Sundarbans and Bonbibi

The image gallery captures the environment and cultural ethos of the Sundarbans. The photographs of Bonbibi performances reveal the Hindu and Muslim syncretism that characterizes the cult of Bonbibi.

  • View of the river Bidyadhari
  • Bidyadhari river at low tide
  • Bidyadhari river at high tide
  • Bidyadhari river
  • Fishermen on Bidyadhari river
  • The bow of a boat is considered sacred and often worshipped before sailing on the river
    The front tip of a fisherman's boat
  • The name 'Sundarban' derives from the sundari trees which make Sundarbans the world's largest mangrove forest
    Sundari (Heritiera fomes) trees
  • Government bungalow at Jharkhali
  • Artists making Bonbibi idol at Kumirmari
  • Bonbibi idols are made across the Sundarbans with indigenous atistic and aesthetic sensibilities
    Artists at Kumirmari
  • Bonbibi-than (place of worship) at Pakhiralaya in the Sundarbans
    Bonbibi idol at Pakhiralaya
  • Dakshin Rai (tiger-god), a local deity, is worshipped as a form of the Royal Bengal Tiger
    An idol of Dakshin Rai, the tiger-god
  • Bonbibi-than is an open space where devotees can come anytime to pray to the goddess
    A traditional Bonbibi-than (place of worship)
  • Bonbibi-than at Boromollakhali where devotees pass everyday and pray
    Devotees at Boromollakhali
  • Bonbibi idol at Jharkhali
  • A local man who is also a forest-worker is worshipping Bonbibi at Chhotomollakhali
    Worshipping Bonbibi at Chhotomollakhali
  • Bonbibi is worshipped during Bonbibi sankranti at Jharkhali
    Bonbibi worship at Jharkhali
  • Banners are put up across villages to publicise performances of Bonbibi palagaan
    Local publicity of Bonbibi performance
  • Bonbibi performer at Bali, Sundarbans
    The performer as Bonbibi
  • The performer acting Dakshin Rai disguised as a tiger
    The performer as Dakshin Rai, Kumirmari
  • Bonbibi with Dukhe in a performance
    Bonbibi with Dukhe
  • Performers performing Bonbibi and Shah Jangali, Kumirmari
    Bonbibi and Shah Jangali, Kumirmari
  • The character Bibek narrates the episodes and also sings in between the performance
    The character of Bibek
  • Audience at a Bonbibi performance
  • Musicians at a Bonbibi performance
  • The stage of a performance is open on all three sides
    A Bonbibi palagaan performance
  • A performer as Dakshin Rai, Jharkhali
  • A performer as Dakshin Rai
  • A performer as Ibrahim, father of Bonbibi
    A performer as Ibrahim, Jharkhali
  • A performer as Shah Jangali, Bali
  • The last scene from the Bonbibi performance
  • Performers pose for a group photograph at Jharkhali
    Performers of a Bonbibi enactment
  • A Bonbibi-than at Chhotomollakhali after the Aila cyclone (2008)
    Bonbibi-than, Chhotomollakhali
  • Bonbibi performances are performed for tourists as a part of the tourist itinerary
    Performance for tourists at Bali, Sundarbans