The Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world, known especially for the Royal Bengal Tigers. This is such a forest that lies in the swamp area and is also affected by tides in the evening. The people living around the forest make their means of earning by catching fish from the river and collecting honey from the forest. But this region is as beautiful to see as equally mysterious. Here some such legendary beings are claimed to exist which are extremely surprising. People entering the forest many times become victims of the Bengal Tigers, and they even believe that this forest is ruled by Dakshin Rai. He is said to be such an entity that sometimes appears in the form of a human or a tiger. He appears in the disguise of a tiger and attacks human beings. Some people worship this entity like a deity, while some consider it a demon who rules over beasts and demons.
You can find mention of this legendary being even in the folktales of Bengal. It is believed that it controls the tigers of the forest and tigers kill people only on the wish of this being. Those who consider this being divine say that in ancient times there was an agreement between Dakshin Rai and the ancestors living here. Dakshin Rai just wants to protect his forest and humans have always been harming the forests. Dakshin Rai told the people that they could earn money by fishing and collecting honey by living near the forest. But when humans start harming the forest, he will intervene to protect his forest.
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Apart from this, a female spirit named Bonbibi also exists here, who is considered the goddess of this forest and has often saved people's lives from Dakshin Rai. It has its own story in folklore, as Bonbibi was the daughter of Ibrahim, a fakir from Mecca. When Ibrahim's wife was pregnant, he had to leave his wife in the forest to fulfill a promise. Bonbibi was born in the forest and because her mother could not take care of her, she left her in the forest. It is said that she was raised by deer.
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After growing up, Bonbibi went to Mecca to visit Fatima (daughter of the prophet Muhammad). After listening to her story, Fatima gave Bonbibi many powers as a boon and said that she will be the protector of this forest whenever someone asks for her help. Since then, Bonbibi has been protecting the people from the Bengal tigers and Dakshin Rai. Her temple exists in this area, where people worship her. Many tribals have also claimed to have seen Bonbibi with their own eyes. People say that whenever they are near a tiger, they remember Bonbibi and after listening to their call, she definitely comes to save their lives. People always call upon her before entering the forest to avoid tiger attacks.
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