In a region with a strong syncretic heritage, how should we interpret the burgeoning religious fervour surrounding the recent Ram Mandir celebrations in the Indian Sundarban? In this piece, Ankana Das outlines her ethnographic research in the area, and the evolving relationship between Hindus, religious minorities, syncretic deities, and the incumbent Hindu governance.
On February 21st 2024, a respected veterinary doctor hailing from the quaint Duinombor Bajar village on Satjelia Island in the Indian Sundarbans, was astonished by news of an impending Ram worship ceremony slated for the following day. He hastily rallied his companions and ventured to the village’s bustling market square in search of answers. To his astonishment, amidst the preparations, he stumbled upon an ornate idol of the Hindu God, Ram, meticulously arranged by individuals affiliated with the Indian political party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), signalling a departure from the village’s customary religious observances.
For the first time in the history of Duinombor Bajar, the streets and marketplaces were adorned in festivity to mark the consecration of the Ram Lalla (the infant Ram) idol at Ayodhya in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. For many, the day symbolised a holy day of celebration of Hindu supremacy against minority religions, especially Islam.
The Hindu-Indian Ram, and the Ram in Sundarban
The temple at Ayodhya was built on the ruins of the Babri Masjid, which was demolished in 1992 following riots from Hindu groups. Since then, the matter has been one of political and religious uproar, until in 2024, the BJP made it possible. The temple was built in Ayodhya, and Hindus of the country joined in a feverish celebration of the event.
Unlike the rest of the Hindus of the country, for the Sundarban islanders, religion meant a different ethos. Mostly comprised of marginalised Hindus (predominantly lower caste Dalits), the Sundarban religiosity was never considered on par with the Hindu sentiments of the country. Therefore, when they found the Hindu God Ram in their village, they converged eagerly to witness the historic occasion; their curiosities were piqued by the prospect of beholding the revered Ram idol for the very first time. With palpable excitement, islanders observed the rituals of the Ram puja, marvelling at the magnificence of the massive blue idol, flanked by the divine presence of Sita, Lakshman, and Hanuman. Such an elaborate event was unprecedented in their experience, leaving them in awe of its grandeur and significance.
Ram — depicted as an Aryan deity, adorned with fair skin, clad in silken attire, and bearing a bow and arrow — presented a captivating spectacle, and the veterinary doctor I spoke to, accompanied by his entire family, eagerly attended the event. Similarly, in Glasskhali village near Luxbagan on Satjelia Island, another Ram puja unfolded, with the spotlight on Hanuman, Ram’s revered companion in the epic of Ramayana.
In Glasskhali, the celebration of Ram revolved around the veneration of Hanuman. The puja was conducted under the auspices of a Brahmin priest, with the organising committee orchestrating a seven-day-long kirtan, extolling Ram’s valorous exploits in the forests of Dandakaranya and his climactic battle with Ravana. Attendees from distant villages availed themselves of various modes of transportation, including motor rickshaws and boats, to converge upon the venue and partake in the festivities.
The entire state of West Bengal was abuzz with anticipation of the event, albeit with minimal support from the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). In response to the burgeoning religious fervour surrounding the Ram Mandir celebrations, the TMC even orchestrated an “anti-faith rally” to counter the BJP’s perceived overindulgence. However, amidst this religious and political landscape, the doctor, a self-professed non-believer in Hindu Gods, made a notable appearance at the Ram worship ceremony. He was tired and dissatisfied with the TMC’s autocracy in his village, and naturally wanted to side with the BJP in a manner that wasn’t prominently anti-TMC and, at the same time, make his presence felt at a BJP event. In earlier instances, the TMC was known to have used scare tactics to dissuade people from aligning with political events hosted by any rival parties. The Ram celebration thus came to the rescue of the BJP garnering soft support from the locals, and at the same time furthering their future political agendas, which is expected to manifest in the upcoming general elections.
Revered figures in the Sundarban
Bonbibi, a syncretic deity revered by islanders of both the Indian and Bangladeshi Sundarban, holds a revered status as the maternal sovereign of the forest and protector of humanity against the ferocious man-eating Royal Bengal tiger, that haunts the Sundarban. Her origin is shrouded in myth and legend, steeped in the rich tapestry of folklore that permeates the Sundarbans. According to oral tradition passed down through generations, Bonbibi is the daughter of Ibrahim, a fakir from Mecca, and her mother, Golalbibi. Born amidst divine intervention in the heart of the forest, Bonbibi and her brother Shah Jangali were abandoned and nurtured by a doe, fostering a profound connection with the natural world. Bonbibi’s valor and compassion toward the human inhabitants of the Sundarban led her to defend them against malevolent forces, particularly the man-eating tiger and the dark spirits of the forest.
Bonbibi’s significance extends across religious lines, garnering reverence from both Hindus and Muslims whose livelihoods hinge on ventures into the forest for resources like honey, timber, and fishing. Her divine lineage and benevolent nature have earned her the title of guardian spirit of the Sundarban, with rituals of veneration preceding any journey into the forest.
One resident of Patharpara village on Satjelia island, embodied a unique spiritual disposition. Despite maintaining a shrine of Hindu deities at her residence, her devotion transcends traditional religious boundaries, finding solace in the non-Hindu Forest deity, Bonbibi. Her allegiance to Bonbibi, shared by many other forest-dependent inhabitants of the Sundarban, stands as a testament to the region’s syncretic heritage. However, amidst the prevailing religious ambiance tinged with saffron hues, this resident’s spiritual inclination seems increasingly at odds with the predominant narrative.
In several locales of the lower islands, Ram was celebrated with lavish fervour on the 22nd of February. This occasion brought both astonishment and elation to the Hindu populace of the region, who have recently contended with challenges in asserting their religious dominance over Muslims and reclaiming the syncretic deities of the area. A poignant example of this assertion lies in the transformation of Bonbibi into Bondevi or Bondurga in various Sundarban regions, where proponents argue for her Hindu identity within the Shakti cult.
Nevertheless, in the present era, the essence of Bonbibi and other syncretic deities like Shah Jongoli, Dakshin Ray, Golal Bibi (amongst others) of the Sundarban appears to be diminishing. Figures such as Ali Madan, Shah Jangali, and the various Pirs, including Gazi Pir or Gazi Baba, whose origins trace back to Islam, Bhakti, and other religious influences in the region, are also experiencing a decline in reverence.
Ram however has no mention in the religious history of the Sundarban, and the recent attempt to introduce the god to the Sundarban serves as a poignant reminder of the region’s evolving religious dynamics. In contrast to the syncretic ethos embodied by Bonbibi and other indigenous deities, Ram’s introduction is perceived as a deliberate and forced assertion of Hindu majoritarianism. This calculated manoeuvre by the BJP, exemplified by the Ram Puja ceremonies in Glasskhali and Duinombor Bajar, epitomises an agenda aimed at erasing the region’s syncretic past and establishing Hindu hegemony.
Leading up to India’s 2024 general elections, a series of initiatives from the right-wing parties have underscored the religious undercurrents within society. Among these endeavours stands the memorialisation of Ram at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, a significant event amidst a plethora of others. Promoted at the government’s expense, the Ram Mandir inauguration profoundly impacted the Hindu psyche, imbuing a sense of pride following the construction of the temple after the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition.
The Indian general election and Ram in the Sundarban
For decades, the Mandir-Masjid dispute served as a political tool for garnering influence over India’s Hindu-majority populace. This contentious issue, marked by communal violence, discord, and loss of lives, challenged the secular fabric and authority of the Indian constitution. Hence, the temple’s creation and its subsequent inauguration symbolise a sombre day for secularism in the nation.
In locales like the Sundarban, renowned for its diverse religious ethos, syncretic deities, and religious harmony, the presence of Ram appears incongruous. Ram, typically associated with central Indian religious traditions, holds minimal significance for the forest-dependent inhabitants of the Sundarbans, who have long revered regional deities like Bonbibi.
Ram’s introduction to the Sundarbans was not merely sudden but deliberate and coercive, indicative of Hindu sentiments seeking to assert religious supremacy in the region. Indeed, it evokes parallels with what has been termed a “saffron tsunami,” echoing sentiments articulated by figures such as Suvendu Adhikari, spokesperson of the BJP amidst the Ram Mandir celebrations in Kolkata. Moreover, within the broader national context, the event reflects attempts to expunge remnants of the Mughal era from the continent’s history. Similarly, in the Sundarban, the Ram Puja ceremonies at Glasskhali and Duinombor Bajar underscore the BJP’s calculated efforts to entrench Hindu-majoritarian sentiments, eroding the syncretic heritage embodied by figures like Bonbibi.
