A Banana plant draped in white and red Bengali style saree, with vermilion on its leaves is placed beside Lord Ganesha on “Saptami”, the seventh day. This tree bride is called “Kola Bou”. She is popular as Lord Ganesh’s wife. In reality Kola bou has no relationship with Lord Ganesh. Our scriptures call her Nabapatrika. In ancient times, idol worship was not prevalent, the peasants’ worshipped Mother Nature for a prosperous harvest. It was during the autumn, the time for reaping crops, that the farmers worshipped Goddess Nabapatrika. Later when Durga Puja became apopular festival of autumn, all the nine holy rituals of the Nabapatrika, were addedto the ceremonies of Durga Puja. In fact Nabapatrika represented the primitive form of Durga Puja. This form of worship is still prevalent in some places. Nabapatrika or the nine plants of worship depicts nine forms of goddess Durga. They are banana plant as Goddess Brahmani, Colacassia plant represents Goddess Kalika, Turmericplant symbolises Devi Durga, Jayanti denotes Kartiki, Wood apple Goddess Shiva,Pomegranate Raktadantika, Ashoka tree symbolises Sokrahita, Arum plant represents Chamunda and the Rice plant Goddess Lakshmi.

In the early hours of Saptami, the twigs of white “aparajita” plant along with ninebunches of yellow threads are used to tie the Nabapatrika. It is then bathed. Duringolden times the bath was an elaborate affair. It was compared with the coronationof a King. All the nine Goddesses representing Nabapatrika are bathed with watersfrom 8 different holy places. Over the years this elaborate ritual has shrunk to a small affair. Water from the Ganges or some nearby pond accompanied with Dhak and Kanshi finishes theceremony. After the bathing ceremony Nabapatrika is adorned in red bordered whiteBengali style saree and vermilion is smeared on its leaves. Offerings of flowers,sandalwood paste and incense sticks are made. Later kolabou is placed on the rightside of Lord Ganesh. This is the reason she is popularly known as Ganesh’s wife.