Sakha For The Goddess

The Great Goddess, Mother of All The Three Worlds smiled in joyous abandon. Frolicking in the pearl-tipped, lapiz hued waves, she stretched out her golden arms and floated in pure contentment. It was so peaceful, she mused, to be away from all the problems around her. Her brow wrinkled, especially she thought, if one was the known Mother of the Universe. Here, on this peaceful beach, she was free.

Her lion snoozed on the golden sands, his mighty tail gently flicking in sleep. He too was at peace. No long battles to fight, no demons to bite…this was the life for all hard working lions. He was glad that his mistress had decided to take a holiday.

Durga, the Goddess lay peacefully in the shallow waters and sieved the foam gently through her hands. All at once something brushed against them. Sitting up, she picked it up. It was a white conch shell. As the rising rays of the morning sun, turned the waves golden turquoise she turned the conch over in her hands and looked at it from every angle.

“Bangles”, she thought, in delight, “Lovely white bangles. They will look so pretty on my arms”.

The impulsive Goddess hurried up to her lion still snoozing blissfully on the beach. He opened one eye, looked at her and sighed. Shaking himself awake, he padded to her side looking at her with large, limpid eyes. He was devoted to her but he was enjoying his day at the beach and especially his sleep.

“Look”, she told him, “Look at what I have found. This lovely conch shell. I shall have them made into bangles. Won’t they look beautiful? Let us go home at once”.

Her lion nodded. Everything looked beautiful on her. They set off homewards; the Goddess riding lightly on her lion’s back, clutching the conch shell in her hands.

Home! The snowy peaks of Mount Kailash reared up ahead throwing majestic blue black shadows, on the snow covered ground. It was a bleak, arid landscape dappled in silver snow but it was hauntingly lovely at the same time. The Great God, Shiva was meditating as usual. The Goddess cleared her throat as she came up to him.

Instantly Shiva’s eyes snapped open. “You are back!”, he exclaimed to his wife. “Did you have a restful time and er-met no demons I hope.”

“No, No”!”, chirped the Great Goddess, “But see what I found…”, she held out the glowing conch shell to him.

“Hmmmm”, he said in growing bewilderment, “It is a conch shell…”

“Yes”, she rushed on, “ I just thought that it would be so wonderful if you could make bangles out of this …that I could wear when people gather around to worship me…and you”, she added hurriedly.

Her husband gazed at her speechlessly. He didn’t know how to make bangles. His bull gazed at him with mild astonishment then looked at the lion. They were very good friends. The lion shrugged and yawned. The bull sighed.

“Have them ready for me by this evening will you?”, coaxed the Goddess, “I do want to see how they look…”.

“But I, but…”, spluttered the great Shiva. It did not matter. She had already left after waving gaily to him. He heaved a great sigh. He did like seeing his wife happy. And he really did not want to make her angry. He looked at the conchshell sadly.

The bull adored his master. “Viswakarma”, he muttered tentatively.  

The architect of the Gods. The most brilliant engineer …designer of magnificent palaces and exquisite halls of all the Three Worlds…Shiva brightened at once. “Yes, he will know”, he told his bull, “Let us go to him”.

It was twilight. Birds sang sweetly as they returned to their nests. Viswakarma, architect of the Gods sat gloomily under the shade of a mango tree, twirling a conch shell in his hands. The Great God Shiva wanted bangles to be made out of it for his wife. The Mother Goddess.  He wanted them by night. Viswakarma groaned. He could not see how to do it. That was why he sat outside, waiting for inspiration. He was hungry, he was thirsty…but he was determined to solve the puzzle. How, oh how, did you make bangles out of a conch shell?

Some more hours went by and Viswakarma still twirled the shell in his hands, a weariness threatening to engulf him…his head sank on his arms but he still clutched the conch shell tightly.

“Hey you”, a great shout, startled him and he jerked up, “Hey you Viswakarma, what are you doing crying, man?’.

It was Sage Agastya. The short, pot-bellied man clapped him on the back. “What has happened”, he boomed, “It can’t be so bad…”

Dully the engineer held out the conch shell to him.”I have to make bangles for Mother Durga out of this”, he wept, “And I don’t know how…I, Viswakarma don’t know what to do.”

Sage Agastya laughed. “Don’t be silly now, man”, he said, “Just design a machine that cuts in a round circle from the front to the back and you’ll have your bangles. Now go eat something and make the bangles…”. A great light broke on Viswakarma. He smiled tremulously and started to thank the Sage who patted him benevolently on the back and went chuckling on his way…

…The Goddess exclaimed in delight as the glowing white richly carved bangles slid on her wrists. “ As they are made from the sankh, I will call them sakha…”, she said, “Married women will wear them and be very lucky”. She looked lovingly at her husband who beamed modestly….

…”And that is how”, said the old sakha seller in North Calcutta, “That sakhas came to be made. Goddess Durga wore them first and gave them a name….Viswakarma made them but it was Rishi Agastya who derived the way of making bangles out of conch-shells. The pure white sakha. It is for this reason that Agastya muni is worshipped here, the day before Viswakarma puja and the start of the festive season…” his aged eyes turned misty as far away legends beckoned and we listened in the dusty sakha shop…