Stories
Chakdighi Zamindar House in Purba Bardhaman Shines Bright with Heritage
- •The Durga Puja of the Singharay zamindar house in Chakdighi, Purba Bardhaman, is renowned for its deep-rooted traditions starting right from Pratipada.
- •Unique rituals include worshipping the goddess with land lotuses and performing Sandhi Puja with 108 water lotuses.
- •The historic estate holds memories of Pandit Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar and hosted acclaimed director Satyajit Ray for a film shoot.
- •Tracing its roots to Rajasthan, the Singharay family ancestors established their zamindari and contributed significantly to public welfare and education.
Key Questions Answered
The Durga Puja at the Chakdighi Singharay family home begins on Pratipada, featuring Vedic rituals and a single-chal framework decorated with 'dak saz' where the goddess is flanked by Jaya and Bijaya. A unique custom includes worshipping the goddess with land lotuses (Sthalpadma) and using 108 water lotuses during Sandhi Puja. The daily naibedya includes various fruits, cashews, raisins, and sweets like sugar sandesh, with makha sandesh added from Maha Ashtami onward.
Pandit Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar frequently attended the Singharay family's Durga Puja, using two rooms and a paved pond ghat adjacent to the zamindar house to study and write. Additionally, the historic house served as a shooting location where renowned film director Satyajit Ray stayed to shoot his film.
According to family history, the ancestors of the Chakdighi zamindars were Rajput Kshatriyas, with Nal Singh originally coming from Rajasthan to settle in the area. The family amassed great wealth after acquiring the zamindari from Raja Krishnachandra, and their prominence peaked under Saradaprasad Singharay, who heavily invested in public welfare like building the Chakdighi Hospital and a school.
