Durga Puja 2014

“Why should woman not be given the right to conquer her own destiny...”, for her very existence lies at the foundation of creation. Thus, universal nature is the mother of the world. As the Cosmic Mother, we are blessed by the tender touch of her affectionate hands. Yet man, blinded by his own masculine pride, seeks to oppress the creator, forgetting that he himself is her creation. In this context comes the memory of Sonabai Rajwar. A homemaker from Puhputra, an obscure village in Chhattisgarh, this woman, stigmatized and childless, did eventually become a mother. Yet, after being scarred by prolonged psychological torment, an awakening was born from her suffering. Just as the muddy earth, cut and furrowed by the plow’s blade, yields golden harvests, so did her creation blossom like golden grain through an innovative art form of sculpting figurines using clay and cow dung. The artistic eye was spellbound by that vision of art. The brilliance of her creation, turning into the trident in the creator’s hand, slayed the beastly hearts of the detractors. It is a story of self-realization face-to-face with the divine while seeking the sweetness of one’s own inner self. The tale of an ordinary woman becoming extraordinary is our autumnal tribute this year, carrying the folk touch of Chhattisgarh’s living culture.