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Tiger-Riding Goddess: Bankura Zamindar Family's 200-Year Durga Puja Tradition with Silver Palanquin
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News18•23-09-2026, 16:34
Tiger-Riding Goddess: Bankura Zamindar Family's 200-Year Durga Puja Tradition with Silver Palanquin
- •Bankura's Bandyopadhyay Zamindar family celebrates a 200-year-old Durga Puja where the goddess is tiger-riding, not lion-riding.
- •The family's wealth grew from indigo business, with taxes once arriving on elephant back.
- •Following ancient traditions, the Nabapatrika arrives in a silver palanquin, and the idol's immersion also takes place in a silver palanquin.
- •The idol is crafted according to Shri Shri Chandi, with the goddess's face handmade by artists across generations, not from a mold.
- •Immense zamindari income led to the establishment of a grand estate, including temples like Dwadash Shiva and Giri Govardhan.
Key Questions Answered
The Durga Puja of the Bandyopadhyay Zamindar family in Ayodhya village is two hundred years old.
Unlike many other pujas, the goddess here is tiger-riding instead of lion-riding, and her face is hand-made by generational artisans according to the description in Shri Shri Chandi rather than using a mold.
Following old traditions, the Nabapatrika still arrives in a silver palanquin, and the mother's farewell or immersion also takes place in a silver palanquin.
