Sriti o Chetona Museum

  The Temple of Bhabani Pathak at Kachari Pairadanga Mahalla of Nageswari municipality under Nageswari upazila in Kurigram district is a significant symbol of Sannyasi rebellion.  Bhabani Pathak was the central leader of the Fakir-Sannyasi rebellion in the greater Rangpur district of Bangladesh and Eastern Himalayan Foothills of India.  During this time, he is said to have built multiple Shiva temples in greater Rangpur districts. This two hundred year old Shiva temple of Kurigram is one of them.  There is no inscription mentioning the exact year and date of the temple, but it is believed that the temple was built in the later part of 18th Century during the Sannyasi rebellion, but before 1787 CE, the year of Pathak's death.  During the Sannyasi rebellion, Sannyasis took shelter here and organized the peasants against the East India Company. Bhabani Pathak was the mentor of Devi Choudhurani. Architecture The temple is built with bricks and powdered lime. But due...

  Uma-Maheshwar murthy from Sena period(1070-1230 CE). 

  Durga Murthy from Sena period (1070-1230CE). 

  A currency coin minted during the 6th year of Sirajuddaula's reign.  This is a silver coin worth 1/8th of a rupee. The coin carries the name of the 2nd Sultan of Delhi, Aligarh. It has "Sha" (Shah) written in Persian on the head side and 6 written on the tail side, denoting the 6th year of Sirajuddaula's reign.    

  Rabindranath Tagore reconnoitering Dhaka University premises in 1926 CE. On his right is the great historian Acharya Romesh Chandra Majumdar, a faculty of the university.  If one reads the real history, one can easily see that the faksehoods that is being spread by the Islamic intelligentsia of Bangladesh about Tagore being against the establishment of Dhaka University. The people spreading this propaganda do not want a "malaun" to be the writer of their national anthem. The people spreading this propaganda are the same people who aided the Pakistan army in 1971 to execute Dhaka University massacre that took the lives of hundreds of students, professors and other staff.  Image: The Daily Star Archive 

  War Criminal and mass murderer General A.A.K. Niazi of the Pakistan Army photographed drinking tea just before his surrender in December, 1971. After a woeful pitiful defeat at the hands of the Indian Army and the MuktiBahini, Niazi was taken in to prison by the Indian army, after which he and his countrymen begged and cried for him to be released.  Now you know why Pakistan was so eager to serve "fantastic" tea to the captured Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan and bring him to almost beg for freedom...but that didn’t happen... 

  Cover page for the 33rd edition of Introduction to Grammar or শিশুবোধ-ব্যাকরণ (Shishubodh-Byakaran) by Loharam Siroratna.  Publisher: MetCalfe Press, Kolkata Year: 1305 Bangabda (1898 CE) First Edition Details -  Publisher: কলিকাতা : এইচ সি মজুমদার.  Edition: প.ব.সং. Description: ৮১ পৃ. ১৭ সেমি. [As found from Bangiya Sahitya Parishat Granthagar (library), https://library.bangiyasahityaparishat.org/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=8466&shelfbrowse_itemnumber=9899#holdings] 

  An couple engaged in ritualist sex which can be inferred from vessel under the bed.  Sexual depictions on temples and caves started appearing in Bharat in the 10th century. Before that Vatsayana wrote the Kamasutra some time during the 2nd and 3rd century. However most of the erotic plaques unearthed from the ruins of Chandraketugarh belong to the BCE era. It can be inferred that the Gangaridae or GangaHriday (Hriday = heart) civilization had reached civilizational peaks long before all other civilizations and hence no kind of sexuality was considered taboo to such extent that it could not be portrayed or displayed. This could be a reason why Hindu shastras and puranas do not speak much of Gangaridae...but that is only an inference for which the writer of this blog is solely responsible.  There could be many other reasons why Chandraketugarh has not been documented in the Hindu shastras, or puranas or epics. 

  An unknown temple in Dhaka, near Buriganga river. Photographed in 1880 or 1890.  Unfortunately, this temple is no more. The ruins may be found underneath the Buriganga river, however, no such attempts have been taken by the Bangladesh government's Archaeological team to find the remains of this ancient temple.  The temple was probably destroyed in 1971 by the Pakistani army or some time before that.  Or, it may have succumbed to natural decay, which though unlikely is not impossible.  If anyone reading this post can provide us with more details on this temple (authenticity will be verified), he or she will be rewarded with cash money. Please contact us via our Facebook page Sriti O Chetona or dm in instagram or gmail: sritiochetona@gmail.com ১৮৮০ সালে আলোক চিত্রশিল্পী ‘জন্সটন এবং হ্ফম্যান’ কর্তৃক তোলা বুড়িগঙ্গা নদীর তীরে অবস্থিত নাজির নাটো সিং ও তার মায়ের দেহবশাষের উপর নির্মিত সমাধী মন্দিরের ছবি। সমাধী মন্দিরটি ১৮৯৭ সালে ঢাকায় সংঘটিত প্রবল ভূমিকম্পে ধবংসপ্রাপ্...

The Kaivarta Stambha in the Dibar (দিবর/Dibor) Dighi (pond).  Dibar Dighi (Bengali: দিবর দিঘী) is a pond in Patnitala Upazila, Naogaon District, Bangladesh. Dibar Dighi and the Kaivarta Stambha is located in a remote village on the northern side of Nazipur-Sapahar highway in Patnitala Upazila of Naogaon District. The dighi was excavated in the centre of an elevated mound measuring about 100 acres covering an area of 20 acres of land. The octagonal granite pillar known as Kaivarta Stambha stands in the centre of the tank. The apex of the pillar is crown shaped decorated with three inflated circular rings. Sir Buchanon Hamilton visited the site in 1807-08 and measured the height of the pillar as 10.33 metres. Sir Alexandar Cunninghum visited the site in 1879-80 and reported the pillar's height as 9.14 metres. According to his report, the length of this pillar's underground portion was 2.5 to 3 metres, under-water length 4 metres and the length of visible portion over water was es...

  Inside Kalighat Kali Mandir, 1932.  Image: পুরানো কলকাতার চালচিত্র 

  A pregnant rape victim.  Thousands of men and women (mostly Hindus) were made their way towards the Barasat refugee camp from Hasnabad. They had their last resources packed in sacks and carrying them on their head.  It was a long long way to go, but they had no other way but to walk. How long can anyone live on a boat, on a limited amount of ration that will last less than a week if they consume only one meal a day? They just wanted a place to stay and two simple meals a day... Maybe death was more desirable than living like this. Death would be peaceful. So many people sold their boats, even their utensils just to buy food!  These men and women were witness to horrific acts of violence and state sponsored terrorism. They were carrying a mountain of grief on their shoulders. Some escaped and survived, narrowly dodging a bullet. Some took a bullet or two and were struggling to breathe...  Some had been violently raped and were still bleeding down there... So ma...

  A rape victim mother breastfeeding her child.  Barasat refugee camp. 1971.  Thousands of men and women (mostly Hindus) were made their way towards the Barasat refugee camp from Hasnabad. They had their last resources packed in sacks and carrying them on their head.  It was a long long way to go, but they had no other way but to walk. How long can anyone live on a boat, on a limited amount of ration that will last less than a week if they consume only one meal a day? They just wanted a place to stay and two simple meals a day... Maybe death was more desirable than living like this. Death would be peaceful. So many people sold their boats, even their utensils just to buy food!  These men and women were witness to horrific acts of violence and state sponsored terrorism. They were carrying a mountain of grief on their shoulders. Some escaped and survived, narrowly dodging a bullet. Some took a bullet or two and were struggling to breathe...  Some had been vio...

Thousands of men and women (mostly Hindus) were made their way towards the Barasat refugee camp from Hasnabad. They had their last resources packed in sacks and carrying them on their head.  It was a long long way to go, but they had no other way but to walk. How long can anyone live on a boat, on a limited amount of ration that will last less than a week if they consume only one meal a day? They just wanted a place to stay and two simple meals a day... Maybe death was more desirable than living like this. Death would be peaceful. So many people sold their boats, even their utensils just to buy food!  These men and women were witness to horrific acts of violence and state sponsored terrorism. They were carrying a mountain of grief on their shoulders. Some escaped and survived, narrowly dodging a bullet. Some took a bullet or two and were struggling to breathe...  Some had been violently raped and were still bleeding down there... So many of these rape victims used to wake...

  Humans walked on Bengal’s soil 20,000 years ago, archaeologists have found out, pushing the state’s pre-history back by some 8,000 years. An excavation in Murshidabad has dug out stone tools — knives and needle-like “microliths” of agate, chert, chalcedony and quartz used by these hunter-gatherers — geo-archaeologists S.N. Rajguru and B.C. Deodare of Deccan College, Pune, confirmed to The Telegraph. The two experts have examined the site at Chandthakurer Danga in Haatpara mouza, 8km northeast of Sagardighi, excavated by the Bengal directorate of archaeology. “We had been expecting finds from the sultanate period (15th-16th century) and perhaps early medieval black and red ware, but nothing like this,” said Gautam Sengupta, state archaeology director. “Some 200 tools have been found so far, proving there was human habitation in the region long before what was earlier estimated.” A few such implements had earlier been found in Birbhanpur, Durgapur, in 1953 but they were only 12,000...

  French drawing (1911) showing Murshidabad and Kasimbazar (Anglicization: Cossimbazar) in the mid-18th century. The drawing shows the location of the Nawab of Bengal's palace at Murshidabad, as well as the location of the factories ("loge") of the English, French and Dutch East India companies at Cossimbazar, all competing to do business with the powerful nawab.  Cossimbazar or Kasim Bazar, is a census town in Berhampore subdivision of Murshidabad district of West Bengal.  Though the history of the place cannot be traced back earlier than the 17th century, it was of great importance long before the foundation of Murshidabad. The first European traders set up factories here, and after the ruin of Satgaon due to the silting up of the mouth of the Saraswati river, it gained a position as the great trading centre of Bengal, which was not challenged until after the foundation of Calcutta. The English, Dutch and French East India companies all maintained factories at Cossimbaz...

  Hayagriva Madhava murthy from Pala era, housed in Shri Shri Hayagriva Madhava Mandir, Hajo, Assam.  This town is a pilgrimage site for Hindus and Buddhist. Hence, there are many religious places in this town. According to the legend, the people of Hajo are said to be the descendants of Sun (Suryavamshis). It is believed that a group of people came to this place from Tibet and some reports also say that they belong to Indo-Burmese race. Hayagriva Madhava mandir is one of the most ancient temples in Assam. The temple was rebuilt during the reign of the King Raghudeva Narayan in 1583 CE. The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Narasimha. It was also the temple where Buddha attained Nirvana. Hence, the Hayagriva Madhava mandir is also a Buddhist religious place. Lord Hayagriva is also called BuddhaMadhav. 

  Black Stone Stele Depicting the Four-Armed Vishnu Black Stone Stele Depicting the Four-Armed Vishnu, well carved in openwork standing on a double-lotus throne, his four hands holding the staff, chakra and conch shell, wearing a short dhoti secured with a festooned belt, a sash and sacred thread around the torso, multiple necklaces and other jewelry, the face with full lips, aquiline nose and downcast eyes beneath incised brows, the hair drawn into a high chignon and secured with a foliate crown, flanked by Lakshmi and Saraswati holding the flywhisk and vina respectively, over-arched by his avatars encircled by scrollwork on the throneback,  the arched mandorla centered by a kirttimukha mask and two apsaras Height 67 cm North-eastern India, Pala Period, 11th century. P R O V E N A N C E : From a German private collection, acquired in the early 1990’s in Switzerland Via Becker Antiques

  Vishnu and Lakshmi on Garuda, from Pala or Sena era. 

  A virulent and frenetic depiction of Madhav, which is quite unusual. This depiction is known as Rudramadhav or UgraMadhab. He is accompanied by two armed followers or companions.  Time: Sen Era   The description of this form of Madhav can be seen in Jaydev's Gita Govinda, Mangalacharan Stotra. 

  A blackstone stele* of Narasimha Location: Bangladesh (Gauda, ancient Banga/Vanga) Time: Pala period, 12th century CE Narasimha stands astride a broad lotus base, supporting and disemboweling the demon Hiranyakashipu, he wears jewelry and garments of classic form, his wrathful leonine face framed by a broad mane and surmounted by a tall crown with a lotus bulb at its center, vidyadharas adorn him from above, Hiranyakashipu appears again trampled under the avatar's foot, and to the right, kicking the pillar from which a crouching diminutive Narasmiha emanates. As recounted in the Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu appears in half-man, half-lion form in order to subdue the adharmic king Hiranyakashipu and restore the balance of creation. His particular form was required in order to exploit a loophole in a boon that Hiranyakashipu was granted. Hiranyakishupu was invulnerable to any living or nonliving thing created by Brahma, by any demigod, demon, human, or animal, and could neither be kille...

  Firoz Minar (Tower of Firoz) is a five-storeyed tower situated at Gour(Gauda) in Malda district of West Bengal. The popular lie is that it was built by Sultan Saifuddin Firuz Shah of the Habshi dynasty between 1485 and 1489 CE in the Tughlaqi style of architecture. But there is no such thing as a "Tughlaqi style of architecture"! There is only Tughlaqi style of destruction and mass murder... The Built:  The first three storeys of the five storeyed monument are dodecagonal, the final two are circular in shape. The tower is 26 metres or 85 feet high and its circumference is 19 metres or 62 ft. A spiral 73 step staircase leads to its top. The minar resembles the Qutb Minar of Delhi.  There used to be a dome at the topmost storey, which got replaced by a flat roof during restoration.  What it really might have been:  Islamic historians and left-western historians could not come up with a good reason behind the building of this monument. It is said the Firuz S...

  Pathra is a village in the Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal, which is home to  hundreds of temples.  Unfortunately, many of the temples are in bad shape because of lack of preservation, damage by the Kangsabati and vandalizing by the locals.  There are 34 temples with “enriched terracotta artwork”. Those deserving a special mention are the Navaratna mandir, Kachari mahal, Rasmancha, Kalachand Dalan, Durgeshwar mandir and Pancha Shiva mandir. Most of the temples were built by the Ghosal (later changed to Majumdar) and Banerjee families. The decline started when the rich families shifted base. However, with the persistent efforts of a small group of enthusiasts, Pathra has turned the tide. The Archaeological Survey of India has taken charge of 28 temples and have repaired 18 temples. Pathra Archeological Preservation Committee, a non-government organization, also looks after the structures. A major attraction is the 250 year old, 40 feet high Navaratna templ...

  Text to be translated, do not share  রাজারাম মন্দির মাদারীপুর জেলার প্রাচীনতম মন্দির। এ মন্দিরটি জেলার রাজৈর উপজেলার খালিয়া গ্রামে অবস্থিত। খালিয়ার বিশিষ্ট হিন্দু জমিদার রাজারাম রায় সপ্তদশ শতাব্দিতে এটি নির্মাণ করেন। এ মন্দিরের সম্মুখভাগ টেরা কোটা কারুকার্য মন্ডিত এবং রামায়ণ-মহাভারতের দৃশ্যাবলী খচিত।

  Kali and Shiva made of Ivory, belonging to the 18th century CE. Found at Murshidabad and currently preserved at the Indian Museum, Kolkata. Pic Courtesy: Tamal Dasgupta (pic 1) and Monidipa Bose Dey (pic 2).

  Located in Joynagar village of Jamuria subdistrict of Asansol district (WB), these 2 ancient stone wheels are call chakpathor.  Villagers believe that these two stone wheels belong to the dwapar yuga and were part of some gigantic chariot pulled by multiple horses, belonging to the pandavas. But this belief is highly unlikely to have any base in reality. These stone wheels are so heavy that a JCB was unable to lift them. So horses don't stand a chance, even if there are 16 horses tied to them. Elephants were generally not attached to chariots.  These wheels were likely part of some ancient structure (e.g. a mandir, like Konark Sun temple) the ruins of which may be discovered upon careful excavation by state sponsored Archaeological teams. 

  চড়ক উৎসবঃ বাঙালির শিকড় সবার প্রথমে দেখা যাক চড়ক কী? শিবকে কেন্দ্র করে বাঙালি হিন্দুদের এক ধর্মীয় উৎসব। যার সূত্রপাত চৈত্রের প্রথম দিন থেকে সন্ন্যাস গ্রহণের মধ্যে দিয়ে শুরু হয় এবং চৈত্রের শেষ দিন চড়কের মধ্যে দিয়ে শেষ হয়। আগেরদিন আগে থেকে জলে ভিজিয়ে রাখা শালগাছের গুড়িকে মাটিতে পোঁতা হয়। একে বলা হয় গাছ জাগানো যা থেকেই “গাজন” শব্দটি এসেছে বলে মনে করেন অনেকেই। তবে ‘গাজন’ শব্দের আরও অন্য উৎপত্তির কারণ জানা যায়। চড়কের দিন সেই গাছে সন্ন্যাসীরা নিজের বেঁধে শূন্যে চক্রাকারে ঘোরেন। চড়কির মত এই ঘোরা থেকেও চড়ক শব্দটি এসে থাকতে পারে। এই দিনের প্রধান আকর্ষণ হলো সন্ন্যাসীরা নানা ভয়ানক কাণ্ড কারখানা করে থাকেন। নিজেকে শলাকা বিদ্ধ করেন, চক্রাকারে ঘোরার সময় বড়শি দিয়ে নিজেকে আটকে রাখেন মোদ্দা কথা নিজেকে কষ্ট দেন। চড়কের প্রসঙ্গ থেকে সরে এসে যদি যাবতীয় পূজার দিকে তাকাই তো দেখা যাবে সর্বত্রই নিজেকে কষ্ট দিয়ে ঈশ্বরকে খুশি করার প্রয়াস। তার প্রথম শুরুটা না খেয়ে পুজো দেওয়া থেকে হয়। কিলোমিটারের পর কিলোমিটার হেঁটে শিবের মাথায় জল ঢালাতে কষ্ট নেই? ‘ধর্মপুরাণে’ দেখি লাউসেন নিজের শররীরকে খন্ড খণ্ড করে ধর্মের কাছে...

  বাণসোনা। গাজনের শিবের ভক্তদের কাছে পরম আদরের তৈলসিন্দুরে চর্চিত কাষ্ঠনির্মিত দণ্ডাকার মূর্তি। বরেন্দ্রের স্থানবিশেষে তাঁর পরিচয় আদম গাদম। আর পুণ্ড্র ও রাঢ়ের বিস্তৃত অঞ্চলের মানুষ তাঁকে বলে বাণসোনা। কিন্তু কে এই যোদ্ধা? আর কেনই বা গাজনের প্রতি ক্ষেত্রে তাঁর অমোঘ উপস্থিতি? কেন তাঁর নামাঙ্কিত দণ্ড নিয়ে শিবের ভক্তদের এত উন্মাদনা?  আবহমান কাল ধরে লোকমানসে চলে আসা কিংবদন্তি অনুযায়ী এই মূর্তি রাজা বাণের। পুরাণে যিনি কৃষ্ণবিদ্বেষী কিন্তু পরম শৈব বাণাসুর। পুরাণপ্রসিদ্ধ বলি রাজার পুত্র তথা জরাসন্ধ নরকাসুর পরবর্তী মহাভারতের যুগে সমগ্র পূর্বভারতের একচ্ছত্র অধিপতি বাণাসুর। পুরাণ অনুসারে ঐকান্তিক ভক্তির কারণে তিনি শিবের মানসপুত্র রূপে শিবভক্তদের প্রধানতম পথপ্রদর্শক ছিলেন। আজও বঙ্গের সমস্ত প্রাচীন শিবমন্দিরে স্ফটিক ও অন্যান্য শ্বেত কৃষ্ণ লোহিত বর্ণের প্রস্তরের ক্ষুদ্র শিবলিঙ্গকে এই বাণ রাজার আরাধিত জ্ঞানে বলা হয় বাণলিঙ্গ বা বাণেশ্বর। আজও মালদহের আদ্যের গম্ভীরা শুরু হয় আদিনাথ মহেশের জয়ধ্বনি দিয়ে এবং বাণরাজার গুণকীর্তন করে।  গুপ্তযুগের আগে পর্যন্ত শৈবধর্মের মূল ধারায় প্রকৃতিমাতৃকার ধারণ...

  A gold coin from the Gupta period depicting the marriage of Chandragupta I with Licchavi princess Kumardevi. The other side of the coin depicts mother goddess Durga. This coin was supposedly minted during the time of Samudragupta, the son of Chandragupta I and Kumardevi. 

  This ancient Chaturmukhi or four faced Shiva Linga was unearthed on the 5-6th of April, 2021 in Noagaon's Dhamirhat subdistrict Mahmudpur village. It was unearthed while excavating a pond.  It assumably belongs to the 13th century CE and is made of sand stone. The relic is in the process of being shifted to Paharpur Museum.  Several statues of Hindu deities(Vishnu, Shiva, Indra) have been discovered from Noagaon prior to this. 

  Currently situated in Dankuni, the Devi Katyayani Vigraha is a fine example of Shakta-Vaishnav joint venture in Bengal. On the two sides of the Adi-matrika or ancient mother, Lakshmi and Janardan have found their place as symbols of 'purush' and 'prakriti'.  This particular vigraha was first established 400 years ago in Dhaka's Bikrampur, in the house of a Brahmin named Danswarup Chattopadhyay. The devi was worshipped in the family as per tradition. Currently the vigraha is in Dankuni of Hooghly district.  The animal slaughter ritual has been replaced by the single stroke slicing of a wax gourd or chalkumro. The ancient thatched manuscript, large Khargo and mirror still acconpanies the vigraha during puja.    

  Located in Satputia village of Jhargram district (WB), the Sahasralinga Mandir was built by Nayagram's king Chandraketu and is over 500 years old.  It is heard the infamous Kalapahar tried to uproot the Shiva Linga by tying it with elephants and pulling it. It resulted in the cracking of the floor upon which the linga is established, but the Linga wasn’t uprooted. A variation of this tale says that Kalapahar picked up the Linga and slammed it on the ground but failed to destroy it. 

  This ancient stone murthy of Vishnu's Vaman Avatar was unearthed in Bankura (Darakeshwar river, Tapoban Ghat) on the 4-5th of April, 2021.  চার ফুটের এই মূর্তিটির শরীরে উপবীত ও বনমালা বেষ্ঠিত রয়েছে। মূর্তির চারটি হাতের মধ্যে একটি হাত ভেঙে গেলেও বাকি তিনটি হাতে শঙ্খ,  চক্র ও পদ্ম আয়ুধ রয়েছে।  মূল মূর্তির চারিদিকে খদিত রয়েছে বেশ কয়েকটি সম মূর্তি। যা দেখে বিশেষজ্ঞদের ধারনা, এটি বিষ্ণুর বামন অবতারের মূর্তি। গবেষকদের দাবি, মূর্তিটি সম্ভবত খ্রিস্ট চতুর্থ থেকে ষষ্ঠ শতকের মধ্যে খদিত হয়েছিল। যে পাথরে এই মূর্তিটি খদিত হয়েছিল তা স্থানীয় পাথর নয় বলেই ধারণা গবেষকদের।  গবেষকদের ধারণা আজ থেকে দেড় হাজার বছর আগে তামিলনাড়ু ও অন্ধ্রপ্রদেশের একাংশে পাওয়া ইয়েলো ক্লোরাইট পাথর খোদাই করে এই মূর্তি তৈরী করা হয়েছিল। কিন্তু সেই মূর্তি দ্বারকেশ্বরের নদীগর্ভে কিভাবে এল তা অবাক করেছে অনেককে। গবেষকদের দাবি, আজ থেকে দেড় হাজার বছরের আগে দ্বারকেশ্বর নদের দু'তীরে এক উন্নত সভ্যতা গড়ে উঠেছিল। যে সভ্যতার সঙ্গে বানিজ্যিক কারণে নীবিড় সম্পর্ক গড়ে উঠেছিল উত্তর ও দক্ষিণ ভারতের বিস্তীর্ণ অংশের সঙ্গে। এই...