The social system of Bengal was basically Tantric, for the Vedic influence was minimal. In the higher realms of spiritual practice, the influence of Tantra was enormous; only in the middle and lower strata of spiritual practice was there some slight Vedic influence. In the local customs and social systems, and in some ceremonies conducted by women, the influence of Tantra was quite evident. Even today the avidhavás [married, unwidowed women] of the family play a prominent role in various social observances. The [modern Bengali] word eyo⁽¹⁾ developed from this word avidhavá through a process of linguistic distortion.

In the various rituals of worship, banana, betel leaves and betel-nuts were widely used. This is not in accordance with the Vedic system. The word kadalii is not used in the Vedas; but in non-classical Sanskrit, a banana is called rambhá and a plantain is called kadalii. In non-classical Sanskrit betel-nut is called guváka or pungiphalam. With changes in the temporal and spatial factors, various other things as well have undergone change. Bengalees are Austrico-Negro-Dravidian; thus they were fond of chewing betel leaves like the Dravids, and they used to keep a container with them for this purpose. Young people used to carry a betel-nut cracker at the time of their wedding. Bengalee women used to work in the fields and farms all day long, and after the day’s work was over they would wash their hands and face and, with a daub from their collyrium casket, would make a black mark on their foreheads. The women of Bengal were quite fond of cosmetics, so they used to tuck this collyrium casket into their hair-buns. They still do this at the time of their marriage ceremony.

The ancient society of Bengal was basically Tantric. Both the young men and the young women would use the surnames of their fathers before and after marriage [i.e., the young women would not give up their surnames]. The young women would use their father’s surname, suffixed by the word duhitá [daughter], even after marriage. Women, though belonging to a new gotra [clan] after marriage, were entitled to observe the funeral rites of their departed parents. They would observe ashaoca [mourning] for three days and three nights after their father’s or mother’s death, and on the fourth day would perform the shráddha ceremony [in commemoration of the departed]. In the rest of India, the rule was that the women after marriage would lose their parental gotra and as such would not be entitled to observe the shráddha ceremony of their departed parents. In the rest of India, women’s right to make pińd́a [offerings] to their ancestors is not recognized, but in Bengal it is recognized. In ancient days, the social life of Bengal was based on Tantra as introduced by Shiva.

Footnotes

(1) Editors’ note: With the same meaning, a married and unwidowed woman.