Latest news with #KaliPuja
Mint
5 days ago
- General
- Mint
The princess and the beheaded sisters: The forgotten Indian women gurus of Tantric Buddhism
Bibek Bhattacharya A thousand years ago, generations of Indian Buddhist women fought patriarchy and the caste system, worked miracles and inspired profound religious change. This is their story An 11th century miniature painting from Bengal depicting Bodhisattva Tara as a guru dispensing boons to a Buddhist 'siddha' community. Gift this article When Kali Puja rolls around in Bengal, people come in droves to the pandals to gape at the clay figurines of goddess Kali's frighteningly monstrous, charnel ground retinue. One figure that holds immense awed fascination is Chinnamasta, the severed-headed goddess, one of the 10 mahavidyas of Hindu Shakta tantra. When Kali Puja rolls around in Bengal, people come in droves to the pandals to gape at the clay figurines of goddess Kali's frighteningly monstrous, charnel ground retinue. One figure that holds immense awed fascination is Chinnamasta, the severed-headed goddess, one of the 10 mahavidyas of Hindu Shakta tantra. This fascination is unsurprising, because Chinnamasta stands naked on a corpse or a couple having sex, brandishing a sword in one hand, and her own severed head in the other, while two lines of spurting blood from her neck splatter into the mouths of her two attendants, women as naked as the goddess, Vairochani and Varnani. The third, central stream of blood lands in the mouth of her severed head. Chinnamasta seems to have been a popular—if minor—goddess in Bengal and some other parts of India, for a very long time. One might think that this fascination stems from the strong presence of Shakta cults (tantric groups that worship Shakti or feminine power) in these places. The real reason though, is that Chinnamasta is a tantric Buddhist Vajrayana goddess, who was at the centre of a strong cult in India in 9-10 century CE. Back then she was called Chinnamunda Vajravarahi, and her attendants Vajravairochani and Vajravarnani. Some of the great adepts of this cult were women mahasiddhas (the great awakened ones). THE MASTERS OF TANTRA The subject of the participation of women in Indian Buddhism is not very well understood by historians. While this is in part a result of a paucity of sources, we do know that Indian Buddhist communities, at various times, supported robust sanghas of nuns. This ebbed and flowed depending on the shifting political tides in South Asia, probably reaching its lowest point when Brahminical caste strictures and patriarchal norms became hegemonic around 1,000 years ago. However, what has received even less attention is the role played by Buddhist laywomen in popular Mahayana and Vajrayana cults. The Mahayana placed a great deal of importance in the direct participation of the Buddhist laity in rituals and learning, believing it to be the best way of countering Brahminical social influence. By the time its tantric cousin Vajrayana became widespread around the 8th century CE, the focus had turned firmly towards non-monastic ritual specialists among Buddhist householders. For in Vajrayana, there is no real dichotomy between nirvana and samsara, merely a difference in perception. Anyone could become a Buddha, in just one lifetime. One just needed the necessary spiritual training. Also Read | The Buddhist ateliers of ancient Magadha It is in this context that we find the rise of Buddhist tantric specialists—Vajracharyas, panditas and siddhas. Many of them were women gurus who founded transmission lineages of monks, lay specialists and later Tibetan lamas that exist to this day in Nepal and Tibet. One such woman was Lakshminkara, also known as Lakshmi or Srimatidevi. A Kashmiri princess and the sister of Indrabhuti, the king of Oddiyana (in the Swat Valley in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir), Lakshminkara was no ordinary her struggles with a patriarchal society and her ultimate rejection of its strictures to pursue the life of a Vajrayana sadhaka is emblematic of the times. We cannot be entirely sure if there were one or more women gurus with that name, or exactly when she lived, but most scholars place her sometime in the 9th century CE, at a time when the popularity and political prestige of Vajrayana was at its zenith in India. Also Read | The other Kalis Her biography is maintained in quite a few histories of Indian siddhas, though most only survive in the Tibetan translations of lost Sanskrit and Apabhramsa originals. One of these is the well-known 12th century work Chaturasiti Siddha Pravritti (The Lives of the Eighty-Four Mahasiddhas) by Bihari monk Abhayadatta. The 84 mahasiddhas are the folk heroes of Vajrayana—masters of the mahamudra (the great seal of enlightenment), composers of mystical dohas(spiritual songs), writers of tantras and workers of miracles who had attained Buddhahood through intense yogic practices. They were a diverse bunch: Princes and kings, basket weavers and fishers, cowherds, wine sellers, tribals, sex workers and Brahmins who had converted to Buddhism. Stories of their lives are replete with miracles and acts of profound kindness, but also trenchant critiques of the caste system and wilful breaking of taboos—from sexual to religious. By breaking every rule, they showed the ultimate meaninglessness of human laws and logic before the ultimate Buddhist truth—the void, or sunyata. But they were scholars too, writing key tantra texts, as well as commentaries on tantras, meditation and visualisation manuals, and songs in local languages in order to introduce esoteric Buddhist concepts to common people. They took disciples from all sections of society, and began transmission lineages that still exist. THE PRINCESS AND THE BEHEADED SISTERS So, who exactly was Lakshminkara? Here's a brief version of her biography, mostly based on the scholar Miranda Shaw's translation in her book Buddhist Goddesses of India. A princess from a Buddhist kingdom, Lakshmi was betrothed to Jalendra, a Hindu king of Lankapuri. When she travelled to her fiancé's kingdom, she was shocked to learn that he was fond of hunting. The sight of piles of slaughtered animals horrified her and she decided not to marry him. She gave away her dowry, stripped off her clothes and retreated to a cremation ground, vowing to give her life over to attaining enlightenment. Lakshminkara would spend seven years meditating and mastering the Buddhist tantric practices in a cave, finally attaining a heightened spiritual state. She was served upon by a large retinue of disciples and celestial spirits. Her reputation as a great siddha attracted people from across Lanka, including Jalendra, who asked her to be his guru. She refused, instead directing him to learn from one of her disciples. A statue of Vajrayogini from the 11th century CE, found in Rajgir, Bihar. Lakshminkara's personal deity was Vajrayogini, and she seemed to have focused especially on the severed-headed emanation of Vajrayogini—Chinnamunda. Of the three extant Buddhist sadhanas on Chinnamunda, two are by her. The Chinnamunda Vajravarahi Sadhana is preserved in the Tibetan Buddhist cannon, translated from the Sanskrit original by a Newari pandit from Kathmandu called Varendraruchi. The other one, called Lakshmi-sadhana, is preserved in Newari, also translated by Varendraruchi. A third Chinamunda sadhana by the siddha Sabara exists in the great Sanskrit Vajrayana meditation manual, the Sadhana-mala, which was compiled in the famous monastery of Vikramashila, near Bhagalpur, Bihar, in the 11th century. Also Read | Chasing Buddhas across Bihar The other main source of Chinnamunda's cult were also women—the mahasiddha sisters Mekhala and Kanakhala. They were from Maharashtra, and likely lived in the 10th century CE, a few decades after Lakshminkara. The story of the sisters is another stark commentary on how the tantric path allowed women to overturn the pressures of patriarchy. They were engaged to be married to two brothers when they were subjected to a sustained campaign of gossip accusing them of being women with loose morals. The joint wedding was broken off and the sisters became social outcasts. It was then that they met renowned Bengali Buddhist mahasiddha Kanhapada aka Krishnacharya. He was passing through their town with a huge entourage of disciples. Mekhala, the elder sister, told Kanakhala that rather than running away from their troubles, they should seek the freedom of the Vajrayana path. When they asked him to teach them, Kanha agreed and initiated them in the practice of Chinnamunda. The sisters undertook the practice together for the next 12 years, before travelling to Bengal to meet Kanha. When they declared that they had attained the siddhi of the Chinnamunda practice, Kanha demanded that they show their mastery by cutting off their heads. Without missing a beat, Mekhala and Kanakhala drew swords out of their mouths and beheaded themselves with a flourish. Brandishing their heads in their hands, they levitated and started dancing and singing: 'We have destroyed all distinctions between samsara and nirvana, we have united vision and action…we know no separation between self and others." A miniature painting from 11th century Bengal of the Tantric Buddhist goddess Kurukulla. Kanha hailed them as great siddhas, restored their severed heads to their bodies and authorised them to teach. According to the 17th century Tibetan historian Taranath's biography of Kanha, Mekhala and Kanakhala's performance even persuaded a local Bengali king to convert to Buddhism. Another time, the sisters came across a group of Shaiva tantric yogis who started heckling them. The sisters magically transported the yogis and their houses to a far away desert, and allowed the yogis to return only once they had apologised. Mekhala and Kanakhala's song of enlightenment survives in Tibetan translation. As does an instruction manual teaching would-be sadhakas the yoga and meditation techniques of visualising the deity Chinnamunda, and through this practice, experiencing the mahasukha (the Great Bliss). A HIDDEN TRADITION Lakshminkara, Mekhala and Kanakhala are but three women in a long list of named and unnamed Indian female masters of Vajrayana. These include the gurus of famous male siddhas like Sarahapada, who was taught by an unnamed tribal arrow-maker, who later became his consort. Then there was the 11th century Niguma, an important teacher in the lineage of the tantric Buddha Chakrasamvara. Others, like the housewife guru Manibhadra, or Vajravati, a Kashmiri Brahmin who rejected prejudice to learn from a siddha from a caste of basket weavers, serve as paradigmatic figures in the radical ideology of equality that underpins Vajrayana. All of them lived at a time when Buddhism was in its final, most socially radical phase in India. Squeezed between the oppressive political power of a resurgent Hinduism and weaponised caste rules, and the ever-present threat of violent military campaigns, the lives of the tantric siddhas became exemplary beacons of a life rooted in love, compassion, self-liberation, and a community of proud outcastes. Also Read | How the Kanheri Caves tell us a secret history of Mumbai Although now entirely forgotten in India, these siddhas were popular enough that many were imported into Hindu siddha traditions like that of the Shaivaite Natha-yogis. The lives and songs of other Buddhist masters were to be adopted by radical anti-caste Hindu groups like the Sahajiya Vaishnavas and later the Bauls. Goddesses like Chinnamunda Vajravarahi, whose entire tradition revolves around fiercely independent women, were absorbed by Hindu tantric traditions as Chinnamasta, in turn making these traditions more popular and humanistic in outlook. This secret revolution from within may well constitute the greatest victory of India's Buddhist women masters. Topics You May Be Interested In
India.com
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
This Is How Kolkata Dresses Up In Lights and Joy For Its Biggest Cultural Celebrations Every Year
Kolkata, often referred to as the 'Cultural Capital of India,' unites the past and the present, which contributes to the vibrant culture of the city. The festivals throughout the year turn the city into a beautiful collage of joy filled colors and lights. From the magnificence of Durga Puja to the soft contemplation of Eid, Kolkata's festivals are more than mere events, they are experiences that change the city's social and cultural perceptions forever. 1. Durga Puja: The Beat of the City's Heart The apex of the festive calendar of Kolkata is Durga Puja, which lasts five spectacular days commemorating Goddess Durga. The city goes through a complete transformation as each locality tries to put up the best pandals (temporary temples). Each Pandal is an example of architecture and decor, with some dedicated to social causes, world-famous buildings, and traditional arts. One notable pandal in 2022 was made entirely of recycled plastic to help promote environmental awareness, while another set of lights mimicked Egypt's pyramids. Kumartuli, the potters' quarter, bustles for months as artisans sculpt the clay idols for Durga. The rhythmic beats of dhak drums dance through the air while the streets are adorned with fairy lights and the ethereal silhouette of colorful installations. There is emotion in idol immersions to the Hooghly River, and vivid light in the adorned Sindoor Khela. The city transforms into an open-air theater as cultural performances such as experimental Baul music to theatre take over the streets. 2. Diwali & Kali Puja: A Symphony of Lights Kolkata's spirit shines its brightest during Kali Puja on the same night as Diwali, which is predominantly celebrated in North India. Temples like Kalighrat and Dakshineswar are covered in neon lights and marigolds which bring devotees for midnight worship, further glowing with marigold gold in the form of Fireworks adorning the skyline. Along with bursting of sweet love, gifts and lamps, it serves as a beautiful floral representation of the jubilant farben of Kali's chaos, and multi-faceted Kolkata's spiritual fervor at the same time. 3. Christmas: A Winter Wonderland In Park Street Flurys and Magnolia celebrate Christmas with plum cakes and rum balls. St. Paul Cathedral hosts midnight mass which is full of vibrant carols under gothic arches for tradition. These all bound traditions fuse with the modern LED displays to give an ethnic feel this December on Christmas. The festive celebration includes all religions coming together to ice skate on fancy hotel roofs or savor street kebabs on return. 4. Eid-ul-Fitr: A Thematic Celebration Full Of Food And Love Eid is specially celebrated in Park Circus and Zakaria Street with vibrant embroidery, ittar and- biryani paired with phirni. The well known Nakhoda Masjid radiates love and charity which captures the hearts of everyone hoping to feast during the joyous occasion. These deeds display the unity of the community powered by the Hindu populated areas sharing seviyan. Artistic Expressions: The City as a Canvas Beyond the festivities, Kolkata has streets teeming with innovation. Local artists' murals and graffiti beautify the city as folkloric and climate change themes fill the walls during the Durga Puja celebration. Abandoned buildings are beautified by the Kolkata Street Art Festival as they are transformed into grand works of art. Parks and roundabouts are also the homes of creative springs and oversized origami birds, and sculptures made of recycled materials. Even the famous yellow trams and taxis join in on the fun and get covered in festive decorations. Conclusion: The Spirit of Togetherness Kolkata's festivals are far more than just visual delights, they are a manifestation of the city's diverse nature. This multifaceted capital reveals its tenacious heart with its ability to transform itself from one era to another while blending religions and various art forms. From the sound of a priest chanting sacred mantras to children giggling while running after fireflies, Kolkata teaches us that humanity dances to a single beat during festivals. With the decorations taken down and lights being turned off, the essence of the city lingers; every celebration in the city is a heartfelt love letter to life. Kolkata redefines every festival as an opportunity to restart, rediscovering the ordinary and extraordinary.
Time of India
20-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
12 city stretches to be no-hoarding, no-advertisement zones: KMC
1 2 3 Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has decided not to allow hoardings and advertisements within 50 m of 12 key intersections in the city. It reiterated the no-advertisement zones in the city, which include the central business district, the Maidan, Park Street, Camac Street, East Kolkata Wetlands, Rabindra Sarobar, and Subhas Sarobar. Hoardings will not be allowed in green zones, which include Biswa Bangla Sarani between Kolkata airport and Science City, and the route from the airport to Nabanna via Chinar Park, VIP Road, Major Arterial Road through New Town, Maa flyover, and AJC Bose Road flyover. The notification also laid out conditions for the display of temporary banners during Durga Puja and other festivals while restricting the size of flex banners used for temporary display. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata The 12 crossings from where hoardings will be removed are Gariahat, Ballygunge Phari, Park Circus Seven Point, Moulali, Rajabazar, Ultadanga, Shyambazar Five Point, Hazra, Exide, Golpark, Taratala, and Rashbehari. Hoardings currently exist within 50 m at most of these intersections. Installation and display of hoardings have been prohibited within 25 m of buildings of archaeological, architectural, aesthetic, historical, or heritage importance. No advertisement will be allowed within 15 m of statues, minarets, or pillars of heritage importance. In places of religious significance, hoardings will not be allowed within 10 m. "No signboard or advertising hoardings shall obstruct natural light or ventilation of buildings," the notification read. Hoardings will be allowed from seven days prior to Mahalaya and up to seven days after Bijoya Dashami. For Kali Puja, hoardings will be allowed three days prior to the festival and till three days after the festival. No bamboo scaffoldings will be allowed at median verges and road dividers. The height of bamboo scaffolding/structure installed to mount advertisements will have to be restricted to 22 ft. "No such advertisement shall obstruct the visibility of existing street hoardings, bus shelters, LED monopoles, and other advertisements permitted by KMC," the notice said, adding, name of the puja committee concerned needs to be mentioned in a conspicuous manner.
News18
09-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
BJP To Reveal Bengal Manifesto For 2026 Polls After Durga Puja This Year; Here's What To Expect
News18 has learnt that Sukanta Majumdar, whose tenure as Bengal BJP chief has ended, has been entrusted with making suggestions for the assembly poll manifesto The West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party is likely to announce its Sankalp Patra (manifesto) for the assembly polls to be held in summer 2026 after Durga Puja this year, much ahead of the Election Commission's poll schedule announcement, sources told News18. 'The festivities in Bengal end with Kali Puja, closely followed by Bhai Phonta (Bhai Dooj). Soon after that, you can expect the manifesto to come out. The work for it has begun this week," said a state BJP functionary on condition of anonymity. News18 has learnt that Sukanta Majumdar, the union minister of state for education, whose tenure as Bengal BJP chief has ended, has been entrusted with making suggestions for the assembly poll manifesto. Simultaneously, many committees are being formed to campaign and implement programmes for the upcoming assembly elections. While sources in the Bengal BJP say it is premature to predict what the main highlights of the manifesto will be, they told News18 that the approach will be positive rather than negative. 'The manifesto won't talk about Trinamool Congress's corruption or appeasement. It will focus on what the BJP promises to deliver if it comes to power," a source added. In the 2021 manifesto called Sonar Banglar Sonkolpo Potro, the BJP promised the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the first cabinet meeting, assured to provide arrears of Rs 18,000 to 75 lakh farmers under PM-Kisan, promised to implement the seventh pay commission for state government employees, and 33 per cent reservation for women in state government jobs, among a slew of other promises. In the coming months, the BJP is expected to seek mass feedback from the public, asking for suggestions both online and offline (through feedback boxes) for its Sankalp Patra. These suggestions will be screened, and a selected few are likely to make it to the printed copy, sources said. Recently, Samik Bhattacharya became the party unit president, taking over from Sukanta Majumdar. The handover ceremony saw a significant shift with the BJP flaunting a huge photo of Goddess Kali without slogans of 'Jai Shri Ram". Party co-in-charge Amit Malviya's post on X stressing that the Bengal BJP will reclaim 'Bengal's true identity, rooted in Maa Kali, Maa Durga, Devi Chandi, Mahaprabhu Chaitanya, and the fearless spirit of Banga Shakti" raises questions about whether the cover of the BJP manifesto will feature any of these deities. view comments First Published: July 09, 2025, 08:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Pink Villa
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
MAA Ending Explained: Who is the real villain in Kajol's supernatural drama and does post-credit scene hint at Shaitaan 2?
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers. MAA, starring Kajol in the lead, is now running in cinemas. The Vishal Furia-directed movie blends horror with mythology, exploring the ultimate battle between Goddess Kali and the demon Raktabeej. Although the climax of MAA follows the typical ending of triumph over evil, the way it is shot and presented makes it a chilling experience for the audience. Still, if you are confused about the climax and couldn't understand how the last act unfolded and whether it is connected to Shaitaan 2, then keep scrolling further. Maa movie ending explained: Who is the real villain? The climax of Maa shows Ambika (played by Kajol) trying to return to Kolkata from her village with her daughter Shweta, after a demon attempts to abduct her. However, she couldn't succeed as the evil forces attacked her and threw her out of the car, resulting in Shweta getting abducted. Furthermore, Ambika found herself in a hut belonging to an old woman, who was regarded as a witch with a 40-year-old history. The old woman further narrates a story to Ambika and tells her how she was ostracized. She also revealed the man behind all conspiracies and evil practices in the village and he is none other than Joy Dada (played by Ronit Roy). The old woman revealed that it was Joy who sacrificed the baby to the demon and then r*ped her. He was the one who influenced people to believe that the woman was a witch, as she was against sacrificing the girl child when she performed Kali Puja. Meanwhile, cops confront Joy Dada (demon), who admitted to murdering Shuvankar (Ambika's husband) and his own father to make sure Ambika and Shweta return to the village, so that he can fulfil his sinister intent of impregnating Shweta's womb. Joy Dada mentioned that he was confronted by the demon Raktabeej who had asked him to bring the next girl child of his family when she hits puberty so that he can put Raktabeej inside her. How does Ambika fight the demon? Did Shweta get impregnated? At her ancestral home, Ambika performs the Kali Puja and takes the blessings of the divine power to triumph over evil. She further heads towards the haunted forest only to be killed brutally by the demon. Thankfully, she is reborn with divine powers of Maa Kali and achieves a victory over evil by taking out his heart. Meanwhile, Ambika's daughter Shweta gets impregnated by the devil, which forces Ambika to sacrifice her own daughter for the sake of the people. When she was about to behead her daughter, all the souls of earlier sacrificed girl children appeared. Meanwhile, the old woman stops Ambika and reveals that the prophecies of Maa Kali were misinterpreted, and the Goddess has reversed the Demon's raktabeej from Shweta's womb. Does the post-credit scene of Maa hint at Shaitaan 2? In the post-credit scene, a man wearing a hoodie (played by R Madhavan) enters the haunted forest with the background song of Shaitaan. He then collects the ashes of the demon in one hand and turns himself into a demon. Hinting at Shaitaan 2, Madhavan's character Vanaraj says, 'Tum insaano ki sbse badi bewakoofi pta hai kya hai? Tumhe lagta hai tumne bure ko maar kar burai ko maar diya, mujhe maar diya. Lekin jab tak iss Brahmand me insan zinda rahega, tab tak uske andar ka Shaitaan zinda rahega.' Vanraj laughs and the credits start rolling.
