is on the Baitarani River). There is a road heading west to the now non-functional port of Remuna. Remuna is famous for the Kshirochora Gopinath Temple. According to legend, Gopinath once stole kheer from a Brahmin, and thus everyone offers him kheer in his honor. A road from Balasore leads to the tributary state of Nilgiri. The capital of this state, Raj Nilgiri (now Nilagiri), is only 8 miles from Balasore.

Leaving Balasore and traveling south along the Cuttack Road for 42 miles, the writer arrived in Bhadrak. Recently, a canal has been constructed from Bhadrak which connects the Brahmani and Baitarani rivers to the Mahanadi below Cuttack. The writer then boarded a steamer from Bhadrak, sailing through the canal toward Cuttack. Besides this canal, another artificial canal from Chandabali to Cuttack was constructed by the British government, although the travel is uncomfortable due to the mismanagement of the steamer services. 

Along the way, to assist a Bengali family, the writer disembarked from the steamer, crossed the Brahmani and Baitarani rivers, and took a bullock cart to a place called Kongyapal near Neulpur. From there, he visited some ancient relics in Nayagram. Among the notable sites were the ancient Shiva temple of Shukleshwar (Mahanga, Odisha), and the temple of the royal family’s goddess, Bhagabati, who is depicted as the six-armed lion-riding goddess. King Manikeshwar built the capital here and erected these temples. However, the temple of Manikeshwar Shiva is now in ruins, and the idol has disappeared into the cave. The site, once a fortified jungle capital, is said to have been the refuge of King Lakhan Sen of the Sena dynasty, who was driven out of Gour and took shelter here in Utkala. Most of the ancient ruins are now buried in time, but the goddess’s (Manikeshwar Temple, Mahanga) worship continues even today.

From there, the writer took a bullock cart to Cuttack. Cuttack was ruled by Hindu kings from Utkala, as well as by the Mughals, Pathans, and Marathas, with different kings building various architectural structures during their reigns. In the southwest part of the city, the Maratha rulers had built a stone embankment along the banks of the Katjuri River about 150 years ago. Many images of gods and goddesses are carved into the stones of this embankment. Cuttack is home to many Bengalis, and its inhabitants love to keep birds, with even the house of the Zamindar being filled with them.

A few days later, the writer set off for Puri. After traveling twelve miles, he stayed the night on the banks of the Balihanta River. The next day, he left Puri Road and walked southwest along a forested path, eventually reaching Bhubaneswar with the Pandas. In Bhubaneswar, he visited many beautiful temples. However, the Pandas informed him that these were not the famous temples of Bhubaneswar. He visited the Bindusagar tank, but the water there had become very polluted. He then visited the main temples of Bhubaneswar, where he was impressed by the beautiful structure of the temples. In the Shiva Purana, Bhubaneswar is referred to as Guptakashi. Here, every home has a temple, and the Rath Yatra of Bhubaneswar takes place on the full moon of the month of Baisakh.

The next day, they arrived at Sakhigopal. This deity’s idol belongs to the Kanchi Raj's property. The king of Utkala defeated Kanchi Raj in battle and brought his chosen gods, Gopal and Ganesh, to establish them in Sakhigopal and Puri. Here, the writer witnessed the Ras Leela of the people of Odisha, which is celebrated during the month of Baisakh. Several earthen idols were placed in a room, and a pandal where coconut leaf was spread over them. The dancers performed here for about a month. Several boys dressed in various ways sang songs in the Odia language. As for the legend of Sakhigopal, which involves giving testimony, the writer mentions that there is no basis for this story.

Five miles from there is Puri. Upon reaching the Puri Road, the Pandas began to irritate the writer. After crossing Athara Nala, he arrived at Chandan Talab, the largest pond in Puri. It was excavated by a person named Narendra, and so it was called Narendra Pushkarini. It is here that the Chandan Yatra of Lord Jagannath takes place. Many stalls are set up around the pond during the Chandan Yatra. After the third watch, Lord Madan Gopal Ji arrives from Puri at this location.

In front of the Jagannath Temple in Puri, the main road of the city leads. The chariot travels along this road up to Gunjabati. The road is about 100 feet wide. On the left side of the road, as one heads toward the Jagannath Temple, lies the residence of the Utkala King. On the other side of the road are shops and the Pandas' homes. The writer stayed the night at the house of one of the Pandas after viewing the Chandan Yatra. The next day, he visited the Shri Kshetra (Jagannath Temple) in Puri and received prasad. Afterward, he met with the Dewan of the Maharaja of Puri, who was a Bengali. The writer and his companions spent nearly a month in the Dewan’s house, living in peace and comfort.

The perimeter of Lord Jagannath's temple is about 2 miles, surrounded by stone walls with four gates. The eastern gate is called Singhadwar. In front of this gate, there is a 30-foot-long stone pillar, which was originally in front of the Konark Temple. After the destruction of the Konark Temple, this pillar was brought here. At the entrance of the gate, there is an idol of Lord Jagannath called Patitapaban. Those who are not allowed to enter the temple because of their caste can view this idol. It was not there earlier. Once, a king accidentally became impure and lost his right to enter the temple. Therefore, the Patitapaban idol was established for his viewing. After passing through the Singhadwar and climbing 22 steps, the second gate appears, which was rebuilt by a saint who collected funds through begging. On both sides of the steps and at the top of the gate, there are sweet offerings sold in the market. South of this gate is another door where the rice prosad (offering) market, known as Ananda Bazaar, is located. Inside the second gate is the first offering temple. The offerings provided by the king are placed in the main temple before the deities. Other offerings from devotees are also kept at this offering temple. Next is the large Nat Mandir (dance hall), followed by the Shreemandir (Main Temple). While the temple's architecture is high, it lacks the artistry seen in the Bhubaneswar temples. Some inappropriate carvings are also present in the temple, which might be related to tantric worship practices. Surrounding the Shreemandir are temples of various gods and goddesses.

According to the writer, the daily expenditure for all services and offerings at Lord Jagannath’s temple is over 250 rupees. Three types of dress are offered to Lord Jagannath every day, with different dresses being worn on various dates. During the Rath Yatra, three new chariots are built according to specific regulations written in a book. The length, width, and the exact dates for starting and completing the chariot construction are mentioned in this book. The Dasapala King of the Garhjata Mahal provides the necessary wood for the chariots. He has a grant for a forest, and it is his duty to arrange to cut the trees there and transport them to the riverbank. The wood is floated down the river by the workers of the Puri King. During Rathajatra, it takes five or six days for the chariots to reach Gunjabati. During this time, the idols remain on the chariots. After nine days, the chariots return to the temple in Puri.

                             (To be continued)

76. Bhramankarir bhromonbritanto 1 - Rasikkrishna Bandopadhyay

 

    The travels of Bengalis in the past 

                        Sumana Dam

The book Bhromonkarir bhromonbritanto (The Traveler’s Travelogue) was published in 1294 Bengali calendar (1887 AD). The title of the book reads: "The Traveler’s Travelogue, that is, a brief description of every district like Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Assam, etc., collected, written, and published by Rasik Krishna Bandyopadhyay." The travel period mentioned in the book is 1885 AD.

Nothing is known about the author, Rasik Krishna Bandyopadhyay. In the dedication section, under the title "Offering", he addresses Shri Banamali Raychoudhury, the ruler of Tadasdi, a noble and protector, with the phrase "Param Kalyaniyo" (whose well-being is most highly wished). During this journey, he had taken shelter in the houses of various zamindars, kings, and royal employees.

At the start of autumn in 1291 Bengali year, the author set out for a journey to Chotanagpur and Utkal. The author mentions having some companions, but their names and identities are never mentioned. From Kolkata, he traveled through Budge budge and reached Mahishrekha in Uluberia, Hooghly district. (At that time, these places were part of the Hooghly district, not Howrah.) From Alipur, one would come 10 miles on Budge budge Road, then another 6 miles on Uluberia Road. From Uluberia, one could continue south towards the Cuttack Road leading to Orissa. This road passed through Medinipur, crossed Balasore, and reached Puri. The northern bank of the Rupnarayan River was part of the Hooghly district, while the southern bank was part of the Medinipur district. The place where the Rupnarayan was crossed was called Kolar Ghat (Kolaghat). Following the Cuttack Road, the author left Hooghly district, crossed the river, and entered Medinipur district. At Kolar Ghat, there was a small shelter for travellers, an outpost, and a post office. After traveling 16 miles, the author crossed the Kangsabati River at Pashkura, where there was a large market, a police station, a canal water office, and English silk warehouses. The market there was very cheap, offering milk, fish, and vegetables. Another 24 miles further was Medinipur, after crossing the Kangsabati River again. After traveling 18 more miles, the author arrived at a village named Pathra, which had many houses. Medinipur district had a courthouse, a high school, the Medinipur newspaper, and a press for missionaries.

The Cuttack Road from Medinipur, which went to Puri, had branches leading to Sambalpur and Madras. This road connected to the highway of Singhbhum at the district boundary. Another road headed north-west toward Raniganj, and roads also led north to Garbeta, Bagri, and Raniganj. Another branch of this road headed east from Garbeta and, after 12 miles, reached the highway of Bankura. A branch from the south-east of Pashkura traveled 12 miles and reached Tamluk. From Tamluk, another branch went 30 miles southwards to the Hijli-Kanthi Subdivision. That road was unpaved, and two small rivers, Terapeka and Kalinagar, had to be crossed. Continuing along the Cuttack Road, one could travel 20 miles and reach Belda, from where a further 20 miles southeast would lead to Kanthi (Contai). The road from Garbeta led 12 miles north, where a branch eastward reached Ghatal. This road was old, but not strongly built due to the fear of floods. After traveling 21 miles south, the Medinipur district ended. The Subarnarekha River separated Medinipur and Orissa. Here, the place where the river was crossed was called Rajghat. This river becomes terrifying during the monsoon, and there is a local saying in Bengal: "If you cross the Subarnarekha, you will lose sight of your parents."

A canal ran alongside the Cuttack Road up to Medinipur. Small steamers and boats transported people and goods along this waterway. Despite the presence of two or three rivers along the path, the canal was well-constructed to avoid any hindrance in the journey. By controlling the flow of water with locks, boat traffic was facilitated on the Medinipur canal.

The author then provided various details about the natural state of Medinipur district, the products it produced, and the people of different communities living there. Medinipur district was home to many famous zamindars, most of whom had royal titles, and their residences were called garh (forts), such as Mayna Garh, Garh Podubasan, Mahishadal Garh, Narayangarh, Ramgarh, and Lalgarh. The Mayna Garh fort was surrounded by a beautiful moat, and there were forests in the area with peacocks and deer. After crossing a wide canal, one could reach the royal palace. One could not reach the palace by land, but only by boat. The former port of Tamluk was called Tamralipta. This port was once used by the people of Bengal for maritime journeys, but it no longer held the same prosperity. However, it still housed the revered temple of Bhima and Krishna-Arjuna. The residence of the King of Kanthi was called Najna Garh, and 6 miles away was the fort of Basudebpur. There was a saying that the King of Gopegarh once had the cattle shed of Virata of the Mahabharata. On a low mound in Gopegarh, there was a old building, though it was not very ancient. However, 3 miles north of Kanthi, the royal area contained several ancient Shiva temples that seemed very old. The author then discussed the educational advancements in Medinipur district and the high incidence of lawsuits. Despite being a part of Bengal, the region followed the calendar and system of Odisha, such as starting the year on the second day of the lunar fortnight in the month of Bhadra.

The author continued westwards towards Singhbhum, crossing the Kangsabati River. They had to travel along a dusty, unpaved road in bullock cart and after 12 miles, they reached a market. They took shelter in a local house as there was no inn. The next day, they continued their journey through the jungle, passing isolated settlements where they had no hope of finding shelter. After traveling 12 miles, they arrived at Nrisimhagarh, where the ruler of Dhalbhum had once reigned. They stayed at a shop for the night.

The next day, after 6 miles of travel, they arrived at the banks of the Subarnarekha River. This river’s sands contained a small amount of gold dust, and the locals would sift the sand for it. However, the amount of gold was so small that laborers could earn no more than four or five annas daily. The source of this gold has never been discovered. The banks of the Subarnarekha River were beautifully scenic, with large Sal forests, various trees and creepers providing shelter for travelers, and vast stretches of hills. On the left bank of the river, near Rajghat, stood the temple of Dhaleshwari Devi (also known as Rankini Devi). During the Sharadiya Mahashtami festival, sacrifices were made to the goddess, including the ritual killing of a buffalo by spear. The nearby royal palace had been established by the ruler of Dhalbhum. The author met the king and stayed in his hospitality for several days.

After traveling 42 miles through a jungle path, one would reach Singhbhum district. From there, Ranchi lay over 100 miles southwest. There was another road leading to Ranchi via the East India Railway’s cord line, passing through Sitarampur station, and then branching to Barakar. From there, one could travel through Manbhum or Purulia district and then enter Singhbhum before reaching Ranchi. The Ranchi division was mountainous and forested, once ruled by the Utkal king and now under British control.

On the other side, crossing the Subarnarekha at Rajghat and traveling 32 miles, one would reach Balasore district. Balasore port and district lay along the river Burh Bhalang (Buri Balam). During the rainy season, the river had strong currents, but it could be crossed on foot in the dry season. The main road from Medinipur to Balasore was the Cuttack Road, and there was also a route passing through Mayurbhanj. This path began at the south-western edge of Medinipur and reached Mahapal after 22 miles. After crossing the Subarnarekha River on foot, one could travel 6 miles to reach Gopiballavpur. This was the last settlement of Medinipur district. The village had a police station and post office. A Krishna idol named Gopinath was enshrined in a temple of a Vaishnav family. The family here held the Gosain title. From Gopiballavpur, traveling 24 miles southwest through the jungle, the author arrived at the capital of Mayurbhanj, Baripada.

                             (To be continued)