Adam Gadam

Adam Gadam is a regional folk deity worshipped primarily in parts of the Maniknagar area, located in the Purulia district of West Bengal, India. Considered a guardian and protective deity, Adam Gadam is revered through unique rituals involving burnt wood and has a rich tradition rooted in local myths and agrarian culture. Over time, Adam Gadam has been syncretized with aspects of Lord Shiva in regional beliefs.

Origin and Mythology

The worship of Adam Gadam traces back approximately 250 to 275 years. According to local legend, during the month of Chaitra, a group of people heard anguished cries emanating from a heap of burning straw. Investigating the source, they discovered a piece of wood burning fiercely and emitting a human-like wail. A man among them extinguished the fire by pouring milk from his bowl onto the wood. That night, he dreamed that the burnt wood spoke to him, identifying itself as the deity Adam Gadam and promising a reward. The next day, the milk bowl was found transformed into gold, containing money equivalent to the amount of milk used to put out the fire. The burnt piece of wood was then consecrated as the idol of Adam Gadam and worshipped annually, with a seven-day fair held in the village of Bhandardah.

Alternative Myths

Several variants of the myth exist:

• One version involves a forest fire where burning sal trees called out to a passing milk merchant from the Ghosh family of Maniknagar to pour milk onto the fire to extinguish it. The burnt sal wood was then venerated as Adam and Gadam.

• Another popular narrative involves children accidentally setting fire to timber, which emitted human cries. A member of the Ghosh family again extinguished the flames with milk. The burnt timber pieces were enshrined and worshipped.

• Some oral traditions suggest that the worship initially centered on Adam alone, later joined by Gadam after Adam appeared in a dream requesting a companion deity.

• There are also tales that Adam once left via the Ganges River but was retrieved by the community, and that devotees once stole the idol at night and restrained it with chains.

• Another myth recounts a fish caught in the Bhandardah Bill transforming into a large piece of wood, later identified and worshipped as Baba Adam.

Worship and Cultural Significance

Adam Gadam is venerated using a burnt wooden idol, believed to embody the deity’s spirit. The annual worship takes place at the Bhandardah Bill near Maniknagar village and includes a week-long fair, attracting local devotees.

According to some traditions, the idol is kept submerged in a water body and brought out only during the festival for ritual worship. The festival marks the beginning of the Bengali New Year (Poila Boishakh) and holds significant cultural importance in the region.

Syncretism with Hinduism

Although originally a distinct folk deity, Adam Gadam has been assimilated into Hindu religious practices. He is identified with Lord Shiva in his folk manifestations. In the Maniknagar region, Adam and Gadam are regarded as two forms of Shiva and worshipped accordingly.

References

• Chorkoborti, Mriganko. Banglar Debota Opodebota o Lokodebota.