05 Feb What Remains

A poetry series and a scroll painting by Fouzia Mahin Choudhury during the 9^th Episode of Uronto Residential Art Exchange Program in Naogaon. The scroll consist of the historical stories of the old Dubolhati Palace.

Everything ends, no matter how big, how mighty, how glorious one can be. Time that heals, kills too. Once an incident, becomes a story, then history, then a myth with time; only remains in words. But words also have their life times. If not spoken, or written, or repeated, they die…like dusts, like smells.

Mahin’s work is a step towards restoring the history of Dubolhati rajbari in form of a poetry. It’s an over two hundred years old zamindar bari that belonged to zamindar Haranathan Roy Chowdhury who were no less then a king with a palace consists of 300 rooms, 3 cars, elephants, horses and 17 ponds. But unfortunately, now within only two hundred years has become on the verge of its end. Only some stories of it still exists being the glory of that fragile structure. History fascinates her. Artist took this opportunity to catch those floating stories and put them on her own words for the upcoming generations.

She transformed her poem into a Pattachitra/Scroll painting. Pattachitra is an ancient traditional painting style where Mythological narratives or folktales are inscribed on a cloth base surface with drawings. Here, artist made a surface using locally found cloths and red clay and painted suggestions of drawing along with the poetry which describes the mythical history of Dubolhati in nine panel.

The work was a collaboration with local women and kids of the village also other participating artist in the episode contributed shortly.

Mahin also delivered an English version of the poetry to share the stories to a wider audience.

Long long time ago,
in village Baroduari (of twelve doors),
Lived a merchant, named Jagat Ram;
Barren and blue, in a home awfully quiet and calm.

Then suddenly one day, he began to see
the goddess Rajrajesshwari
manifesting herself to him,
in a recurrent dream,
Saying: My child! I bless thee.
Sail your boat and come to me.

There you shall see, she added,
Rich green grasses about six yards tall
And a frog eating a snake sitting upon a lotus leaf,
If you find that country at all.

There, you shall find me,
Where the river is the deepest and stygian.
If you find me, my child, your fortune
shall shine like the sun!

Consumed by his desire
Jagat Ram left his village and sailed away
He went on sailing from haven to haven
waiting for the day.

Then, in the fullness of time,
came that moment, auspicious and divine
Jagat Ram brought back Rajrajesshwari
laying his life on the line.

Ever since, Rajrajesswari, was known to be
The goddess of his dynasty;
they dearly reverenced and loved.
In return, she showered her devotee
With promised treasure trove.

His wealth bought him
the pleasure of having a favoured son.
With every passing day his property
commenced to grow, gradually in turn.

All surrounded by the water,
an immense wetland property
the land he once owned;
we call it Dubolhati.

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অনেক অনেক বৎসর কাল আগে
ছিল যে এক বণিক
জগৎ রাম নাম
ছিল না কোন সন্তান তার
শুন্য বিষণ্ণ ধাম ।।

অকস্মাৎ একদা সে দেখিল স্বপন
রাজ;রাজেশ্বরী দেবী দিয়াছেন দর্শন   
কহিলেন, বৎস ওহে, বেয়ে তোর নাও
যেথায় পাইবি মোরে
চল সেই গাঁও ।।

সেথা বারো হাত দুবলার
ঘাস, তারই পাশে
পদ্মের পাতায় বসি
ব্যাঙ সাপেরে গিলিছে আক্লেশে ।।

সেথায় রয়েছি আমি
দওয়ের গভীরে
পাইবি আমায় যদি
ভাগ্য যাবে ফিরে ।।

শুনিয়া জগৎ রাম
প্রলুব্ধ মনে
বেয়ে চলে নাও
আর দিন ক্ষণ গুনে ।।

অতঃপর সহসা এলো
শুভ সেই ক্ষণ
দেবীরে সে আনিল তুলিয়া
পণ করিয়া জীবন ।।

সেই হতে রাজ’রাজেশ্বরী
কুল দেবী তার
ভক্তেরে দিল ভরে
ধন ভাণ্ডার ।

এলো পুত্র সন্তান অর্থের বলে
দিনে দিনে ভূস্পত্তি তার
বাড়িল কালে কালে ।।

চারিদিকে জল তার
ভেজা ভেজা মাটি
এই সেই গ্রাম যার নাম
দুবলহাটি ।।

Fouzia Mahin Choudhury is self-taught Artist and writer, based in Bangladesh. Started her artistic practice as freedom of expression and a breakthrough from restlessness. Experimenting with drawing skills and unconventional surfaces, she developed a unique curiosity to involve installation and storytelling in her art practice.