The sacred Nabapatrika ritual, popularly known as Kola Bou Snan, was performed at Kolkata’s river ghats on Monday morning, ushering in the auspicious day of Maha Saptami.
Devotees thronged Babughat, Jagannath Ghat and other stretches along the Hooghly to witness the ceremonial bath of the sacred banana plant, draped in a new sari and adorned with vermilion and flowers.
Kola Bou is regarded as the consort of Lord Ganesha and, by extension, a representation of Goddess Durga’s power and fertility. Wrapped in a red-bordered sari like a newlywed bride, the banana plant is bathed in the holy river before being installed beside the idol of Durga in pandals.
Along with the banana, eight other plants are tied together, collectively known as the Nabapatrika, which embody the bounty of nature and the agricultural roots of the ritual.
While mythology often identifies Kola Bou as a form of Goddess Durga herself, agrarian traditions highlight its connection with invoking prosperity, good harvests and the cycle of fertility.
The riverbanks turned festive as the beats of dhaak, the sound of the shankh and the chanting of the mantras echoed in the morning air, signalling the start of the Saptami.
