notes:
Way back in early 1900s, W. W. Hunter has made a reference of a `blood thirsty goddess` while he was conducting a socio-cultural survey in eastern parts of Bengal. I came across several stories of human sacrifices in certain parts of Bengal while I was traveling in to the extensively interior and virgin parts of rural areas of eastern parts of West Bengal as a photographer with an ultimate aim of showcasing the wonders of the social life, ethnic uniqueness, folk lore, rites and rituals of jungle based Santhals, Mundas, Lodhas and Kharias. I found their folklore, folk-tales and religious rituals are still vital, although it is diminishing and is sure to disappear if not protected.
Although, I was there as an observer, I could not help asking one question to one of the local scholars who is pursuing his Ph. D. on the tribal deities of India ( who was also there with our team to witness the event as a reporting scholar). My question was whether goddess chвndi really need this much animal blood and whether this kind of mass slaughtering just for the sake of cruelty is justified. He replied that’s there is an intrinsic relationship of blood with religion. The Christians drink blood during the Easter; Aztec priests offer pulsating human hearts to the sacred temples of Tenochitlan, Islam sacrifices camels and goats, and so on. It is because of the deep rooted socio-religious beliefs these ethnic tribes incubating for centuries. We should try to assess the event in its totality in an impartial, objective and honest way.
I was hesitating whether I should post these images to internet or not because of the heretic contents of the photographs. However, on further thought, I decide to do so because it is up to the individual to accept, reject or appreciate this event. My job is just to represent the truth the way it is. I surmise I should not refrain from doing so.
Please correct me if I am wrong.
References:
# Russell & Hiralal, Tribe and Castes of Central Province, 1916,
Vol- IV. London, UK.
# Bhowmik, P. K., the Lodhas of west Bengal,
# The census of India, 1951, District hand book, Midnapore.
#Mukherjee. S K., ‘Chang: A dying Folk-Art of the Lodha tribes of Subarnarekha Basin’. Folk and Tribal Cultural Centre, Dept. of Information and Cultural Affairs, Govt. of West Bengal, 2001.
