Banabibi: The Patron Goddess of the Sundarbans

Abstract

In this article origins of Banabini and some legends regarding this deity which were collected by conducting fieldwork in Mangla (Bagerhat, Khulna) will be discussed. For the innocent people of Sundarbans, Banabibi is a guardian deity who protects them from the wild forces of the jungle. Also called by the names Bandevi, Bandurga, and Byaghradevi she is a guardian deity of the forests worshipped by both the Hindu and the Muslim residents of the Sundarbans. The honey-collectors and woodcutters before entering the forest worship Banabibi for protecting them against the attacks from the tiger