Purulia- Part-05=Festival & Culture

Manasa Pua: Manasa is the Goddess of Snake. It comes at the last day of Sraban month of Bengali Calendar. This time is rainy season in Bengal Calendar. Generally on 15th or 16th of the August month people worship such Goddess of Snake. It is the faith of common people mainly of villagers that admire to the Goddess Manasa will protect them from snake bite; because most of the farmers are passed their time at the cultivation field, so naturally snake bite fears are very common of them.
Chata Parab: This is a famous Santali Parab or festival. According to the custom and tradition, the representative of the Phnchakot  Royal Family strat this festival by rising one white umbrella. This festival comes every year at mid of the September and as per Bengali calendar Bhadra month. A big fair is arranged during this time and huge Santhali people are gathered here from various parts of the adjacent districts. Special type of songs and dance are being performed during this festival like Naachin, Pata, etc and such dance and songs are normally continue throughout the night.

Bhadu Festival: This is very popular festival of this district and it generally held at the mid of August and continue upto the mid of September.  This is the faith of the common people of Purulia that worshiping Bhadu Devi means childless woman will bear children. Generally folk women arrange this worship and they sing various related songs to admire Devi Bhadu.
Karam Festival: This is also very famous folk festival in Bengal especially at Purulia. This festival is generally arranged within the middle of August to September of every year. During this festival different crops with full of big dhamas are offered to the God. These dhamas’ full crops are kept for seeds for further cultivation.





Bandhana Parab: this is another remarkable festival of Purulia. Bandana Parab means worshiping festival. It celebrates during the time of autumn or specifically say in the month of October of every year. Bandana Parab is actually welcomes or worshiping of Goddess of Grains.
Tushu Festival: This is also very famous festival of Bengal. This festival is generally show the colorful lifestyle and musical ceremony of tribes. Normally this festival is held in the month of December of every year and such fair is arranges on the bank of the river. During this festival, women are generally exchange their wealth and cook eight verities of foods and lastly offer to the Tusu Goddess.
Palash Parban: This festival is comes on March of every year during the color festival Holi. The whole world knows that Holi is a famous festival of India.  Each and every corner of the country this festival of color is being celebrate every year with very pride and joy. In Purulia, it celebrates for three days and entire arrangement is made by the villagers. On the occasion of this festival various traditional dance and songs are performed by the artists of villages. Last year i.e. on 2013, this program was organized by the Edge of India Purulia Co-Operative.
Other than these eminent festivals, there are so many festivals are organized by the villagers like DurgaPuja, Kali Puja, Saraswati Puja, Rass Mela, etc.

Purulia- Part-04=Festival & Culture

Picture of Lord Shiva

Most of the people of Purulia district are tribes. Most of them are live under the poverty line. Their monthly income is very poor that they can’t provide their minimum basic needs of the life. Even then, according to their income, they manage all of their festivals and cultures and thus they have been carrying the torch of traditional festivals and culture of Purulia.

Picture of the Fair of Shiver Gajan

Shiber Gajan: The meaning of “Gajan” is songs; so, Siber Gajan means, songs of Lord of Shiva. Between March and May is the proper time of such festival. During this period all villagers of Purulia organized this festival. This time of festival, big melas or fairs are organized in different parts of the district by various community people; they sing various songs to admire to Lord Shiva and Goddess Gaudi. On this occasion various dance forms are performed like Natua, Bhagta,Theatre, Nanchi and Chhau with the various color of songs like Jhumur, etc. most remarkable of this Siber Gajan, the Bahurupi Sang group of the village, dress up themselves like Lord Shiva and Gaudi and move village to village and collect some rupees by showing Shiva Nritya and Gajan  with the accessories like Dholak(Drum), Kanshar ( one kind of round metal item and also flute. Such Shiber Gajan and fair are generally continue for three- four days.

Disum Sendra

Disum Sendra: This is called Shikar Parab means Hunting Festival. During the month of April and May of each year, during full moon, such hunting festival is taken place at the Ayodhya Hills. Generally this festival is the symbol of adulthood. Those people who are recently reach their adulthood drink brew (brew means Mahul Juice) and move forward on their hunting adventure.
Dharma Thakurer Puja: This is a famous god of the cast like Bauri, Bagdi, Hari and Dom of the village. Every year from the middle of April to middle of May, such villagers are worship to Dharma Thakurer Puja. This kind of god is normally is a big piece of stone to whom villagers are worship as god and such god is kept under a tree and open place.
Rohini Utsav: Farmers of Purulia district are generally distinguish this Rohini Utsav. Every year in the last week of May, farmers are plant seeds and celebrate.This hope is for future corps which will comes from seeds that they have planted.
Sun Festival: Normally this festival is called Poush Parbon. This is very popular festival in Bengal. Most of the districts of Bengal are arrange this festival. Most of the farmers’ families are being delighted during this festival. On 14th January of every year this festival is celebrated by the Bengali farmers. During this festival, Bengali females of farmers families are generally arrange various Bengali sweets, coconut and milk and offer to the god. This is the worship of Sun as god. This worship season is Poush Sankranti; this is a very delighted festival.

Purulia- A decent tourist place of West Bengal, Indi Part-03.

Rice Cultivation- Purulia

Boronti: Suppose you have a dream that you will visit such a place where has a decent lake which is covered by hills and small plants, then Boronti is the ideal place for you. This place is also ideal for weekend as the same is very closest to the town. How to reach there? Very easy, take night train and reach to Adra and from there take local train to Asansol and then take Jeep or rickshaw to the spot.
Doldanga: this place is situated on the reservoir of Kansabati basin at Manbazar Panchayat Simity. This place is ideal for picnic parties. Why this place is is so attractive for tourists? Because here has huge water body, deer park, dense forest and also an island at the middle of the reservoir that has increased the beauty of the place. Moreover, the forest department of West Bengal has also built up a small house for taking rest. They generally arrange various cultural programs for entertaining tourists. Another famous tourist place is Mukutmanipur which is nearly five km distance from this place; there are available bus, private car by road or we can go there by boat also.   
Keshargarh: this place was named following the name of Maharaja Keshargarh. According to history, Maraja was fought against the aggression of British Rulers, but he failed to resist such aggression and British Ruler was looted the treasury of Purulia Treasury. The Maharaja was hanged by the British Rulers.The fort of Keshargarh is still standing in a rundown condition with other leftover periodic items which are also attraction of the tourists. One famous mela ( Fair) called “Melan Mela” is held every year on the remembrance of the death of Maharaja Keshargarh. This place is almost thrity-five km distance from Purulia Town. 
Murguma Dam: This dan is situated at the north of Begunfodar of Jhalda Block. It is fifty-five km distance from Purulia Town. The dam is on the offshoot of Kangsabati river. This is alos very nice picnic spot and weekend too. The magnificent beauty of Ayodhya Hill is clearly visible from this dam.
Murradih Irrigation Dam: It is nearly fifteen km distance from Panchyet Hill. This is a big water body which is surrounded by small hills and natural beauty. In winter season, it becomes colorful by various nice looking lowers and that time this place becomes a famous picnic spot. Huge traveling birds come here during the winter time.
Panechet Pahar( Hill): Panchet Pahar(hill) is situated at the corner of north-east of Purulia. It is the border line between two state i.e.West Bengal and Jharkhand and also close to north-west of Burdwan district of Bengal. This hill  is situated ner to Panchet dam on the river of Damodar Nad. The high of the is 2017 ft above sea level and this is the second highest hill of Pururlia. This Panchet Pahar is also famous for its density of forest. Earlier this hill was under the control of Panchakot Raj estate. The historical importance of this hill was due to as safe place to counter to enemies.The top of the hill is easy to get to by the forest road which is maintained by the forest department of Bengal. This place offers very pleasant and decent scenery of the surrounding view of dam and the forest. The tourism department of Bnegal have currently constructed dormitory and suites at the eco- tourism center at Baghmara of panchet hill. The booking of such accommodations are available from the tourism’s Kolkata office at Raja Subodh Mallick Square. This hill is very nearest of Purulia town and also very close to Adra junction and Barakar Rail station.

Purulia- A decent tourist place of West Bengal, Indi Part-02.

Lotus of Purulia

Purulia Town- Purulia Town is one of the famous towns of West Bengal. This town is the head quarter of this district. This twon is well connected with various rails and roads.
Saheb Bandh- this is very nice and beautiful lake covering nearly 50 acres of land.at the mid of 19th Century, this lake was built. Colonel Tikley was started his work of digging this lake in the year 1843 and it took nearly five-six year to be completed. This lake is heaven for all kind of birds especially migrated birds who generally comes from Baluchistan, Siberia and other various parts of the world. During the winter season, these migrated birds comes to India and stay through the entire season.
Cheliama- is one of the famous tourist posts of Purulia district. This place is very attractive or we may call heaven for historians and also archeologists, because here has lots of potentiality of 17 AD’s civilization. Lots of terracotta works of the ancient time are found here. Apart of these items, here has a temple of Radha-Govinda which is also most attraction of tourists of the entire world.
Deulghat- this is a Bengali word; the meaning of this word is Land of Temples. Here has nearly 15 temples and this place is situated near Krishna River. There are many reasons which have made this place very attractive as tourist spot and one of these reasons is coupled with graceful carvings. Though the ancient arts and sculptures of these temples are almost destroyed by the storm of time; yet this place is same attractive like before.
Ayodhya Pahar (Hill)- this is another attraction of Purulia. This hill is located at the South-West of Purulia. It is nearly 42 km distance from the Purulia town.This hill is very much attractive for the tourists for its fresh water spring and water course. This hill is nearly 700mtr high. This is the perfect place to practice of mountaineering and rock climbing. This place has  beautiful nature and mythological  value.
Para- this is village and tourist spot which reminds us about the arrival of Muslims to the Eastern India. There are two types of duels, one is contemporary of Deulghat and other one is latter period. These two types proved their excellent of the impressive architecture and file craving works era after era. Such heritage buildings bounds to come tourists here.
Khairabera: This is a dam which is generally used for irrigation purpose. This dam is situated at Baghmundi. It is covered by hills and forest. This is also an attraction of Purulia. It’s beauty and pleasant atmosphere always attracts tourists.
Duarsini: This place is surrounded by small hills, forests and also  watercourses of various rivers. The beauty and charming of this place brings huge tourists. This is actually situated within the block of Burdwan. The forest department of this place has constructed three different types of racial cottages with double bed accommodation for tourists’ purpose.

Purulia- A decent tourist place of West Bengal, India: Part-01

SUNRISE- PURULIA DISTRICT

Purulia is one of the districts of West Bengal which is one of the provinces of India. There are so having many places which are really most attractive tourist spots.
This is my always try to discover India and its provinces in form through my eyes. India is a most famous and finest country of the world. Thus entire world has curiosity about India specially tourists of the world.
I have an aim to open this blog site and that is encouraged to all tourists of the world. I want to spread a message to all tourists of the world about India as well as of its provinces.
I think and believe that before to start to visit any place, we have to do good home work; we have gathered a lot of information about the place where we have planned to visit. This home work is to know little about the pre-history, post-history and how it becomes a travel place, etc.
From the point of pre-ancient history, Purulia was very important place in India. Then the time was 5th century AD, according to the Jain Bhgawati Sutra, this place was one of 16th Mahajanapad. This place was also known as one of the part of Braja-Bhumi. Thereafter Purulia was the part of Jharkhand district and lastly it was added in West Bengal Map. Before taking the Dewani by British India Company, this Purrulia was very little known by the people.
India was under the ruled by the British Government for nearly 200 years. In the year of 1805, a Jungle Mahal district was formed by the earlier British Government of India with 23 Parganas including Purulia. Thereafter this district was came under the Manbhum District including Birbhum, Bardwan. 
After 1956, lastly the Manbhum district was broken and partitioned between West Bengal and Bihar; thus the Purulia district was born as independent district of West Bengal in 1st November 1956.
The Approximate are of this district is 6259 sq.km. the nearest districts are Burdwan, Bankura, Paschim Medinipur and also the state Jharkhand, Madhyapradesh, Odissa.  This is one of the tropical locations of India. In summer, the temperature of this district is closest to 52 degree and in winter such degree comes down to 3.8 degree. The rainfall of this district is not much. In monsoon, the humidity of this place is remain 75 to 85%, but in winter it comes down 25 to 35% approx.
The most visited places of this district are, Forests, Flora & Fauna, Ajodhya Hills, Matha, Murguma Dam & Kuilapal Forest, Jaychandi Pahar, Panchakote Raj, Duarsini Hills, etc. here I would like to inform that Tourism is one of most source of income of this district. Due to taught weather and soil, the agriculture of Purulia district is backward in comparison of other districts of West Bengal. The main agriculture products of this district are Silk & Lac (gum).
Kangsabati, Kumari, Silabati, Dwarakeswar, Subarnarekha and Dmodar are important rivers which flow across this district. There are so many dams like Murguma, Pardi, Burda, Gopalpur. The storage water of these dams are generally use for irrigation purpose of this district. Another dam is Saheb Bandh, this is famous and trendy dam for water bodies of this district. This dam is located at the heart of the town of this district. This dam is a big shelter of travelling birds which comes from various parts of the country like Bangladesh, Burma, Pakistan, and Baluchistan at the time of winter season like December to March.

West Medinipur- Tribal Communities-2

Munda Tribal Festival Dance

Munda Tribal Group-These kind of tribal communities is Non-Aryan and are the original inhabitants of ancient India. According to history, their origin was from Jharkhand and thereafter they were spared in various parts of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa and also other parts of the country.

The Munda tribal community had great contributions to India's independence.At the time of India's freedom movement, entire Munda tribal group were involved indirectly in such freedom movement and some of them were took direct part in freedom movement;Birsa Munda was one of them. In Munda tribal groups, Birsa Munda is a respected name as they worship him as their god. In 1900 Birsa Mundas had died in Ranchi Jain suspiciously; then his was nearly 25 years. He had dedicated his life for India's independence. His dedication is still acknowledged with honor not only by the Munda people but also by the Government of India.

Munda Women Wearing Colorful Dresses

Munda group has their own religion called Singbonga; Singobonga means Sun God. They fully rely and believe that Singbonga is the supreme power and such Singbonga is always protecting them from all evils' power and also give punishment of their sins. After established of British rule for India, most of the Christian Missionaries were come to India and they mostly started their work to do well for common people and converted mostly poor people and tribal class to Christianity; thus the major portion of the Munda group is to christens.

The cultural side of this tribal group is very strong. They have their own dance form and songs by which they can be identify separately. The Nupur dance is one most popular form of dance of them; they wear Nupur in their ankles and dance in various festivals of joy.

The work culture of this tribal group is also similar like Santali tribal group . It is the fact that the occupational life of the tribal communities is majorly depending upon the forest. Since from the ancient time, tribal communities' lives was nature dependent. Since from the ancient time they are collecting woods from the forest and selling those woods in the local market and earn money which leads their families. As the time passed, their work culture is changed like earth cutting, labor works at various construction sites, and also land cultivations.

Earlier they had no enough knowledge of cultivation as their food habit was very peculiar; they are generally animal flesh eaters; as per their need they would go forest and haunt animal and arrange their food. Thereafter, in the long run, government preserved forests and separated them from their nature-life and rehabilitated them in other places with some cultivation lands with knowhow of cultivation.

The society of Munda community has their own identical arrangement; there has sub-group of Munda tribe community and the name of those sub-groups is Patar, Mahali, Kampat etc. among those sub-groups, some subjects are common; Gotiora- is common in every Munda village, where the traditional cultural songs, dance and also music are practiced by the young Mundas under the guidance of experienced seniors. Another common thing is Panchayat heading of a surpanch or group of surpanch who controlled the entire society and every villager is bound to obey the decision of the Panchyat. Another common thing is Akhra ; this kind of Akhra is the place of entertainment of Munda tribes. All festivals of the Munda tribes are celebrated together. 

West Medinipur-Tribal Communities-1

View of Santali Traditional Dance

One of the main characteristics of the West Medinipur district is that this district has a major portion of tribal inhabitants. This tribal communities are divided between various names;

Santali-This tribal class is most popular in Bengal and also in India.This tribal group is generally lives at the north and western part of this district which is mostly hilly area.This tribal group was first find-out by Walter Hamilton in 1820.There is different opinion about the name of this tribal;some opinion which is very near to believe is that this name had come from smanta or may be saont; because this place was known as samanatbhum. It was also the opinion that this tribal class belongs to this region.

View of Santali Festival Dance

Historically, it can be said that Santali group was mostly found in Jhargram and nearest parts of the Medinipur district. Forest is closely attached to their daily life; they collect Sal-tree- leaf from for nearest forest for making plates which are mostly used for different ceremonies of our Bengali people, they do agricultural works surrounding the plain area of the forest and now most of them come to town area and do digging of earth work for the foundation of buildings, well, etc., for their such digging works, they use to call in local name Mita.

Santali Women-Welcome Mood

After discovered them, the American Baptist Foreign Mission had especially taken care to improve their lifestyle and tried to bring them in mainstream of development of the society. But the main mission of that mission was to convert them to their religion; in spite of this, the mission had tried to give them proper education. On the inspiration to this Christian mission, namely, Rev. J Philips, Rev. G Kennan and also Rev. L.C. Kitchen had struggled much to know the origin of this tribal group and as per his strong effort, the entire world came to know about Santali language,Olchiki.This is the mother language of Santal.

Rev Philip had first time published Santali songs and poems in Bengali language in the year nearly 1845. He first took initiative to start school for them at Jaleswar. Rev Philips had done huge research on Santali Language and wrote most famous two books; Santali Bhasa Siksha in 1850 and another book Santali Language in the year 1852 where he included grammar and more than 5000 words of the Santali language. This is great work undoubtedly and he deserved thanks from this group of the tribe.

This tribal group had strong participation in India's freedom movement. Some eminent personalities of this tribe had directly involved in India's freedom movement and they were fully inspired the non-cooperation movement towards Mahatma Gandhi and controlled common Santali people for not paying taxes and revenues to the colonial British rulers. In the long run they got direct involvement in confrontation with colonial British rulers.
Santali has their own songs and dance form for their different occasions and festivals which give them separate identity in the world.