Durga puja is the most important festival of Hinduism and Chokkhudaan is a ritual that marks the beginning. This is the most awaited festival which changes the entire scenario in Hindu households. The air is filled with the spirit of festivity bringing alive the culture and tradition of almost all Hindus.
The preparations start long before the actual pujo, weeks before Mahalaya. The process of making the idol starts by procuring clay also known as ‘punya mati’. This has its own significance as it is collected from the doorstep or threshold of a sex-worker. The belief is that when a man visits a prostitute, he leaves all his virtues behind at the doorstep of that house. So the soil is filled with purity.
It is also believed that Maa Durga does not discriminate. All are equal in her eyes. Specialized artisans are entrusted the very important task of preparing the idol with clay on a wooden frame of straw. After many hours of hard labour and unflinching dedication, the idol is completed and the image is painted beautifully.
The Significance Of The Chokkhudaan Ritual
But at this stage it is merely a lifeless statue and is known as ‘Mrinmayi’ till Mahalaya. Then in the early hours of dawn on Mahalaya, the Goddess receives life when the senior most artisan paints the eyes and adorns them with kajal very carefully. It is a very important ritual.
The person who is entrusted with this responsibility fasts from the previous day observing severe rules and in the wee hours of the morning on Mahalaya, the task of Chokkhudaan is carried out while holy mantras are continually chanted. The third eye is painted first on the forehead of the deity, then the left eye and lastly the right eye thus completing the ritual of Chokkhudaan in complete seclusion.
This is when the transformation takes place when the idol becomes ‘Chinmayi’. This means that idol is now filled with consciousness and power. The eyes are painted in such a way that wherever you stand it feels as if the Goddess is looking at you. Eyes become symbolic of divine grace. Devotees receive blessings from those eyes of Maa Durga. This is the reason why the task of painting eyes of the Goddess is carried out only by a very experienced and senior artisan because the slightest mistake made by a stroke of the paint brush can alter this.
The lifelike eyes are filled with energy and maternal love and the devotees feel like she is looking at them and showering blessings on them.
Chokkhudaan, a Blend of Skill and Faith
‘Chokkhudaan’ is thus a skill filled with faith which takes years to master. Each stroke carries devotion for the deity and cannot be considered simply as art or painting. The artisans are from Kumartuli where they go through the entire process which involves procuring of raw materials to completing the idol with chokkhudaan when Maa opens her eyes and casts her divine glance on them and it is very close to their hearts.
There is a belief that when ‘Chokkhudaan’ is being done nobody is allowed to stand in front of the idol because an extreme form of spiritual energy and divinity suddenly emit from the eyes. No human being can endure the radiance that comes out after chokkhudaan. Thus the final transition takes place and life force (pran) enters the deity.
Thus Mahalaya marks the end of pitrupaksha and the beginning of Devi paksha. Seven days after, Durga puja starts with ‘shashti’ which is the 6th day. The biggest religious festival of Bengal and the Hindus begins.
