Morning Dawn (Bhorer Aagomoni)

                                                          

                                 

“Jago tumi jago jago durga Jago dasha'praharana'dharini Abhaya shakti bala'pradayini tumi jago”, This song means Awake, please awake, Awake Durga Awake, the one with ten powers; The one who provides freedom from fear, and the strength within. Awake thee. For Every Bengalis this song means Devi Durga will come home with her four kids very soon. It was believed that if Goddess comes on Sunday or Monday then she will come riding an elephant, If she comes on Saturday or Tuesday then she will come riding horse, If she comes on Wednesday then she will come riding a boat, If she comes on Thursday or Friday then she will come riding palki(palanquin).

It was also believed that if a goddess comes on Palki (palanquin) then she will bring bad luck or the epidemic(Mahamari) with her, and if she leaves on Elephant then she will take this epidemic and badluck with her and bless by spreading good luck and prosperity. Today I will make you aware with another historical Mythology of we Bengalis. There was a believe that whenever we get struck into any struggle and we need help we should call or pray god for help, and god will help us in different forms.

Likewise, Devi Mahamaya also helps her devotees in different form of hers, so let’s talk about few more different form of hers and for that again we will have to take a tour of historical mythology. Generally, we celebrate our new year on the very first day of January according to English calendar, but we Bengalis celebrate our new year on 14th April. This 14th April is popularly known as Poila Baishak, so Baishak is the first month of our calendar, then comes Joishto, Ashaar, Shrabon, Bhadro, Ashswin, Kartik, Ogrohaeon, Poush, Magh, Falgun, Choitro.

I am telling this because today I will share the myth behind 12 forms of Devi Mahamaya whom we worship in 12 different months respectively. So let’s begin with the very first month that is Baishak generally this month of bengalis falls under the month of April-May of English. In this Baishak month during Baishak poornima the Gandhabanik community (traders of perfume) worship Devi Gandheswari, it was said that she had saved a girl name Gandhabati from Gandhasur and throwed the body of asur (demon) in the river from where the gandhabeej was being generated and from that gandhabeej many perfumes of sweet fragnance were being manufactured. Then comes the month Joishto, this month of bengalis falls under the month of May-June of English. In this month of Joishto , during the Sabitri Chaturdashi, Devi Falaharini was being worshipped, it was said that Devi Falaharini gives the fruits and take over the fruits of our bad deed.

The Next month is Ashaar, this month falls under the month of June-July of English. During this month Devi Kamakhaa was being worshipped, it was believed that if we worship her before fertilization, then the land will get fertilized for harvesting and as a result we will get good quality of crops. Then comes the month Shrabon, this month falls under the month of July-August of English. During this month Devi Sakhambari was being worshipped for proper harvesting of vegetables and mustards. Next comes the month Bhadro, this month comes under August-September of English. During this month Devi Parvati was being worshipped as she had defeated the demon king name Tarakasur, via Sanapati Skandha (Child of Devi Parvati and Mahadev). Next month is Ashswin, this month falls under the month of September-October. During this month Devi Durga was being worshipped as she had killed the asur name Durgum.

Next comes the month Kartik, this month falls under the month of October-November. In this month during the Shukla Navami, Devi Jagatdhatri was being worshipped, it was believed that she fufill every wish of devotee. There was a short myth behind this, once there was a King named King Krishnachandra he was being prisoned by Nawab Aliwardhi Khan (the Nawab of Bengal), for not paying the tax. During this imprisonment he wasn’t able to worship Devi Mahamaya, so his wish of worshipping Devi Mahamaya was being fulfilled by Devi Jagatdhatri. Next comes the month Ogrohaeon, this month falls under the month of November-December of English. During this month Devi Katayaani was being worshipped, she was born in the house of Katayan Muni. She was being worshipped by Kumaris, she was being worshipped to have a good plantation of Rice (Dhaan).

Next month is Poush month, this month falls under the month of December-January of English. During this month before Sankranti, Devi Poush Kali was being worshipped, it was believed that if we pray to her with complete absolution, then she bless us with Moksha Mukti. Next comes the month Magh, this month falls under the month of January-February of English. In this month during Ratanti Amavasya (New Moon Day), Devi Ratantikali was being worshipped for getting peace and prosperity. Next comes the month Falgun, this month falls under the month of February-March of English. In this month Devi Shankantnashini was being worshipped for getting rid of the epidemic and all other kind of dangerous illness. Next comes the month Choitro, this month falls under the month of March-April of English. In this month, during Sashti teethi (sixth day) of Shukla Paksha, Devi Basanti was being worshipped to get rid from deficiency of wealth and prosperity. It was believed that King Shurat had worshiped this Devi after getting his kingdom back. This was all about the 12 forms of Devi Mahamaya, now let me tell you another myth story of in which place of Bengal, which form of Devi Mahamaya was being worshipped.

In Medinipur (place in West Bengal), Devi Brahmachani was being worshipped either during the night of Poush Sankranti or the first day of Magh. It was believed that she had killed Nagasura. In Sundarban Devi Bonobibi was being worshipped. It was believed that in sudarban there used to live a demon king name Dakkhinrai , he was the king of tigers. Before going for any work people living there used to worship him first. One fine day two kids named Dhunna and Mona went for work without worshipping him, due to lack of time they decided to worship him while returning for home but they forgot at that time as well so Dakkhinrai appears in the dream of Mona. By having the dream of Dakkhinrai Mona went to worship him at that very moment while going to the temple Dakkhinrai attacked him in the disguise of tiger. To save that kid Devi Bonobibi defeated the demon king Dakkhinrai. From that time Devi Bonobibi was being worshipped in Sundarban. We can see in the idol of Devi Bonobibi there was a kid sitting beside her.

The kid was named as Abdul, it was believed that this kid was the brother of Devi and on the foot of Devi, Abdul is the another form of Dakkhinrai. Devi Bonobibi was being worshipped by both The Hindus and The Muslim communities. In Radhbangla, Devi Bhadu or Bhadreshwari was being worshipped. It was believed that the king of Radhbangal do not have any deficiency except the deficiency of a child. He wished that Devi come to his kingdom in the form of his daughter so he worshipped Devi Parvati so the goddess had blessed him with a daughter and named her as Bhadu or Bhadreshwari. Devi Bhadreshwari is the another form of Devi Parvati. Devi Bhadreshwari had defeated the demon named Bhandasur. In Ghatshila Devi Rankinikali was being worshipped, she had defeated a demon named Jadasura. In Bordhaman Devi Jogaata was being worshipped, it was believed that she save us from the condition of drought. There was a short story behind this, on the way to Lankha Lord Ram, Lakshman and Hanuman went into one village named Khirgram in Bengal. There they saw people crying because of thirst as the village was facing the condition of drought, so Lord Ram asked Hanuman to bring Devi Parvati as she can only save them. Hanuman went to bring Devi Parvati, but Devi wanted to test their devotion so she had frolicked Hanuman and sent him on the Earth with one stone idol.

Watching the stone idol Lord Ram asked Hanuman the whereabouts of Devi Parvati. Hanuman replied that here is Devi Parvati by pointing towards the idol, hearing this Ram realized that Devi wanted to test their devotion so he worshipped Devi Parvati. Devi Parvati being satisfied with their devotion blessed the village with rain and greenery from that time Devi Jogaata was being worshipped there. During the puja, the priest of temple blindfold themselves and bring the idol of Devi Jogatta from underwater. The priest blindfold themselves because to save themselves from the glow of Devi Jogaata. In Mallobhom Devi Bipadtarini was being worshipped. It was believed that she is the savior of all the devotees of her.

There was again a short story behind this, once there lived a king in Mallubhom. There was a ritual of worshipping Devi Parvati in their kingdom and in this puja there was a restriction of bringing meat near the place where the goddess was being worshipped. One day one slave(dasi) was eating while hiding in the place of worship, when she heard the Queen coming she ran away and in her unawareness the meat fell into the dish of prasad (which is offered to goddess). The queen saw the meat piece there and got tensed, so she had prayed the goddess to save her from insult. Goddess appeared infront of her and asked her to worship Devi Bipadtarini and gave her a red thread and said those who will have this red thread on their wrist they will be saved by goddess herself. From that time Devi Bipadtarini was being worshipped. So this was all about the different of Devi Mahamaya, I pray to god for giving all of us happiness, prosperity and peace.

Lastly, I want to end this with the famous stotram of we Bengalis “ Jaya jaya japyajaye jayashabda parastutitatatpara vishvanute jaya jaya japyajaye jayashabda parastutitatatpara vishvanute jhana jhana jhinjhimijhinkritanoopura sinjitamohita bhootapate natita nataardhanatiinatanaayaka naatitanaatyasugaanarate jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute” means O Divine Mother, I invoke You and take refuge in Your Auspicious Feet Salutations to You O Divine Mother I Invoke You; Who is Praised by the Whole World; For Whom they Mutter Victory Prayers before the Battle, Shout Victory Shouts after the Battle, which is then Followed by Singing Her Stuthis (Eulogy), I Invoke You) Whose Anklets Jingling with the Jhana-Jhana Sound Captivate Lord Shiva, the Lord of the Ghosts and Goblins, Who Dance as Half of the Body of Lord Shiva, where the Male and the Female Dancers (having a single body) is the Hero of the Cosmic Play which is taking place along with the Beautiful Song (of the Divine Sound of Nada),Victory to You, Victory to You, (I take Refuge in Your Auspicious Feet) O the Destroyer of Demon Mahishasura; (Victory to You) Who Shine with Beautiful Locks of Hair and Who is the Daughter of the Mountain.