Popularly known as Lord Ganesh's wife, Kolabou in reality has no relationship with Ganesh. Our scriptures call her Nabapatrika. Interestingly enough, Nabapatrika was actually a popular ritual performed by the peasant folks for prosperous harvest. As idol worship was not common then, people worshipped Mother nature. It was during the autumn (Sharat), the time for reaping crops ("Amondhan"), peasants worshipped Goddess Nabapatrika for good harvest. Later when Durga Puja became a popular festival of "Sharat", all the nine holy rituals of the Nabapatrika, were added to the ceremonies of Durga Puja. Infact Nabapatrika represented the primitive form of Durga Puja. This primitive form of worship is still prevalent in some places.
Nabapatrika:
The nine plants comprising Nabapatrika are: Banana plant " Kola Gaach " Colacassia plant " Kochu Gaach " Turmeric plant " Halud Gaach " Jayanti tree, Wood apple tree " Bel Ghaach " Pomegranate tree " Daalim Gaach" Arum plant " Maankochu " Rice plant, and Ashoka tree.
Nabapatrika being an important part of Durga Puja, is worshipped during Bodhon. The nine plants of Nabapatrika represent the nine Goddesses. The Banana plant or the "Kola Gaach" represents Goddess Brahmani, Colacassia plant represents Goddess Kalika, Turmeric plant symbolises Devi Durga, Jayanti denotes Kartiki, Bel or wood apple Goddess Shiva, Pomegranate (Dalim Gaach) Raktadantika, Ashoka tree symbolises Sokrahita and Arum plant ("Maankochu") represents Chamunda and the Rice plant Goddess Lakshmi. These Goddesses are the nine forms of Devi Durga.
Bathing Ritual:
In the early hours of Saptami, the twigs of white "aparajita" plant along with nine bunches of yellow threads were used by the priests of Singhi Park to tie the Nabapatrika. It was then bathed. In our scriptures the elaborate bathing ritual of nabapatrika is compared with the coronation of a King. Just like the King is bathed with waters from holy places and oceans, bathing nabapatrika too requires the same. All the nine Goddesses representing nabapatrika are required to be bathed with waters from 8 different holy places. This bathing ritual was accompanied with varied mantras and diverse musical instruments (dhak – dhol) for different goddesses.
Nabapatrika:
The nine plants comprising Nabapatrika are: Banana plant " Kola Gaach " Colacassia plant " Kochu Gaach " Turmeric plant " Halud Gaach " Jayanti tree, Wood apple tree " Bel Ghaach " Pomegranate tree " Daalim Gaach" Arum plant " Maankochu " Rice plant, and Ashoka tree.
Nabapatrika being an important part of Durga Puja, is worshipped during Bodhon. The nine plants of Nabapatrika represent the nine Goddesses. The Banana plant or the "Kola Gaach" represents Goddess Brahmani, Colacassia plant represents Goddess Kalika, Turmeric plant symbolises Devi Durga, Jayanti denotes Kartiki, Bel or wood apple Goddess Shiva, Pomegranate (Dalim Gaach) Raktadantika, Ashoka tree symbolises Sokrahita and Arum plant ("Maankochu") represents Chamunda and the Rice plant Goddess Lakshmi. These Goddesses are the nine forms of Devi Durga.
Bathing Ritual:
In the early hours of Saptami, the twigs of white "aparajita" plant along with nine bunches of yellow threads were used by the priests of Singhi Park to tie the Nabapatrika. It was then bathed. In our scriptures the elaborate bathing ritual of nabapatrika is compared with the coronation of a King. Just like the King is bathed with waters from holy places and oceans, bathing nabapatrika too requires the same. All the nine Goddesses representing nabapatrika are required to be bathed with waters from 8 different holy places. This bathing ritual was accompanied with varied mantras and diverse musical instruments (dhak – dhol) for different goddesses.
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