SURYYA KUMAR CHETIA
JORHAT, Sept 23 – Preparations for Durga Puja at the historic Burhi Gosani Devalaya, situated at the heart of Jorhat town, is going on full swing. Like in previous years, the Devalaya is ready to welcome the devotees from far and wide coming to offer prayers.
This more than 200 year old devalaya at Jorhat is one of those where animal sacrifices are offered to the goddess Durga. People still believe in the supernatural power of the devalaya.
The origin of this devalaya dates back to hundreds of years. It is believed that the ancestors of the priests of the Burhi Gosani Devalaya were originally from Bengal. A Brahmin family of the clan came with the idol of the goddess and began to worship it on the bank of the Burhi river in the Jayantiya Hills. The simple folk of the hills were easily allured by the worship and they began to believe in the charm of the goddess. The priests too gave advice during the hard times of the locals. The tribal people benefited by the recommendations of the priests during their ailment, and were attracted towards the goddess. The information of the worship reached the Jayantiya king and he invited the priests to the court. Being impressed by the scholarship and pedantry of the priests, the king offered land and property to them. Thus the worship of the ‘Gosani’ got momentum under the patronisation of the Jayantiya king.
It was the golden period of Ahom rule in Rangpur during that time. Swargadeu Rudra Singha, the greatest and mightiest of all Ahom Kings was in the throne. His ambitious plan to set up ‘Greater Asam’ led him to invade the neighbouring countries. He united several lakhs of soldiers to invade Bengal. During this mission he sent Borboruah and Borphukan to conquer the Kachari and Jayantiya kingdoms. In the war the Jayantiya king Ramsingha was defeated and driven away by the Ahom troops to Biswanath. The Ahom king ordered his commander to bring the goddess to him. But the goddess appeared in the dream and said to the commander of Ahom troops, “I shall not leave the kingdom. If you want, you may fetch the statue and ‘Yoni’ of the Gosani which is near the Burhi river”. When the Ahoms attempted to bring Jayanteswari, dysentery like disease broke out among the soldiers. Then the Ahom commander took the statue and yoni of the goddess who was near the Burhi river. The name Burhi Gosani was derived from it. This statue was of the goddess of Durga, the goddess of power and might
When Ahoms took the Gosani from the Jayantiya, they also brought the priest of the goddess, Sanatan with them. The Ahom king honoured him with the title Pujaghoria Boruah. The priests in the devalaya are the descendents of Sanatan. Since then they use the title Boruah after their names. The descendents of Sanatan are still offering worship in the devalaya following the tradition of their great grandfather. According to a saying, after the idol was brought to Rangpur, Ahom Swargadeu replaced the priest of Sanatan’s clan with another Brahmin. But everywhere there appeared disorder in the country. So, the priest was again reinstated to the post.
During the last years of the Ahom kingdom, Swargadeu Gourinath Singha, following the advice of his minister Purnananda Burhagohain, shifted his capital from Rongpur to Jorhat due to the numerous attacks from Morans and ‘Maan’s. Though he shifted the Gosani, he could not build the Devalaya due to the instability prevailing in the country and the several mutinies during that time. Unfortunately the Tamrapatra (copper edict) of the Ahom kings, which was the proof of the donation of land and property for the devalaya was lost during the advent of the Maan invaders. Therefore, during the rule of the British, the devalaya had received nothing. During the last Ahom king Swargadeu Purandar Singha, a temporary house was built to worship the goddess. The items required for the worship were supplied by the royal family even that time and the first portion of the ‘Naibedya’ was offered in the name of the king. When the Ahom kingdom come to an end, the worship was done with the donation from the public. Then onwards this tradition has been going on till date.
This is one of the devalaya where sacrifices of animals are offered in front of the goddess every year during the Durga Puja. “At least 300 sacrifices were offered to the goddess last year” said one of the organisers. The 14 antique sacrificial swords put in front of the idol remind the visitors about the slaughter of animals once done in front of the Gosani every day.
“The desires of the devotees have been fulfilled by the goddess if anybody offers prayer with a sacred heart” said Bibhuti Boruah, secretary of the puja committee. Therefore, people from far and wide come to offer their prayer to the goddess on the occasion of Durga Puja. ASSAM TRIBUNE
JORHAT, Sept 23 – Preparations for Durga Puja at the historic Burhi Gosani Devalaya, situated at the heart of Jorhat town, is going on full swing. Like in previous years, the Devalaya is ready to welcome the devotees from far and wide coming to offer prayers.
This more than 200 year old devalaya at Jorhat is one of those where animal sacrifices are offered to the goddess Durga. People still believe in the supernatural power of the devalaya.
The origin of this devalaya dates back to hundreds of years. It is believed that the ancestors of the priests of the Burhi Gosani Devalaya were originally from Bengal. A Brahmin family of the clan came with the idol of the goddess and began to worship it on the bank of the Burhi river in the Jayantiya Hills. The simple folk of the hills were easily allured by the worship and they began to believe in the charm of the goddess. The priests too gave advice during the hard times of the locals. The tribal people benefited by the recommendations of the priests during their ailment, and were attracted towards the goddess. The information of the worship reached the Jayantiya king and he invited the priests to the court. Being impressed by the scholarship and pedantry of the priests, the king offered land and property to them. Thus the worship of the ‘Gosani’ got momentum under the patronisation of the Jayantiya king.
It was the golden period of Ahom rule in Rangpur during that time. Swargadeu Rudra Singha, the greatest and mightiest of all Ahom Kings was in the throne. His ambitious plan to set up ‘Greater Asam’ led him to invade the neighbouring countries. He united several lakhs of soldiers to invade Bengal. During this mission he sent Borboruah and Borphukan to conquer the Kachari and Jayantiya kingdoms. In the war the Jayantiya king Ramsingha was defeated and driven away by the Ahom troops to Biswanath. The Ahom king ordered his commander to bring the goddess to him. But the goddess appeared in the dream and said to the commander of Ahom troops, “I shall not leave the kingdom. If you want, you may fetch the statue and ‘Yoni’ of the Gosani which is near the Burhi river”. When the Ahoms attempted to bring Jayanteswari, dysentery like disease broke out among the soldiers. Then the Ahom commander took the statue and yoni of the goddess who was near the Burhi river. The name Burhi Gosani was derived from it. This statue was of the goddess of Durga, the goddess of power and might
When Ahoms took the Gosani from the Jayantiya, they also brought the priest of the goddess, Sanatan with them. The Ahom king honoured him with the title Pujaghoria Boruah. The priests in the devalaya are the descendents of Sanatan. Since then they use the title Boruah after their names. The descendents of Sanatan are still offering worship in the devalaya following the tradition of their great grandfather. According to a saying, after the idol was brought to Rangpur, Ahom Swargadeu replaced the priest of Sanatan’s clan with another Brahmin. But everywhere there appeared disorder in the country. So, the priest was again reinstated to the post.
During the last years of the Ahom kingdom, Swargadeu Gourinath Singha, following the advice of his minister Purnananda Burhagohain, shifted his capital from Rongpur to Jorhat due to the numerous attacks from Morans and ‘Maan’s. Though he shifted the Gosani, he could not build the Devalaya due to the instability prevailing in the country and the several mutinies during that time. Unfortunately the Tamrapatra (copper edict) of the Ahom kings, which was the proof of the donation of land and property for the devalaya was lost during the advent of the Maan invaders. Therefore, during the rule of the British, the devalaya had received nothing. During the last Ahom king Swargadeu Purandar Singha, a temporary house was built to worship the goddess. The items required for the worship were supplied by the royal family even that time and the first portion of the ‘Naibedya’ was offered in the name of the king. When the Ahom kingdom come to an end, the worship was done with the donation from the public. Then onwards this tradition has been going on till date.
This is one of the devalaya where sacrifices of animals are offered in front of the goddess every year during the Durga Puja. “At least 300 sacrifices were offered to the goddess last year” said one of the organisers. The 14 antique sacrificial swords put in front of the idol remind the visitors about the slaughter of animals once done in front of the Gosani every day.
“The desires of the devotees have been fulfilled by the goddess if anybody offers prayer with a sacred heart” said Bibhuti Boruah, secretary of the puja committee. Therefore, people from far and wide come to offer their prayer to the goddess on the occasion of Durga Puja. ASSAM TRIBUNE
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