This Patachitra is the story of Chand Sadagar and Manasa, significant for its portrayal of Behula who epitomises the best in Indian womanhood. It begins with conflict of the merchant Chand Sadagar with Manasa, the goddess of snakes and ends with him becoming an ardent devotee of Manasa. He gets his youngest son Lakhindar to marry Behula, daughter of merchant Sayven. On the wedding night, Lakhinder is also bitten by a snake. Newly-wed wife of Lakhinder takes it upon her herself to bring her husband and his brothers’ to life. She makes the goddess bow to her love for her husband through her strength of character, courage and deep devotion

Song

O why did you come by the lake beautiful Behula?
O why did you come by the lake beautiful Behula?
O why did you come by the lake beautiful Behula?
O why did you come by the lake beautiful Behula?
The water from your feet has touched me.
I am the divine Bishohori-the reliever of poison.
The water from your feet has touched me.
I am the divine Bishohori-the reliever of poison.
O why did you come by the lake beautiful Behula?
O your husband is going to die on your wedding night
And you will be widowed.
O why did you come by the lake beautiful Behula?
Hail Manasha the reliver of poison.
Little Manasha was born inside a lotus flower.
She sits on a throne of snakes and sleeps on a bed of snakes.
She is carried by a wild boar.
Chand merchant is angry and he is clutching his beard.
He is speaking disrespectfully of Manasha.
He says “that if that Lady (Manasha) tries to cause harm to my son
I will crush her with a hetal stick.”
Manasha hears his words.
Infuriated she kills Chand merchant’s six sons.
She killed his six sons and their six wives are now widowed.
Still the merchant refuses to worship her.
There is still young Lakkhindar

Let us get him married in Nachhoi town
Amulya merchant lives in Nachhoni town,
He has a girl named Behula.
So uncle Jonardan is sent with the proposal.
Jonardan is able to fix the wedding.
After their wedding Lakkhindar sits on palanquin
And some people carry palanquin away.
On the Santhalsi hill a room of iron is made for the newlyweds.
That is where Lakkhindar sleeps.
O rise the daughter of merchant, are you in deep sleep?
See something has bitten me.
O what has happened? What has happened to me?
My husband has died on our wedding night.
O what has happened? What has happened to me?
My husband has died on our wedding night.
My fair husband as fair as gold
O what has happened? What has happened to me?
My husband has died on our wedding night.
My fair husband as fair as gold
Has turned blue from poison.
O what has happened? What has happened to me?
My husband has died on our wedding night
If I have been a true and faithful, o mother
Please give me back my husband.
If I have been a true and faithful, o mother
Please give me back my husband.
O how ill fated I am.
I have to cross the river of eternity.
O what has happened? What has happened to me?
My husband has died on our wedding night
O how ill fated I am
I have been widowed.
O what has happened? What has happened to me?
My husband has died on our wedding night
O rise, the daughter of merchant. O what has happened!
Are you in deep sleep? See something has bitten me.
O what has happened!
She tears off her sari to light the lamp.
She takes a heavy knife and throws it on the snake.
The snake loses his tail, it wriggles away in pain.

A man named Nera came running to Chand merchant and said
“O your son has died dear merchant”
O Chand’s son, Chand’s son has been bitten by a snake.
O who is going to help them in a foreign land?
O Chand’s son, Chand’s son has been bitten by a snake.
O who is going to help them in a foreign land?
A man named Nera came running to Chand merchant and said
“O your son has died dear merchant”
Deranged by this news Chand replied
“Oh that is really good that my son is no more”
And he began dancing carrying the hetal stick.
He said “when will it be dawn dear messenger?’
“I would like to have some charred chang fish with rice”
Behula said to her father-in-law,
“You have made me your daughter-in-law by giving me conch shell bangles
Please prepare a raft out of a banana tree for me.”
So they chopped a banana tree into three pieces.
And Behula rowed away on the tiny raft and the raft sailed away.
On the way Behula met her six brothers.
Brothers said to her “O dear sister why are you sailing
Away with that decaying corpse?”
“Please come back home to us.
We are going to take care of you.
We will ask your sisters-in-law to obey you.”
Behula replied “ No dear brothers. I cannot stay with you.”
“I would quarrel with your wives all day.”
She bid farewell to her brothers and went on.
Soon the raft reached Goda ghat.
One named Gadadhar was fishing in the river.
He wanted to eat fish with rice.
O do not utter rude words Gada, do not utter rude words
O do not utter rude words Gada, do not utter rude words
Soon you will see I will bring back the life of my dead husband.
O do not utter rude words Gada, do not utter rude words
Seeing Behula floating with her dead husband, Gada ridiculed her
He asked her where she was from.
“Come to me dear woman. I will save your husband’s life.”
“Fie on you Gada” exclaimed Behula
“I am a devotee of Manasha” she said. And Behula went on
Her raft reached the ghat of Tamluk.
Two brothers Thona and Mona were sleeping by the bank.
Neta the washer woman was cleaning clothes by the river.
Behula washed her clothes and they shone like the sun.
Both of them dried their saris.
Behula took the sari and went to heaven.
She asked for boons from Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
“O we grant your wish dear Behula, they said
“You can take your husband and his six brothers home
So Behula merrily decorated seven boats.
Float my little boat in the sea, O dear friend
Float my boat in the sea.

The east horizon is red, rise, do not sleep
Float my little boat in the sea, O dear friend
Float my boat in the sea.
Float my little boat in the sea, O dear friend
Float my boat in the sea.