Pantheon of Manasa Puja and its link to Assam

1. MYTHOLOGICAL LINK OF ASSAMESE FOLK CULTURE-
BEHULA AND DEODHANI DANCE.
Presented by: Siddiqur Rehman
Date: February 5, 2013.

2. BACKGROUND OF THE TOPIC

3. BEHULA THE PROTAGONIST OF THE FOLKLORE
The protagonist Behula of the mythological fame Behula found her
way to heaven through perseverance to revive her dead husband.
She is often seen as the archetypal Hindu woman, full of love and
courage.
Behula, whose destiny spoke that she will never be a widow.
Behula had committed no sin for which she should be given such a
harsh punishment. (Widowhood)
She pleased all the Gods with her beautiful and enchanting dance
and got the Gods boon to give back her husband's life on the
condition that Chand Sadagar would give anjali to Manasa.
Behula is regarded as the epitome of loving and loyal wife in the
Hindu culture.
The protagonist Behula of the mythological fame Behula found her
way to heaven through perseverance to revive her dead husband.
She is often seen as the archetypal Hindu woman, full of love and
courage.
Behula, whose destiny spoke that she will never be a widow.
Behula had committed no sin for which she should be given such a
harsh punishment. (Widowhood)
She pleased all the Gods with her beautiful and enchanting dance
and got the Gods boon to give back her husband's life on the
condition that Chand Sadagar would give anjali to Manasa.
Behula is regarded as the epitome of loving and loyal wife in the
Hindu culture.

4. MANASA –THE SERPENT GODDESS
 Manasa is depicted as a woman covered with snakes, sitting on
a lotus or standing upon a snake.
Manasa is ceremonially worshipped on Nag Panchami - a festival
of snake worship in the Hindu month of Shravan (July–August).
Manasa had to get "Anjali" by Chand Sadagar's right hand to get
position of Goddess in the heaven.
Deodhani dance is a ritual dance performed in honour of the
serpent goddess Manasa.
 Manasa is depicted as a woman covered with snakes, sitting on
a lotus or standing upon a snake.
Manasa is ceremonially worshipped on Nag Panchami - a festival
of snake worship in the Hindu month of Shravan (July–August).
Manasa had to get "Anjali" by Chand Sadagar's right hand to get
position of Goddess in the heaven.
Deodhani dance is a ritual dance performed in honour of the
serpent goddess Manasa.

5. The goddess Manasā in a dense jungle landscape
with snakes.
Source: Wikipedia

6. ORIGIN OF MANASA PANTHEON
Puranas are the first scriptures to speak about her birth. They declare that sage
Kashyapa is her father, not Shiva as described in the Mangalkavyas. Once, when
serpents and reptiles had created chaos on the earth, sage Kashyapa created
goddess Manasa from his mind (mana). The creator god Brahma made her the
presiding deity of snakes and reptiles. Manasa gained control over the earth, by the
power of mantras she chanted. Manasa then propitiated the god, Shiva, who told her
to please Krishna. Upon being pleased, Krishna granted her divine Siddhi powers and
ritually worshipped her, making her an established goddess.
Originally an Adivasi (tribal) goddess, Manasa was accepted in the pantheon
worshipped by Hindu lower caste groups. Later, she was included in a higher caste
Hindu pantheon, where she is now regarded as a Hindu goddess rather than a tribal
one. As a Hindu goddess, she was recognized as a daughter of
sage Kashyapa and Kadru, the mother of all Nāgas. By the 14th century, Manasa was
identified as the goddess of fertility and marriage rites and was assimilated into
the Shaiva pantheon as a relative of Shiva. Myths glorified her by describing that she
saved Shiva after he drank poison, and venerated her as the "remover of poison". Her
popularity grew and spread to southern India, and her cult began to rival Shaivism
itself. As a consequence, stories attributing Manasa's birth to Shiva emerged and
ultimately Shaivism adopted this indigenous goddess into the Brahmanical tradition
of mainstream Hinduism.
Puranas are the first scriptures to speak about her birth. They declare that sage
Kashyapa is her father, not Shiva as described in the Mangalkavyas. Once, when
serpents and reptiles had created chaos on the earth, sage Kashyapa created
goddess Manasa from his mind (mana). The creator god Brahma made her the
presiding deity of snakes and reptiles. Manasa gained control over the earth, by the
power of mantras she chanted. Manasa then propitiated the god, Shiva, who told her
to please Krishna. Upon being pleased, Krishna granted her divine Siddhi powers and
ritually worshipped her, making her an established goddess.
Originally an Adivasi (tribal) goddess, Manasa was accepted in the pantheon
worshipped by Hindu lower caste groups. Later, she was included in a higher caste
Hindu pantheon, where she is now regarded as a Hindu goddess rather than a tribal
one. As a Hindu goddess, she was recognized as a daughter of
sage Kashyapa and Kadru, the mother of all Nāgas. By the 14th century, Manasa was
identified as the goddess of fertility and marriage rites and was assimilated into
the Shaiva pantheon as a relative of Shiva. Myths glorified her by describing that she
saved Shiva after he drank poison, and venerated her as the "remover of poison". Her
popularity grew and spread to southern India, and her cult began to rival Shaivism
itself. As a consequence, stories attributing Manasa's birth to Shiva emerged and
ultimately Shaivism adopted this indigenous goddess into the Brahmanical tradition
of mainstream Hinduism.

7. MYTHS ASSOCIATED WITH MANASA
The Mangalkavyas were devotional paeans to local deities such as Manasa,
composed in Bengal between the 13th and the 18th centuries. The Manasa
Mangalkavya by Bijay Gupta and Manasa Vijaya (1495) by Bipradas Pipilai trace the
origin and myths of the goddess.
According to Manasa Vijaya, Manasa was born when a statue of girl that had been
sculpted by Vasuki's mother was touched by Shiva's semen. Vasuki accepted
Manasa as his sister, and granted her charge of the poison that was produced when
King Prithu milked the Earth as a cow. When Shiva saw Manasa, he was sexually
attracted to her, but she proved to him that he was her father. Shiva took Manasa to
his home where his wife, Chandi, suspected Manasa of being Shiva's concubine or
co-wife, and insulted Manasa and burnt one of her eyes, leaving Manasa half-blind.
Later, when Shiva was dying of poison, Manasa cured him. On one occasion, when
Chandi kicked her, Manasa rendered her senseless with a glance of her poison eye.
Finally, tired of quarrels between Manasa and Chandi, Shiva deserted Manasa under
a tree, but created a companion for her from his tears of remorse, called Neto or
Netā.
The Mangalkavyas were devotional paeans to local deities such as Manasa,
composed in Bengal between the 13th and the 18th centuries. The Manasa
Mangalkavya by Bijay Gupta and Manasa Vijaya (1495) by Bipradas Pipilai trace the
origin and myths of the goddess.
According to Manasa Vijaya, Manasa was born when a statue of girl that had been
sculpted by Vasuki's mother was touched by Shiva's semen. Vasuki accepted
Manasa as his sister, and granted her charge of the poison that was produced when
King Prithu milked the Earth as a cow. When Shiva saw Manasa, he was sexually
attracted to her, but she proved to him that he was her father. Shiva took Manasa to
his home where his wife, Chandi, suspected Manasa of being Shiva's concubine or
co-wife, and insulted Manasa and burnt one of her eyes, leaving Manasa half-blind.
Later, when Shiva was dying of poison, Manasa cured him. On one occasion, when
Chandi kicked her, Manasa rendered her senseless with a glance of her poison eye.
Finally, tired of quarrels between Manasa and Chandi, Shiva deserted Manasa under
a tree, but created a companion for her from his tears of remorse, called Neto or
Netā.

8. MANASA PUJA AND DEODHANI DANCE
The cult of Manasa is most widespread in Bengal and lower Assam districts,
where she is ritually worshipped in temples. The goddess is widely worshipped
in the rainy season, when the snakes are most active.
She is worshipped for protection from and cure of snake bites and infectious
diseases like smallpox and chicken pox.
The cult of Manasa is most widespread in Bengal and lower Assam districts,
where she is ritually worshipped in temples. The goddess is widely worshipped
in the rainy season, when the snakes are most active.
She is worshipped for protection from and cure of snake bites and infectious
diseases like smallpox and chicken pox.
Deodhani Dance considered as a form of wild dance evolved from two places
of Assam, Mangaldai and Uttarlakhimpur. This dance is performed at the time
of `Manasa Puja`
Deodhani Dance considered as a form of wild dance evolved from two places
of Assam, Mangaldai and Uttarlakhimpur. This dance is performed at the time
of `Manasa Puja`

9. ORIGIN OF DEODHANI DANCE
The Oja-Pali is the most distinctive form of folk dance drama in Assam. The group
is an amalgam of chorus singers and dancers led by the ‘Oja'; and ‘Pali' – his
assistants. They dance, play small cymbals and sing narrative songs from the
Epics and the Puranas.
The Oja-Pali troupes can be divided in to two – the one connected to the
Vaishanava tradition and other to the Manasa cult. The former, known as
‘Ramayan-goa' Oja-Pali uses recitation of verses from the Mahabharata or
theRamayana. The other is known as the ‘Sukanayani Sukanani' Oja-Pali and
draws its themes from the Padmapurana written by Sukavi Narayanadev.
Deodhani dance form of Assam is a not a classical dance form and not even folk
dance; it is a semi classical form. This dance includes 2 types. One type is trance
and another is semi classical. Within the southwest Kamrup & Mangaldoi parts of
the Assam, this dance form is common. These areas are connected to Sukanani
Oja Pall.
The Oja-Pali is the most distinctive form of folk dance drama in Assam. The group
is an amalgam of chorus singers and dancers led by the ‘Oja'; and ‘Pali' – his
assistants. They dance, play small cymbals and sing narrative songs from the
Epics and the Puranas.
The Oja-Pali troupes can be divided in to two – the one connected to the
Vaishanava tradition and other to the Manasa cult. The former, known as
‘Ramayan-goa' Oja-Pali uses recitation of verses from the Mahabharata or
theRamayana. The other is known as the ‘Sukanayani Sukanani' Oja-Pali and
draws its themes from the Padmapurana written by Sukavi Narayanadev.
Deodhani dance form of Assam is a not a classical dance form and not even folk
dance; it is a semi classical form. This dance includes 2 types. One type is trance
and another is semi classical. Within the southwest Kamrup & Mangaldoi parts of
the Assam, this dance form is common. These areas are connected to Sukanani
Oja Pall.

10. Deodhanis and Deodhar in dance movement in Shakti Peeth Kamakhya.
Source: Demotix.com

11. Deodhani dance depicts the process of worshiping Devi Manasa.
The dancers wear Mekhala, the traditional dress of Assamese, in Muga, red
blouse as their dress along with traditional jewellery.
While dancing the dancers leave their hair open and they dance to the tune
of Jaidhol (a cylindrical percussion instrument) and Khutitaal (palm sized
Cymbal).
Dancers’ rotating their head in rapid circular motion with open stresses is a
striking moment of this dance. It is performed solo or in a group of three or
four females.
The dance begins when a young woman drinks the raw blood of a pigeon
and goes into a trance and starts the dance with slow movements. As the
tempo of the music increases, the dance became faster and the dancer spins
the whole body like a top and twists the neck, imitating a snake. This goes on
till the dancer falls exhausted into a swoon.
Deodhani dance depicts the process of worshiping Devi Manasa.
The dancers wear Mekhala, the traditional dress of Assamese, in Muga, red
blouse as their dress along with traditional jewellery.
While dancing the dancers leave their hair open and they dance to the tune
of Jaidhol (a cylindrical percussion instrument) and Khutitaal (palm sized
Cymbal).
Dancers’ rotating their head in rapid circular motion with open stresses is a
striking moment of this dance. It is performed solo or in a group of three or
four females.
The dance begins when a young woman drinks the raw blood of a pigeon
and goes into a trance and starts the dance with slow movements. As the
tempo of the music increases, the dance became faster and the dancer spins
the whole body like a top and twists the neck, imitating a snake. This goes on
till the dancer falls exhausted into a swoon.
DANCE AS PERFORMED IN THE PUJA

12. TRADITION LINKED TO BEHULA AND MANASA

13. BIBLIOGRAPHY & REFERENCES

14. THANK YOU