Shubosuconi means good beginnings. Goddess Shubhoconi is
local deity worshipped in Bengal, parts of Assam, Orissa and Jharkhand. Puja of
her brings good luck and prosperity. Women perform the rituals and puja
associated with Goddess Shubhoconi.
Goddess is mainly worshipped when daughter returns to her
maternal home for first time after marriage. It is also performed for the wellbeing
of pregnant women.
The puja is offered to a metal pot with picture of duck
drawn on its sides.
A popular story associated with the worship of Goddess
Shubhoconi – involves a boy, his mother, a king and a duck.
It is said that the boy once stole a lame duck. The duck
belonged to the king. The mother of the boy chided her son for stealing the
duck.
Next day the king’s soldiers found about the robbery and
imprisoned the son.
The mother did not know what to do. She fell unconscious and
she had a dream. In the dream, an old woman told her to perform puja to Goddess
Shubhoconi.
She woke up and did the puja as told by the woman.
The very same old woman appeared in the king’s dream and
told that the boy had not stolen the duck.
In the morning, the king released the boy and gave him
immeasurable wealth.