The “Kola Bou” (কলা বউ) of God Ganesha, fascinates any Bengali kid. One of the first rituals of Durgapuja is of the Kola Bou. It is the “Kola Bou Snan”.
Kola Bou: Popularly known as the wife of God Ganesha. The alternative story says, she is the manifestation of Maa Durga. It is a young banana tree, draped in a white saree with red border. Like the Bengali bride sports vermilion on the parting of her hair, the Kola Bou does the same.
Haridas Mitra, saya that the Kola bou is intended to serve as a symbolic summary of the nine types of leaves (“Nava Patrika”) that together form the sacred complex on Durga Puja. The officiating priests who carry out the ceremony tie a bunch of eight plants on the trunk of the plantain tree and it is the grouping of all nine plants that constitute the Kola bou. According to Martin-Dubost, the Kola bou does not represent a bride or shakti of Ganesha, but rather is the plant form of Durga.
This was the first time I saw something as this.. and it was an over whelming experience. I got to see the dark blue of the sky giving in to the golden glow of the sun rise, while I kept listening to a friend of mine. The cool breeze, the river bank, the Dhaak beats, the sky of the Indian autumn and it leaves no space left to make an awesome morning, an awesome start to the Durga Puja.
Do take a look at the photographs and share your honest view. I am a learner, and your views shall help me better my skills, develop better ideas.
Where to shoot: Any Ganga ghat from Baghbazar to Prinsep ghat.
Time: Slightly before sunrise.
With inputs from : Aniket Bhattacharya
Photograph courtesy : Anirban Saha Photography
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