| Bengalis as a
class are highly sentimental. Much of the woes of Bengal are due to this high incidence of
sentiment and love of tradition. The soft hearted Bengalis react very quickly to
affectionate feelings in others and they feel much more hurt than other sections in India
normally if there is any rebuff. This abundance of soft feelings, the exuberance of what
may often turn into sentimentalism is a halmark of the Bengalis. This softness is seen
also in their ideas about their deities and temples. We find more of a manifestation of
Bal salya Rasa and a sense of complacence in their conception of their gods and the
deities worshipped. The deity is not some thing very
detached, exotic or very remote to a Bengali. The deity of Kali with her fierce looks,
string of human heads round the neck, protruding tongue, awe-inspiring trident and
standing on the lying figure of Lord Siva could not normally have evoked a very
affectionate devotion and soft love as the Mother. The devotional songs in praise of the
deity of Kali whether by Ramaprasad or others, all refer to be as a loving mother who is
always forgiving her sons for their sins and whose blessings are always there for her
devotees. |
