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          devānampiyen piyadasina lājina (Figure. 1)        Picture Courtesy: Patrick Olivelle, Ashoka: Portrait of a Philosopher King, page 152.  Author - Biswarup Chatterjee.           This honorific title was used not only by Aśoka but also by his grandson Daśaratha. According to Dipavamsa, the Sinhalese chronicle, the contemporary king of Sri Lanka also adopted this title during the time of Aśoka.         The scholars claim that the use of this honorific title was influenced by the Vedic tradition. During the Vedic period, at the time of the coronation of the king, such deities like Indra, Varuṇa, Mitra, Pūṣaṇ, and others were invoked and their blessings were sou rtght. This custom, which comes from the Vedic tradition, lasted into the Mauryan period. No other king is known to have used this title after Daśaratha. According to the Siddhāntakaumudī which was composed by Pāṇini in 1630 CE,...

                                                                    Plate 1           Courtesy: https://images.app.goo.gl/MLZfBMDkkaun8yJ8A. Author - Biswarup Chatterjee. One of the most significant and interesting folk deity of Kashiabari village under Haldibari block, in the Cooch Behar district (26.38322 °N, 88.77159 °E) is Goddess Kālī, which is in a  formless state and a unique representation of the divine without a physical idol. On the western side adjacent to the Kashiabari market, there stands a century-old temple (plate 1) where this deity is worshipped. Several beliefs and prejudices are prevalent among the locals about the origin of this temple. Though the goddess is worshipped in a formless manner throughout the year, but during the festival of Dīpānwitā (the first da...

                                                                         Goddess Kālī Author - Biswarup Chatterjee          One of the most important cosmic goddesses in Cooch Bihar district of West Bengal is Kali Thakurani, the goddess is quite well known and appreciated among the Rajvanshi community of this region. Although the influence of this goddess is not confined soli among the Rajvanshi community, rather the significant influence of this goddess is noticed in the religious beliefs and folk culture of all levels of the district. The goddess Kali was worshiped in various names and forms in Coochbehar as like the other districts of North Bengal. The goddess is quite popular for her various types of name in the Rajvanshi community, such as Syamakali, Bhadrakali, Smasankali, K...

                                                               God Bhairaba  Author - Biswarup Chatterjee.          The sculpture represented by the above mentioned plate is known as God Bhairaba. He is also worshipped as a protector of villages in few parts of Bengal. The appearance of this God is very much fearful and always surrounded by his associates and some sculpture of elephants and horses. Actually, this deity is known as an unscriptural and aboriginal deity. The sculpture is quite similar with some folk deity of Buedwan and Howra district in West Bengal along with the southern part of the country, such as, Babathakur or Pancananda, Tirubayaba etc. the God is probably worshipped by the tribes, mainly santal and also have a similarity with ‘Bābā deo’, the deities of the Vhil tribe. Though he ...