https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Dakshin_RaiDakshin Rai - Revision history2026-07-31T10:28:15ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Dakshin_Rai&diff=162576&oldid=previmported>Emdee1994 at 12:26, 28 July 20212021-07-28T12:26:28Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|Deity in the Sundarbans in India and Bangladesh}}<br />
[[File:Dhapdhapi 1.jpg|thumb|Idol of Dakshin Rai at Dhapdhapi]]<br />
'''Dakshin Ray''' ({{lang-bn|দক্ষিণ রায়}}, "King of the South") is a revered deity in the [[Sundarbans]] in [[India]] and [[Bangladesh]] who rules over beasts and demons. He is regarded as the overall ruler of the Sundarbans.<ref name="Protection from the Gods:">{{cite web|title=Protection from the Gods:|url=http://www.lairweb.org.nz/tiger/maneating7.html|publisher=lairweb.org.nz/|access-date=27 December 2012}}</ref><ref name="Thapar1997">{{cite book|author=Valmik Thapar|title=Land of the Tiger: A Natural History of the Indian Subcontinent|url=https://archive.org/details/landoftigernatur00thap|url-access=registration|access-date=27 December 2012|year=1997|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-21470-5|pages=[https://archive.org/details/landoftigernatur00thap/page/117 117]–}}</ref><ref name="Mitra2011">{{cite book|author=Swati Mitra|title=Wild Trail in Bengal: Travel Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s2z6kVzswZ4C&pg=PT18|access-date=27 December 2012|year=2011|publisher=Goodearth Publications|isbn=978-93-80262-16-1|pages=18–}}</ref> The God is worshipped by all those who enter the Sundarban forests of West Bengal, for subsistence, irrespective of their caste, creed or religion.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nationalmuseumindia.gov.in/prodCollections.asp?pid=81&id=8&lk=dp8|title=Dakshin-Ray|website=nationalmuseumindia.gov.in|access-date=December 25, 2017}}</ref><br />
<br />
== Narrative ==<br />
In the [[Sealdah South lines]] , there is the station Dhapdhapi. A few miles away is a Dakshin Rai temple. The residents of the area worship this Tiger God. He once belonged to the area of the Sundarbans. His domain stretches from the south [[Namkhana]] [[Kakdwip]] the Bhagirathi- Hooghly River [[Ganga]] in the west to the Ghatal Bakla district in the east as well as [[Khulna District|Khulna]] [[Jessore District]] of Bangladesh.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Banglar Loukik Debota (Bengali)|last=Gopendra Krishna Basu|publisher=Dey's Publishing|year=2015|isbn=978-81-295-2582-6|location=Kolkata|pages=150}}</ref> Every new moon (Amavasya) , he is revered and appeased with animal sacrifices. Dakshin Rai also likes music and attracts musicians. The local tribes try their best to please the 'King of the South' by dancing and singing night after night.<br />
<br />
Dakshin Rai's father is Danda Baksha and mother is Narayani. His father was the ruler of the Sundarban forests. He is depicted with large whiskers. His body is slender and has a shiny, yellow tinge, which is decorated with tiger-like stripes. Drool drips from both sides of his mouth and he has a six-meter-long tail.<br />
<br />
Inhabitants of the Sundarbans pray to Dakshin Rai or [[Bonbibi]] before venturing into the mangroves, as they believe this affords them protection. Natives of some tribes bind a mask with the face of Dakshin Rai to the back of their heads, so as to confuse or scare an approaching tiger and ward off its attack.<ref name=Thapar1997 /><br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
{{Culture of West Bengal}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Culture of West Bengal]]<br />
[[Category:Bangladeshi culture]]<br />
[[Category:Legendary Indian people]]<br />
[[Category:Sundarbans]]</div>imported>Emdee1994