The goddess who holds the earth and a medicine for all maladies

Butto Kristo Paul was the numero uno pharmaceutical entrepreneur of the 19th century whose family welcomes goddess Jagaddhatri, the second incarnation of Durga, every year a month after Durga Puja

- SUDIPTABASU

Trade and commerce flourished in colonial Bengal holding the hands of the East India Company and its Indian counterparts no less.

There are many luminaries of British India who are bright milestones in the country’s long legacy of entrepreneurial leadership. One such towering business name belonging to the world of Indian pharmaceuticals inspired by western medicines as a departure from Indian Ayurvedic tradition is Butto Kristo Paul.

A part of the Paul family is placed in Shibpur, Howrah, which celebrates Durga Puja in her ‘Abhaya’ avatar. The other part of the same is established in their Kolkata home at Sovabazar which also houses their famous family dispensary still ruling the roost in the medicine market and basking in its vintage glory. Another reason why the family is famous is its Jagaddhatri Puja which adds a mythical status to their familys pharmaceutical pride.

The Statesman takes a new look at the most famous religious ceremony and the medicinal legacy of that household popularly known as B.K.Paul’s family situated on Sovabazar Street.

Durga comes back to the family albeit in a different avatar

Jagaddhatri, or the goddess who supports the world, is actually another form of Goddess Durga, who, after the slaying of demon Mahishasur, reprimanded Indra and the other gods who thought it was actually their powers which manifested itself in form of a woman to kill Mahishasur. Goddess Jagaddhatri appeared riding the lion carrying the conch, discus, bow and arrow in her four arms to challenge their pride by asking them to move a shred of grass which none of the gods could and ultimately accepted the female strength of the universe as the mother of one and all. She is also called ‘Haimantika’ or the goddess of autumn.