Uncanny Solace: Bizarre Rituals
© Arka Dutta
Arka Dutta: Gajan and Charak Festival
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In Bengal, Gajan and Charak stand unique in the scenario of festivals in today's modern age. Hindus celebrate the festival mainly on the last two days of the month of Chaitra, just before Bengali New Year. This falls around mid-April. Although it is celebrated mostly in rural Bengal, the festival is still celebrated in some parts of metropolitan city of Kolkata as well.
The festival is linked to agricultural community, directly or indirectly. They pray for the rains and better harvest. Lord Shiva is said to be closely related to this community. However interestingly it is widely believed that the origin and the nature of these festivals is connected to the conversion of the Buddhist monks to Hinduism. It gradually transformed into a festival of Lord Shiva but the Tantric rituals of Buddhism got absorbed in the festivities including acts of penance as well as the thought of monasticism. Rituals like dance with human skulls, body piercing and fire plays are seen during this time.
The festival which is now called "Shiber Gajan", which closely means "Lord Shiva's worshiping and songs" was once called “Dharmer Gajan”. This Dharma-thakur is said to have been originated from Dharmaraj of Buddhism.
Gajan celebration is performed by the devotees signifying marriages of the male forces of Shiva, Nil or Dharmaraj with their respective consorts. One way it signifies the union of the forces of sun and earth. On the other hand the tradition of Charak Puja is all about worshipping the Charak tree and the several penance acts performed by Charak Sanyasis.
It is believed that these acts of penance actually functions as a near-role reversal for men attempting to experience the pains of womanhood, including childbirth. It is believed that the agricultural community, which considers the agricultural soils as mother, believes they impart pain to the soil and thus to their mother, during acts like plowing, harvesting, and thus they undergo such acts of penance to feel the same amount of pain.
The festival still to some extent a great social leveler. The persons who were involved in the festival become a Shiva Devotee and are respected by all. In earlier days the peasants who were involved in acts of penance were respected by the Landlord.
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About Arka Dutta
Arka Dutta is an independent photographer who is keen on doing documentary and journalistic photography, which aims to preserve reality and serve as a dialogue for the present and the future. Love for travel and the urge to experience different social, cultural, and environmental affairs and events motivated Arka to take up photography. He is self-taught.
The primary focus of his photographs is to portray the various environmental, cultural and social elements that can draw attention to problems or apprise events and efforts that can motivate. The works have tried to encompass different subjects from climate change, gender biases to cultural and social events that exalt humanity or give a glimpse of its diverse nature.
Arka was born in 1983 and I live in the city of Kolkata in India. He studied engineering and have a B.Tech degree in Mechanical stream. Arka has recently completed a work on the Bahuroopis of West Bengal and doing a long-term environmental project in Sundarbans.
Publications/Awards/Grants
Work chosen for Grant by Sahapedia. The work on Bahuroopis of Birbhum was completed under the mentorship of Dinesh Khanna. It was published by Sahapedia.
Awarded 3rd Prize at Days Japan Photo-Journalism Award. 2018
Keynote speaker at Victoria Memorial, on behalf of Ministry of Culture, presenting my photographic work on Kumbha Mela along with a talk. 2019.
Worked with Mr. Vindu Goyel of New York Times on covering volatile political atmosphere of West Bengal. His role included doing field research, content contributor and as a photographer. The story was published in both digital and print media in New York Times. 2019.
Worked with Mr. Josh Haner of New York Times on a story on death of Indian climbers on Mt. Everest and how their remains were found and recovered after a year. The story was published as Deliverance from 27000 feet in New York Times.
Photographs published at CNN showing environmental pollution of Jharia Coal mines. 2019
Was Awarded as Photographer of the Year at Black and White Spider Awards. 2018.
Photographs/series published in National Geographic, FeatureShoot, Washington Post, New York Times, SDN etc.
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