| Manasa seems to be
originally a local deity worshipped by the non-Hinduised people of the province, but by
and by she came to gain popularity among the upper classes of the Hindu society. In the
present state of our knowledge we cannot say when actually the cult of Manasa was
introduced into Assam. According to a popular legend, which gives us an account of the
spread of the Manasa cult in Eastern India, on the marriage of Hara and Gauri, they got a
daughter named Padma or Manasa. Immediately after her birth, Padma was sent to the lower
region to rule over and obtain worship from the serpents. The goddess Manasa was not content with her sovereignty of the lower
world. She resolved also to claim honour and worship from all sections of the people of
the earth. But her greatest opponent was Chand Sadagar, the wealthiest member of The
merchant community of the city of Champaka commonly identified with a place on the south
bank of the Brahma putra in the modern Kamrup district of Assam. Chand Sadagar was a
devout follower of Siva and he would in no circumstances worship Manasa. His wife, Soneka,
one day made secret arrange- ments for worshipping Manasa.
But when Chand Sadagar came to know of it he flew into a rage
and kicked off all articles of offerings collected for her worship. At this treatment the
goddess Manasa was furious and she determined to take revenge on Chand Sadagar and his
family. In course of a few days she caused the death of Chand Sadagar’s six sons,
sank the boats of Chand Sadagar, which carried rich merchandise from abroad, and made him
fall into abject poverty and destitution. In spite of these misfortunes, Chand Sadagar
chose to suffer rather than worship Manasa. Not to speak of the members of his family,
even people of Campakanagara dreaded Chand Sadagar and did not dare to propitiate the
goddess Manasa. |
