Article

by Enam Ul Haque
Photos of the Sunderbans by Henrik Lissner

The Sundarbans
in Early November

 " The soggy floor of the forest with millions of dagger-like breathing-roots of mangrove is the home of Bengal tigers, not a place for Bengalis to have a fair. But a fair is what they have in this small island named Dooblar Char every November."

 The Sundarbans is beautiful in any season. But in early November it has an unusual thing to offer: Dooblar Mela, a colorful congregation of fishermen’s families deep inside the land of tigers. If you have taken a holiday in the Sundarbans, you know how unusual it is to see a crowd of people there. In this grossly overcrowded country, the Sundarbans is a rare wilderness you can spend days in without meeting people.

The soggy floor of the forest with millions of dagger-like breathing-roots of mangrove is the home of Bengal tigers, not a place for Bengalis to have a fair. But a fair is what they have in this small island named Dooblar Char every November.

Dooblar Char is far away from any human settlement, tucked well inside the Sundarbans, a formidable forest known for being very inhospitable to people. It is the most unlikely place for a congregation or celebration of any kind. And this is probably its main attraction. All sorts of wild creatures populate Dooblar Char, like other parts of the Sundarbans, throughout the summer months. In winter fishermen come to share this island with the wild inhabitants. The fishermen go out in the shallow waters of the Bay of Bengal for fishing, and return to Dooblar Char to sell or dry their catch.

The full moon at the onset of the fishing season in November is the time for their celebration. The holy books say that on such nights Radha ran through the wilderness seeking Lord Krishna playing his irresistible flute in Bhrindaban. The fishermen install the idols of Radha and Krishna in a makeshift temple in Dooblar Char and hope that the love of Lord Krishna pervades this part of the wilderness they will make their temporary home for four winter months. The families of the fishermen come by boats from a great distance. Hundreds of boats girdle the Char. A hundred cooking pots from the rocking boats fill the forest with mouth-watering aroma of spices. Children wallow in the mud and their screams reverberate though the mangrove.

At sundown the Mela begins. The fishermen with their families come out of their boats bare foot and wade through the slush to the dry ground. They pay homage to Lord Krishna for a while and quickly abandon him for the other charms of the fair. There are Kirtana and other kinds of songs to listen to, juicy junk food to eat, trinkets to buy, and lots and lots of window-shopping to do around the temporary huts of the traders. When the moon provides the light for the premises, kerosene lanterns of every shape and size create a kaleidoscope of giant shadows at every shop. In the heart of the biggest mangrove on earth, it is a jolly good way of showing reverence to the mischievous Lord Krishna.

The fair lasts as long as the moonlight does, which is almost the whole night. Limp bodies of the tired children are hauled back to the boats and the crowd thins out by one or two in the morning. People steal catnaps while sitting in front of the idols of Radha-Krishna and the devotees singing sad songs of Radha’s biraha, her unbearable separation from her Lord. It is important for the fishermen to conserve some energy for another big event in the morning.

Before sunrise a procession of fishermen and their families go to the southern end of the island. This is where the mighty river Shibsha meets the bay. The river is 10 km wide here. The tide beats the gentle sandy slope with some strength even when the wind is not strong. Everyone in the long procession - man, woman or child - comes to the misty shore carrying homegrown fruit and vegetable. In a single file they sit on the soggy sand just beyond the advancing tide. The fruits and vegetable are on the sand in front of them. The sun jumps over the watery horizon to shine on the strange lines of fruit, vegetable and humanity. The tide closes in to take away the offerings. People follow their offering and take a dip respectfully in the murky waters of the bay. Children romp and giggle in the waves.

It is a unique way the grateful beneficiaries pay homage to bountiful nature. The mighty bay feeds the fishermen all their lives. On this day, their indebted families feed the bay. It is also a kind of initiation ritual for the fishermen’s children. By playfully pounding the muddy floor of the mangrove and thrashing the murky bay, they initiate a lifelong friendship with nature. Once grown, these children will brave the waves to fish in the bay and spend many lonely nights in this tiger territory.

Thanks to tour operators, you can now safely witness this extraordinary event in the Sundarbans every November.