Chadannagar Jagadhatri Puja Sovajatra || 2024 || Part-1

Jagadhatri Puja
When the entire Bengal, nay India, was under the British rule, inspite of being under the French administration at that time Chandannagar created a distinct tradition. Jagadhatri Puja is a major socio-cultural event in this region.
The ancient history of Jagadhatri Puja in Chandannagar is unknown even today. It is heard that Indranarayan Chowdhury introduced the Jagadhatri Puja in Chandannagar in the manner of King Krishnachandra of Krishnanagore. The time of beginning of Jagadhatri Puja in Krishnanagore was 1762. Indranarayan Choudhury died in 1756. So Indranarayan Choudhury by no means introduce the Jagadhatri puja in Chandannagar. The beginning of Jagadhatri puja in Chandannagar probably dates back earlier than 1750. Indranarayan Choudhury performed the Jagadhatri puja at his own house in Chandannagar, at the time Krishna Chandra used to come to borrow money from Indranarayan Choudhury. Perhaps Krishnachandra was attracted to greatness of Jagadhatri at this time.
The formal difference between Durga and Jagadhatri occurs in ‘Mayatantra’ and Jagadhatri is mentioned with reference to Durga in Krishnanda’s ‘Tantasaar’. The ruling to perform the special puja of the goddess on the ninth lunar day of the light fortnight in the month of Kartick has ben referred in ‘Krityatattarnab’ by Srinath Acharyachuramoni of the 15th-16th century. The fourhanded goddess is carried by the lion everywhere, an elephantlies of the feet of the lion. The idol has an old fashioned shaping, i.e. the face cutting is of a longish pattern; it has large eyes spread upto the years and the four hands display conch, discus, shaft, and bow respectively. The snake is her sacred thread.One of the main attraction of Jagadhatri idol of Chandannagar is the ornamental decoration of the goddess with sola and beautiful canvas of mats with painting at the back of the image.
The Jagadharti Puja was first started by Maharaja Krishnachandra of Krishnanagar, Nadia in Bengal. Jagadhatri Puja is very popular in Krishnanagar, Rishra, Chandannagar, Bhadreswar, Hooghly, Boinchi.
The Jagadhatri puja of Bose family, Palpara, deserves a special mention in this regard. The puja of this family initially used to be held in their ancestral home in Murshidabad. Folklore has it that this puja was started in 1788. The puja was later shifted to its present location in Chandannagar, where many of the family members now live. The exact history of the deity is unknown, but family records date it back to 1640. The beauty of the festival in Chandannagar is mainly due to the collaborative conception between the French and Bengalis . Remarkable feature remaining its’ procession , second largest in the world after Rio de Janeiro’ s , with its’ magnificent lightings.
Jagadhatri means who holds the universe and who protects the world from cruel demons. Devi Jagadhatri is also known as Karindrasuranisudini (Who killed the elephant demon), Maheswari (the Great Goddess), Shaktacharpriya (the Goddess who loves to be worshipped according to Shaktism) and Adharabhuta (the Bearer of the World). Devi Jagadhatri is a pleasant form of Goddess Durga and symbolizes ‘Sattva Guna’. One of the six major schools of Indian Philosophy is called Sankhya or Samkhya and according to it the three ‘Gunas’ or qualities, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas form the ‘Prakriti’ or ‘universal nature’ Sattva (calmness, purity) - It is symbolized by Goddess Jagadhatri, and is associated with creation. Rajas (activity, ‘dim’) - It is symbolized by Goddess Durga, and is associated with preservation. Tamas (inertia, dark) - It is symbolized by Goddess Kali, and is associated with destruction for better creation. According to ‘Tantras’ and ‘Puranas’, Devi Jagadhatri has three eyes and has four arms holding conch, chakra, bow and arrow respectively. Jagadhatri rides on a lion which stands on an elephant. She is dressed with colourful clothes and bright jewels. Another important feather of this idol is its ornamental decorations with sola and beautiful canvas of mats behind the idol. The snakes is her sacred thread. Sri Ramakrishnadev , the great devotee of Makali Said, ‘Jagadhatri awakens in the heart of such person who can control the tenacious elephant called mind.’