My grandmother lived in Vrindavan and I was enamoured with the Blue God, an enigma for me in my growing up years. I took my “Laddoo Gopal” to my married home and always assumed that Bengalis worshipped Shakti. There was a beautiful idol pair of Radha Krishna in Ashta Dhatu. Surrounded by the magnitude of Durga Puja I did not know much about the community I was married into. My inlaws were Radha Krishna devotees and they also observed Janmashtami.
The Jhulan Yatra observed by many aristocratic families of Bengal in the month of Saawan during Purnima is a festival where one is immersed in the worship of Shyam, Radha Madhav, Nitai, Jagannath, Krishna the playful one, The Jhulan is the swing in the playground of Vrindavan.
Kinjal Bose talks of seven prominent houses in his Blog. Sree Gouranga Mandir has been celebrating it for 150 years. The festival is celebrated here for five days and on each day there is a specific dress (besh) – Rakhal besh on the first day; Jogi besh on the second day; Subal besh on the third day; Kotal besh on the fourth day and Raj besh on the last day. Balai Das’ Thakurbari was founded by Atar Mani Dasi 104 years back in 1915. They have Classical Music Programmes and stalwarts like Bade Ghulam Ali Khan have performed here. They celebrate Janmastami, Radhastami, Annakut, Jagaddhatri Puja and Rashyatra. Radharaman Dhar Thakurbari , the festival is being celebrated from 1887. The Das Bari of Bowbazar has eight sakhis with clay dolls and play things. Radha Gobinda Jew Sree Mandir of Manicktala has had the festival for 88 years aand have a fair during this time.

We visited the Baari of Ramkanai Adhikary of 28, Baburam Sil Lane, Kolkata. The house itself is unique as there is an overbridge connecting the two buildings which is seen only in the High Court in Calcutta. The festival is on for five days with a Classical Music Programme held every evening. A very beautiful house well maintained. Tiles of premium vintage adorned the walls and floor. There hung from the ceiling a chandelier with a clock. There were beautiful oil paintings depicting scenes from Krishna’s life. The famous vocalist Jadu Bhatta (1840-1883) of the Bishnupur Gharana always performed here. Ramkanai Adhikary accompanied them on the Pakhwaj.It is possibly the oldest classical conference in Kolkata. Krishnomhan Adhikary, great grandfather of Ramkanai Adhikary founded this thakurbari almost two centuries back and installed the idols of Radha Krishna, Gour Netai and Lord Jagannath. The idol of Krishna is made of kosthi pathar (touchstone) while that of Radhika is made from astadhatu (an alloy of eight metals). They have a beautiful Panchmukhi Shivlinga similar to the one in Pashupati. I was entranced by the calligraphy of Radhakrishna… entwined as one.
Srimanta Villa popularly known as Chand Surya Bari of Bowbazar, Kolkata was founded by Srimanta Pandit 81 years back. Chandan Pandit had a love for clay dolls, the dolls portraying the life of Krishna were made by the artisans of Ghurni of Krishnanagar, Nadia district. A machine procured from Copenhagen, projects the rising sun and moon and is still in good working condition and used during the festival.
This was an impromptu trip and I was “vibhor” with the elegance and beauty of the rituals, the arati and the bhakti of the continuing generations. I learnt today that Bengal undoubtedly worshipped the feminine, Shakti, but it was also a devout worshipper of the God who has Shringar, Karuna, Saundarya, Madhurya, Vichitra, Vivek astounding us with the versatility of HIM.