The Stick of Bhima A Mythological Monument

M Mahmud Ali

Myths are full of mystery and enchanting appeal. Here, I am excited to describe the magical myth regarding ‘the stick of Bhima’.
According to the Mahabharata, the Pandavas were the five sons of Pandu. They were Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. All five brothers were married to the same woman, named Draupadi. Out of the Pandavas, Bhima was the most powerful. It is said that Bhima used to come down to earth from heaven in the middle of the night and cultivate the barren land till dawn. On his way back to heaven, keeping himself hidden from view, he used to place a stick in the middle of the field. Later, the stick (panti) turned into a stone pillar, which is now known as ‘Bhima’s Stick’.
 The ‘stick of Bhima’ is located at Mangalbari of Dhamoirhat upazila in Naogaon district. A certain British indigo trader, called Charles Wilkins, discovered the stone ‘stick’ inside a jungle in 1780 while developing an indigo farm. It is locally known as ‘Bhim er Panti’. ‘Panti’ is a stick or prod used by cowherds to drive cattle in the fields. Historical records suggest that the stone pillar was installed by Narayana Pala Deva, the 6th Pala emperor, in the 9th century during Pala rule.
Basically, the ‘stick’ is a black granite pillar which is about 3.5 metres in height. There is an inscription written in Sanskrit at the base of the pillar. It is actually a 28-line poem praising Emperor Narayana Pala Deva.
Once upon a time, the pillar was much taller than what we see today. There was a ‘garuda’ bird perched on top of the pillar. The ‘garuda’ is a large mythical birdlike creature that appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythologies. This is why the pillar is also known as ‘Statue of Garuda’. As the pillar is in an open field, lightning often struck the garuda statue and it fell into disrepair over the course of time. Thus, the height of the pillar gradually decreased.
 

Reference: Bangladesher  Protnoshompod  by Abul Kalam Md Zakariya
Photos: Writer

The Stick of Bhima A Mythological Monument

M Mahmud Ali Myths are full of mystery and enchanting appeal. Here, I am excited to describe the magical myth regarding the stick of Bhima. According to the Mahabharata, the Pandavas were the five sons of Pandu. They were Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. All five brothers were married to the same woman, named Draupadi. Out of the Pandavas, Bhima was the most powerful. It is said that Bhima used to come down to earth from heaven in the middle of the night and cultivate the barren land till dawn. On his way back to heaven, keeping himself hidden from view, he used to place a stick in the middle of the field. Later, the stick (panti) turned into a stone pillar, which is now known as Bhimas Stick. The stick of Bhima is located at Mangalbari of Dhamoirhat upazila in Naogaon district. A certain British indigo trader, called Charles Wilkins, discovered the stone stick inside a jungle in 1780 while developing an indigo farm. It is locally known as Bhim er Panti. Panti is a stick or prod used by cowherds to drive cattle in the fields. Historical records suggest that the stone pillar was installed by Narayana Pala Deva, the 6th Pala emperor, in the 9th century during Pala rule. Basically, the stick is a black granite pillar which is about 3.5 metres in height. There is an inscription written in Sanskrit at the base of the pillar. It is actually a 28-line poem praising Emperor Narayana Pala Deva. Once upon a time, the pillar was much taller than what we see today. There was a garuda bird perched on top of the pillar. The garuda is a large mythical birdlike creature that appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythologies. This is why the pillar is also known as Statue of Garuda. As the pillar is in an open field, lightning often struck the garuda statue and it fell into disrepair over the course of time. Thus, the height of the pillar gradually decreased. Reference: Bangladesher Protnoshompod by Abul Kalam Md Zakariya Photos: Writer