Ghetu Puja
Ghetu Puja (Ghēm̐ṭu pūjā) is an annual ritual and festival dedicated to Ghetu Thakur, one of Bengal's significant folk deities. In Bengali folk culture, this ritual is observed during the end of the Bengali month of Falgun, primarily to ward off contagious skin diseases like eczema, which tend to flare up during the spring season. Presently, this tradition is prevalent among the Bengali Hindu communities of districts such as North and South 24 Parganas, Howrah, and Bankura in West Bengal.[1]
Ghetu
Ghetu (Ghēm̐ṭu), also known as Ghaṇṭākarṇa, is a mythological deity associated with skin diseases, considered a detestable and malevolent figure within Bengal's rural society. He is regarded as a subordinate of Lord Shiva and a fierce antagonist of Lord Vishnu. His position in folklore mirrors that of the deity worshiped during Alakshmi Puja, observed on the dark night of Kartik Amavasya. To prevent the spread of skin ailments during the spring season, this imaginary malevolent deity is ritually "destroyed" and driven away. Many believe that the deity's name may have originated from one of the primary offerings used in the worship ritual, the Ghetu flower (commonly known as the Bhant flower). Due to his intense aversion to the name of Vishnu, Ghantakarna is depicted as wearing bells near his ears to block the sound of Vishnu’s name.[1] This characteristic has earned him the epithet Ghantakarna, meaning "bell-eared."[2]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Brahma, Tripti. বাংলার লৌকিক ধর্মসংগীত [The Folk Religious Songs of Bengal] (in Bengali). p. 227. Search this book on
- ↑ Chowdhury, Dulal (2004). বাংলার লোকসংস্কৃতির বিশ্বকোষ [Encyclopedia of Bengali Folk Culture] (in Bengali) (1st ed.). Academy of Folklore, Kolkata: 700094. p. 479. Search this book on
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