KENDU BILLA
The village Kendu Billa or Kenduli is about 18 miles from
Bolpur station. Kenduli village is the birthplace of the immortal poet Jayadeva who had
composed Geet Govinda in Sanskrit. The image of Radha- Madhav Jiu set up by the poet
Jayadeva is still there and is daily worshipped. The Asana on which the poet sat and
obtained Siddhi (salvation) through meditation is still carefully preserved.On the
MakarSankranti day there is a big mela at the village known as the Mahotsava of Jayadeva
Goswami. One of the main features of this mela is the singing of the devotional verses of
Geet Govinda. Geet Govinda is regularly recited in thousands of homes and daily at the
temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri.
Jayadeva Goswami was the court poet of Raja Lakshman Sen. Lakshman Sen ruled about 800
years back. It can, therefore, be presumed that the Jayadeva mela atKendu Billa has been
continuing for 800 years. This is probably one of the oldest religious melas that has a
recorded past. Nowonder the village is now better known as Jaya- deva Kenduli. There are
several daily bus services from Bolpur to this village. Taxis are not available. Rickshaws
are available.
The village, which is one of the most insignificant villages of Bengal normally, is
suddenly changed into a big township on the mela day. On this day thousands of Bauls, a
community of wandering minstrels who sing devotional songs to the music of the Ek Tara
(one stringed instrument) come to the village as if from nowhere and vie with each other
in reciting the soul- captivating verses of Geet Govinda. It is extremely unfortunate that
inspite of the extensive devottar properties that the Mahant of the temple enjoys, there
are hardly any permanent amenities for the pilgrims. |
