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INCEPTION
Gupta
Press Directory Panjika is
a Bengali Almanac/Panjika which was
first published in 1869 from Kolkata
to cater to the growing necessity
of having a codified book of ceremonies;
something like a reference frame,
a book of lists, an ephemeris rolled
into one that would satisfy the entire
cross-section of the populace. An
almanac in the Bengali vernacular,
it proved to be the first commercial
venture in the area of operation.
True there were others Bengali Almanac/Panjika,
but none at such a refined or large
scale.
HISTORY
The history
of this Bengali almanac stretches
from a time when our country was reeling
under the British rule. Religion &
rituals which have always been an
integral part of Bengali society,
came under direct threat from a torrent
of Western thoughts. Codified religious
canons and tenets, correct procedure
of rituals and ceremonies found it
almost impossible to bear the onslaught
of "modernism" and "pragmatism"
preached by the western Indians there
was a void which had to be filled
by an authentic religious manual.
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Thus
was born the
"Gupta
Press Directory Panjika"
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This almanac
or Panchang as it is commonly referred
to as, incorporated religious procedures
as sanctioned by the Shastras (religious
precepts), auspicious dates for pujas,
ceremonies, marriage, festivities
and pronounced astrological forecasts.
It soon became an indispensable handbook
for society. Spanning all castes and
cross-sections of Hindu religion,
this "Directory" metamorphosed
into a fantastic advertising medium.
LEGACY
Having survived
the changing trends of our generations
& 137 years, Gupta
Press Directory Panjika is
now a household name worldwide.
Any Bengali anywhere in the world,
has surely heard of it, if not utilised
it. It has graduated from a simple
reference book to a handy ready
reckoner, revered in all homes where
it finds its place next to the family
deity. For the religiously inclined,
it is gospel. The horoscope section
attracts young and old alike. The
Gupta Press
Directory Panjika has been
the common man's constant companion
through his entire lifetime - governing
all occasions and ceremonies like
birth, marriage, death, and all
that falls within. Festivals are
guided by the Gupta
Press Directory Panjika.
Astrologers, fortune tellers, heads
of state, businessmen, industrialists
all resort to the
Gupta Press Directory Panjika
to guide them through all sphere
of their work life.
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