Folk Deity Worship on the Banks of the Subarnarekha River

The villages along the Subarnarekha River, such as Situri, Tekshila, Beria Tiyashi, Jihud, Pakhan, and Harani, are home to unique folk deity worship practices centered around Mahangiri, Minha Samni (or Fulrani), Sabdiguru, and Mahadana (or Madana). These deities are worshipped not through traditional idols or temples but by applying vermilion (sindur) and kohl (kajol) on the mud walls of homes or specific stones. These rituals, deeply rooted in the agrarian and tribal communities of West Bengal and Jharkhand, reflect a blend of local folklore, agricultural dependence, and spiritual beliefs. The worship involves specific offerings, animal sacrifices, and distinct rituals performed by communities like the Mal, Bauri, Hari, Bagdi, and Dom.

Mahangiri Worship

Mahangiri is a prominent folk deity worshipped in villages like Situri, Tekshila, Beria Tiyashi, Jihud, Pakhan, and Harani along the Subarnarekha River. Unlike conventional idol worship, Mahangiri is revered by applying vermilion and kohl on the mud walls of homes, symbolizing the deity’s presence.

• Rituals and Offerings: The puja involves offerings of parboiled rice (atap chal), durva grass (darbhaghas), bel leaves (belpati), jaggery (gur), ghee (ghi), and vermilion (sindur). Annually, on no fixed date, incense (dhup-dhuna) is lit, mantras are chanted, and fresh vermilion and kohl are applied over the previous year’s markings.
• Animal Sacrifice: The tradition includes the sacrifice of goats and roosters, with the sacrificial wood (harikath) smeared with vermilion and hung at the worship site.
• Cultural Significance: Mahangiri worship is a community-driven practice, particularly among agrarian and tribal groups, symbolizing protection and prosperity. The absence of idols or temples underscores the simplicity and accessibility of this folk tradition.

Minha Samni (Fulrani) Worship

In Jharkhand’s Jamtara district, particularly in Sundaribari village, Minha Samni (also known as Fulrani) is worshipped similarly by marking a corner of a home’s wall with vermilion. This ritual is conducted discreetly, without public announcement.

• Rituals and Offerings: The puja, typically held on the first day of Magh (mid-January), involves offerings of puffed rice (muri), roasted black gram (kalaibhaja), and rice cakes (pitha). A black she-goat, not pregnant, is sacrificed and offered to the deity.
• Cultural Significance: Minha Samni’s worship is secretive, reflecting a localized belief system possibly tied to Muslim-influenced folk traditions, as suggested by the name “Minha.” The practice emphasizes household devotion and protection from malevolent forces.

Sabdiguru Worship

Sabdiguru, another folk deity, is worshipped by the Mal community in a manner similar to Mahangiri and Minha Samni, with vermilion and kohl markings on a home’s wall. This deity is often considered a Muslim figure in local folklore.

• Rituals and Offerings: The puja, performed on the day of Shravan Sankranti (mid-August), includes offerings of parboiled rice, puffed rice, sugar candies (batasa), fruits, and rice cakes. A rooster is sacrificed, and its remains are buried in a pit at the riverbank (ghat). The worshipper, often the household head, conducts the ritual wearing a lungi. A unique practice involves stirring boiling khichuri (a dish of rice and lentils) with bare hands, which is then offered as bhog (prasad).
• Cultural Significance: Sabdiguru’s worship blends Hindu and Muslim folk elements, with the lungi and the deity’s perceived Muslim identity highlighting syncretism. The bare-handed stirring of khichuri signifies devotion and spiritual intensity.

Mahadana (Madana) Worship

Mahadana, often referred to as Madana, is primarily an agricultural deity worshipped in the Subarnarekha region, particularly during sowing or harvesting seasons, or on the first day of Magh. In some areas, Mahadana is revered as a stone slab (shila khanda), especially in Birbhum’s Belbuni village, where a platform-like altar is created.

• Rituals and Offerings: The puja involves marking a wall or stone with vermilion and kohl in a circular pattern. Offerings include fruits, flattened rice (chira), sugar candies, cannabis (ganja), tobacco (kalke), parboiled rice, black gram (maskalai), and ghee-cooked khichuri. In Jharkhand’s Sangajuri village, Mahadana is called Shukardana due to the exclusive use of pig sacrifice, while in Bhaskarkole, it is known as Pahardana when worshipped on a hill. In Sundaribari, the Dom community worships Mahadana as Yakdana during rice sowing, with fears that neglecting the puja may lead to spirits stealing money and drying it in the sun, giving rise to the Chordana puja.
• Cultural Significance: Mahadana’s worship is tied to agricultural cycles, ensuring bountiful harvests and protection of crops. The use of cannabis and tobacco as offerings reflects the integration of local customs into religious practices.

Raghupachu Worship

In Sundaribari village, Jharkhand, the Dom community with the Mirdha surname worships Raghupachu on a square platform (bedi) made of cow dung in their courtyard, without an idol.

• Rituals and Offerings: Daily worship involves lighting incense and a lamp (pradip) in the evening, but the main puja occurs on the first day of Magh with offerings of liquor (mad), cannabis, tobacco, parboiled rice, rice cakes, puffed rice, sugar candies, and vermilion. Rooster sacrifice is common, but the essential offering is a pig (shukar khasi), whose head is cooked with parboiled rice as bhog. Only designated individuals consume the pig’s head, while other devotees receive the body’s meat as prasad, which must be eaten at the worship site.
• Cultural Significance: Raghupachu worship emphasizes community-specific rituals among the Dom, with the pig sacrifice highlighting the deity’s unique role in ensuring prosperity and protection.

Baba Boka Pahad Worship

In Pabira village, Jamtara, Baba Boka Pahad is worshipped as a vermilion-smeared stone in a clearing surrounded by bushes, marked with alta leaves.

• Rituals and Offerings: The puja, restricted to the local royal family or Brahmin priests, occurs on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays, with a major annual puja in Ashadh (June-July) on one of these days. Offerings include parboiled rice, betel nuts (supari), alta leaves, dhoti, turban (pagdi), cannabis, tobacco (khaini), gamcha (towel), and kheer (payes). Animal sacrifice is practiced, but the meat must be consumed at the worship site, and women are prohibited from partaking in the prasad.
• Cultural Significance: The exclusivity of Baba Boka Pahad’s worship to royalty or Brahmins reflects a hierarchical tradition, possibly linked to the deity’s perceived power over the landscape. The prohibition on women consuming prasad underscores gender-specific ritual norms.

Bhut Puja (Ghost Worship)

In Birbhum, during Shravan Sankranti, the Bauri, Hari, Mal, and Bagdi communities perform Bhut Puja (ghost worship) over two consecutive days, accompanied by drums (dhak) and cymbals (kisr).

• Rituals and Offerings: The puja involves animal sacrifices, typically buffaloes, goats, or roosters. During the ritual, deyasis (mediums) become possessed by spirits, believed to be deities like Bhut Ray, Shirkamosna, Bansingh, Palwan Singh, Dodhal Singh, Mahangiri, Narsingh, Garbhkongar, Malanche, Fensera, Khanduria, Kana Mezhen, or Bonga Bordi. These spirits answer devotees’ questions through the possessed mediums, addressing personal concerns and desires.
• Cultural Significance: Bhut Puja is distinct from other deity worship, such as Nishikanta’s puja in Fuliya, and serves as a communal ritual for invoking spiritual guidance. The multiplicity of spirit names reflects the rich diversity of folk beliefs in the region.

Cultural and Social Context

These folk deity worship practices highlight the syncretic nature of rural Bengal and Jharkhand’s religious landscape, blending Hindu, Muslim, and tribal elements. The use of household walls or stones as worship sites reflects the accessibility of these rituals for agrarian communities. Animal sacrifices, a common thread, underscore the belief in appeasing deities for protection and prosperity. The involvement of specific communities like the Mal, Bauri, and Dom, and the use of offerings like cannabis and tobacco, point to localized traditions that diverge from mainstream Hinduism. The Bhut Puja’s possession rituals further illustrate the role of spiritual mediums in addressing community concerns, reinforcing the deities’ perceived power.

References

• Chorkoborti, Mriganko. Banglar Debota Opodebota o Lokodebota.
• Oral traditions and local accounts from Situri, Tekshila, Beria Tiyashi, Jihud, Pakhan, Harani, Sundaribari, Sangajuri, Bhaskarkole, and Belbuni villages.
• Field observations of folk worship practices in West Bengal and Jharkhand.