Marble Palace at 46 Muktaram Babu Street is Raja Rajendra Mullick’s abode and an art gallery of chosen Victorian artefacts on a sprawling estate housing a water body with cemented borders, a private zoo which was the first one in India, fountains, garden sculptures and a temple dedicated to Lord Jagannath.
The temple serves as home to Lord Jagannath and has a long history of its own. The grandeur of the palace notwithstanding this temple can be called the predecessor of this opulent architecture which even hosts a ‘Rathyatra’ or the annual chariot festival of Lord Jagannath at this time of the year.
The effigy of Lord Jagannath was brought home to the family of the Mullick’s by one of the forefathers of the family, Nilmani Mullick, son of GangaBishnu Mullick and father to Rajendra Mullick. Nilmani Mullick inherited the idol from his maternal family or the maiden home of his mother, which was the family of GangaBishnu’s in-laws. Nilmani consecrated the idol in a temple specially built for Lord Jagannath beside a small water body at the Chorbagan locality of north-central Kolkata. Nilmani was married to Hiramani Dashi, both of whom started ceremonial worship of the Lord.
Rajendra was born on 24 June 1819. Little Rajendra grew up to be an exceptionally talented child under the efficient supervision of his mother Hiramani and the able guidance of Sir James Weir Hogg who was also the guardian tutor of minor Rajendra by the order of the Supreme Court. After Rajendra reached the threshold of adulthood he was asked on behalf of the court about his future ambition to which he expressed his desire to establish an institution of art gallery. James Hogg in consultation with Hiramani and respected syndicate members agreed to that and undertook the construction of the same. Thus, the Marble Palace was built between the years 1830 to 35. Soon after, Rajendra gained ownership of the land adjoining the palace building and initiated the development of it which saw the beginning of Lord Jagannath’s chariot festival.
Rathyatra or the chariot festival of Lord Jagannath started approximately in the year 1835 to 36 on the Marble Palace premises. Great rituals were associated with the nine-day journey of the pious chariot carrying Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balaram and sister Subhadra which have been maintained unaltered till today over a period of close to 200 years. Raja Rajendra Mullick assigned the responsibility of the chariot festival to his close associate Brahmins. A part of them were from Orissa and another belonged to the Ghoshal family in Bengal. Both factions have been directly responsible for executing all the religious functions of the event for generations since then.
Hirendra Mullick, the 6th generation descendent of Raja Rajendra Mullick, who is all of 73 years old and the eldest member of the family now says “ Both the families of the Mullicks, Ghoshals and the Orissa Brahmins have progressed simultaneously spanning generations and have partaken in the chariot traditions together.”
The chariot itinerary
The Trust Estate of Raja Rajendra Mullick Bahadur owns Notun Bajaar, which is the popular market of modern and colonial Calcutta, at Chitpur. Notun Bajaar was originally the starting point of the journey of the holy chariot of Jagannath which would be brought to the Marble Palace and travelled around the premises of the same. The worshipping rituals of Lord Jagannath on the temple compound would be according to the practices of Sreeshetra which is Puri’s Jagannath temple, the original abode of the Lord. That included cooking his food offerings over firewood and coal ovens, a kitchen tradition unchanged till today.
The four-storied wooden chariot is white in colour with eight wheels, flanked by eight female companions with the driver and the horse seated in between wielding the sacred rope by which the vehicle is ushered. The uppermost pinnacle of the chariot is adorned by the Lord’s holy flag under a silver shelter with Goruda, the carrier of Vishnu, seated at it with folded hands.
On the pious day of Rathyatra Lord Jagannath’s effigy is brought down from the regular sanctum and placed on the chariot by the Ghoshals and the Brahmins from Orissa. The sacred rope of the Rath is then touched and wielded by the Mullick family members, extended family, neighbours, priests and sages together and taken to the front of the temple at first. At this point, the Lord is offered a holy platter of sweets called Daree Bhog as per the family parlance accompanied by Arati. Subsequently, the Rath travels to the Lord’s Mashi or maternal aunt’s abode, which is an extension of the temple compound on the other side of the estate, singing hymns and seeking the Lord’s blessings along the way. The Rath along with its resident Lord is stationed there for nine days from Soja Rath or the forward journey of the chariot till Ulto Rath or the returning journey of the same. The same Daree Bhog or sweet platter is offered again before Lord Jagannath starts his reverse journey back to the temple.
The entire chariot procession starts on a full moon night or Purnima which marks the bathing ceremony of Lord Jagannath called Snan Yatra. After which the Lord resides in his secret chamber called the Garbha Griha followed by his Angaraag or external ornamentation in three distinct steps executed by experienced artists of Kumartuli who have been doing that for more than 150 years spanning generations just like the family of Brahmins who are in charge of the deity. The entire cluster of re-colouring the Lord’s façade, change of attire and re-brightening of the face is collectively called Nabajouban, two days before the journey. That is followed by a fire sacrifice called Hom locally, which marks food, fire and gold offerings. Later the Lord adorns his sanctum or Sinhasan followed by his seating on the chariot.
An interesting part of the nine days between Soja Rath and Ulto Rath is Lord Jagannath’s nine sartorial changes in accordance with his postures. Those include Sitting, Standing, Granting alms, Horse attire, Lotus attire or Padmabesh, Goruda attire, Pearl attire or Muktabesh, Elephant attire or Hastibesh and finally Ultorathbesh or the attire of the backward chariot journey. Each change of attire is followed by singing hymns or Kirtan by nine different sects of the Vishnu cult or Vaishnavites and eclectic food servings to god, which is then distributed to an assembly of 300 guests irrespective of their caste, creed or religion organised by the trust.
Soja Rath and Ulto Rath see a food serving of 56 items to the Lord called Chappanno Bhog which on Ulto Rath is supplemented by a Pakal Bhog. It comprises rice, milk, curd and ginger among other things and is also called Sheetol Bhog, which is offered at night. A special mention must be made of the eight different types of sweets and nine types of pulses cooked on wooden fire by men specially employed from Orissa called Tolua. Khichudi is later given to all and sundry as the Lord’s blessings or Mahaprasad.
Raja Rajendra Mullick’s Rathyatra is accompanied by a fair which is hosted on the premises of the palace and attended by the locals and general visitors alike. Police protection is a necessity owing to the safety and security of the art gallery which is frequented by visitors all along.