storiesofbhs

[storiesofbhs]

1) Rāma and Sita enthroned, an illustration from Ramayana series, Calcutta c.1860

2) The Mūrti of Rāma and Sita in Ramrajtala, Howrah, West Bengal. Rāma puja starts on Rāma navami during the months of Chaitra and Boishakh and continues till Shraban month

3) Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa ferried in a riverboat: Ramayana series, Calcutta, c. 1860

4) A scene from the Rāmāyaṇam. Rāma is shown about to offer his eyes to make up the full number - 108 - of lotus blossoms needed in the puja that he must offer to Mā Durgā to gain her blessing.

5) Gopinath Jora Bangla Temple in Kala Chand Para in Pabna, Bangladesh

6) Details from the Jora Bangla Mandir of Pabna. The central theme of the motifs is the battle between Rāma and Rāvaṇa

7) Char Bangla Mandir, Baronagar, Murshidabad, West Bengal. The Temples were built under the patronage of Rani Bhavani, who was from Nator (now in Bangladesh)

8) Details from Char Bangla Mandir, depicting elaborate terracotta art of Rāmāyaṇam and Mahābhārata

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[storiesofbhs]

Shankha, Turbinella pyrum, the sacred chank, is a conch shell of religious & ritual importance in Hinduism. In Bengal, married women wear a pair of conch shell bangles. The conch shell industry has been on a decline for a multitude of reasons. In this post is a bit of history of Shankha in undivided Bengal.

The image of the 11th century Shankh, where Vishnu is mounted on Garuda is from the Philadelphia Museum of Art website. References from the books 'Aspects of Indian History and Culture' by Dr. Sudipa Ray Bandyopadhyay, Mahua Chakrabarty & Rita Chaudhuri, and 'The Sacred Chank of India' by James Hornell. Images of the Dinajpur excavations are from the Daily Star and Dhaka Tribune. We encourage everyone to share a story or an artifact that's part of your heritage!

#southasianheritagemonth #southasianheritagemonth2020 #bengali #hindus #bengalihindus #history #culture #traditionaljewellery #tradition