Christmas Trip to East- Legend of Bon-Bibi in Sunderbans

large no of tributries meander towards Bay of Bengal

A fisherman Couple fishing, small boats are more ecofreindly (photo: taken from steamer boat)



I first came to know about Bon Bibi while reading Amitava Ghosh's ‘Hungry Tide’ these days my favorite author. In fact, Sunderbans unfolded before me because I read that book and strong urge took me to Kolkat and than Sunderbans this annual Christmas vacation with Seema and kids

Banbibi, Bandevi, Bandurga and Byaghradevi is a guardian deity of the forests worshipped by both the Hindu and the Muslim residents of the Sundarbans She is worshipped by the Maules(honey-collectors) and the Baules( woodcutters)

Thick mangroves(Photo: Taken at cement Jetty)

According to the legend, there was a Sufi fakir who lived in Medina. he had two children, Bon Bibi and a son Shah Jongoli. When they grew up, Achangel Gabriel, asked them to go on a divine mission to Sunderbans, in India. There they came across a demon, Raja Dokkhin Rai, who had this fondness for human flesh.



Temples dedicated to Bon bibi are sacttered throughout the land, Bonbibi although muslim character is always a form of Durga, Dokken rai is Tiger form.This photograph was tyaken at Forest checkpoints let me add here that government actively promotes the legend and all Forest resthouses have temples dedicated to Bon bibi



Once there were Moule Dhona who planned to go for an expedition with a fleet of seven boats to collect honey in a dense forest and he takes along a poor shepherd boy Dukhe, When the fleet reaches kingdom of Dakkhin Rai, Dhona forgot to give an offering to Dakkhin Rai. As a result, he is not able to collect any honey of wax for three days. On the third night, Dakkhin Ray appeared in dreams of Dhona and asked for the human sacrifice. After some arguments with Dakkhin Rai, greedy Dhona agreed to sacrifice Dukhe in exchange of honey and wax. So, after collecting enough wax and honey, he left Dukhe there and returned back to village. When Dukhe was about to be killed by Dakkhin Ray in the disguise of a tiger, he started chanting prayers invoking Banbibi. On hearing his chant, Banbibi came along with her brother Shah Jangali. and defeated Dakkhin Rai.

Sunset near Bangladesh border (Photo: As taken from our steamer)

Bon Bibi divided the forest into areas where people will live and where the tiger would live.the wild parts of the forest are the domain of Dokkhin Rai So powerful is this prohibition that villagers will not urinate, defecate or spit while collecting honey or firewood.



The Bon Bibi (lady of the forest) legend uses the power of folklore to draw a connection between human beings and the world of nature ,The story serves as a melting pot for different cultures Local 'jatra'-s travel from village to village enacting the story, all the year round.

JATRA in progress at resort where we stayed