Artist : Dukhushyam Chitrakar
Transcript
All hail our mother, goddess Durga.
She is the destroyer of all woes.
In the southern part of India, she is also known as Nagendra Nandini.
She has ten hands, adorning ten different directions.
Her third eye burns right in the middle of her forehead.
Goddess Durga has her children – goddess Lakshmi, goddess Saraswati, lord Kartika and lord Ganesha by her side.
Having defeated Asura, the lion, too, walks beside the triumphant mother.
One fine morning, goddess Durga felt compassionate and came down to meet Kalketu under the shade of the pomegranate tree, in the guise of a chameleon.
Kalketu, ignorant of the goddess’s guise, caught hold of the chameleon and put it inside an earthen vessel.
He brought ‘it’ home.
His wife, Phullara removed the lid of the vessel and watched the chameleon transform into a beautiful woman sitting at the threshold of the hut.
The ascetic man (Dhanapati) was imprisoned for twelve years.
Meanwhile, his wife Khullana, gave birth to a child named Srimanta.
Srimanta was a profoundly learned and wise man.
He expressed his wish to embark on a quest to find out his missing father.
Khullana became perturbed on hearing this.
She said she could let her only child embark on such an arduous journey if goddess Durga could be summoned to accompany him.
Responding to her prayers, goddess Durga descended.
Khullana handed over the responsibility of her son to goddess Durga.
Srimanta boarded the ship while singing praises of goddess Bhavani (Durga).
Even when lightning struck, and the weather was turbulent, even when a congregation of alligators swarmed around,
Goddess Durga sat still on a lotus, along with her son Ganesha.
Kamala Kamini (Durga) was seated amidst a hundred lotuses.
It seemed as if Ganesha’s mother was devouring a hundred elephants.
The ship kept sailing.
The king of Sinhala was seated on a bejeweled throne.
On a bejeweled throne, king Shaliban was seated.
Srimanta stood in front of him with folded hands.
Srimanta narrated how he had witnessed Kamala Kamini braving all odds and devouring elephants, despite being a woman.
Hearing his story, the king said that he would give away half his kingdom and his daughter’s hand in marriage, if Srimanta could prove what he narrated.
The king further added that if Srimanta couldn’t prove his words, he would be killed.
The king of Sinhala made up his mind and left for Kalidaha to get a glimpse of Kamala Kamini.
The goddess of wisdom, mother Bhagwati (Durga) hatched a plan.
She hid herself amidst a cluster of lotuses.
Srimanta failed to prove his words and was in an awkward situation.
The king called for the security personnel and got him arrested.
Goddess Durga appeared in the guise of an old Brahmin lady.
Immediately, Srimanta’s shackles got unfastened on its own.
The king had ordered his guards to behead Srimanta.
But goddess Durga stood in front of them with her eighteen hands.
The houses graced with your presence, oh mother, and the people who have worshipped you are indeed blessed.
Even Indra became the king of gods because he worshipped you and had your blessings.
I give you a boon, Srimanta.
I give you a boon.
Get married to king Shaliban’s daughter.
Srimanta got married to the king’s daughter.
People from all corners of the country were welcomed to the grand wedding feast.