The Bon Bibi Legend of the Sundarbans
The Sundarbans turn out to be a region of immense possibilities. It is true that all forests share a kind of mystery that even the curious human sometimes feels better left alone. The difference with the Sundarbans is that it leaves no choice to humans. Dark and bright at the same time, this mangrove forest stretches across the delta of the mighty Ganges in West Bengal, India and Bangladesh. Being the land of the tides, this region is rich in agricultural prospects but, ironically, difficult for human habitation. But nevertheless, the survival instinct of difficulties is so strong that here there has been a fusion of borders.
The Royal Bengal Tigers of this region are believed to be the fiercest and most intelligent among the brothers, although they are comparatively smaller in size. Adapting over the centuries to the climatic challenges of the Sundarbans, they have mastered all the arts of the trade. Shredding all the euphemisms, the simple fact is that Sundarban tigers are man-eaters by necessity. And it is again necessity that drives people to invade the wilderness.
The legend of Bon Bibi (lady of the forest) uses the power of folklore to establish a connection between human beings and the world of nature and is also a relevant commentary on the need to curb greed. The story serves as a melting pot of different cultures, but is not widely known outside of the Sundarbans. Local theater troupes, or ‘jatra-dol’-s as they are called in Bengali, travel from village to village reenacting the story throughout the year and especially during the Bon Bibi worship.
Although all worship rituals are Hindu in form, they always begin with the Muslim invocation ‘Bismillah’. Furthermore, Bon Bibi and his brother Shah Jongoli (Jongol means ‘forest’ in Bengali) have no origins in Bengal, not even in Hindu mythology. They are born from the Sufi faqir Ibrahim in the Arab city of Medina, the holiest of cities in Islam. Archangel Gabriel put them on a divine mission to make the land of the tides fit for human habitation. Bon Bibi, however, is always found dressed as a typical rural Bengal housewife. This small discrepancy is perhaps due to the fact that a large population in this area are Dalit Muslims. A connection is then immediately established that transcends the cult of Bon Bibi over religious barriers to a traditional plane.
Until the arrival of the Goddess, the jungles are ruled by the demon king Dokhin Rai, who is always hungry for human flesh. Bon Bibi outmaneuvers him and a truce is eventually reached as the boundaries are strictly defined within the jungle. The human settlement became the territory of Bon Bibi and Dokhin Rai, who in most cases appeared in the guise of a tiger, retreated to rule the desert. This balance is disrupted when a greedy fleet owner named Dhona crosses into Dokhin Rai’s territory in search of forest treasures. The demon manages to trap the human troop in the forest. In order to be freed, Dhona agrees to hand over a poor boy named Dukhey, who was the last to join his troop, as a ransom for the demon king.
Therefore, Dhona departs with his fleet managing to leave Dukhey behind to be devoured by Dokhin Rai. Just as the Devil was about to pounce on the poor boy in tiger costume, Dukhey remembers his mother’s advice to call on Bon Bibi in time of need and appeals to the deity to deliver him from his ordeal. . Bon Bibi appears as if in an instant and leads the demon into the forest after giving him a lesson to remember. Later, he restored Dukhey to health and sent him back to his mother.
The legend, therefore, returns Nature to its normal course, restoring order and balance. On another level, it is a story of restoring faith. In the Sundarbans, to this day, no native will go into the jungle without seeking the blessings of Bon Bibi. The presence of the tiger, also known as Dokhin Rai, is so palpable that the word “tiger” itself is taboo among the forest people. The fear is such that should a man be killed by the tiger, it is generally accepted without question that he himself was to blame for his greed taking over his better senses.