'Rash Mela' at Kantanagar Temple

The 'Rash Mela' in full gear (top and bottom-left) and the Kantajiu idolPhoto: STAR

The historic 'Rash Mela' (Rash Festival), a traditional religious festival of the Hindu community, began on Friday at midnight amid a euphoric mood at the Kantanagar (also known as 'Kantaji') Temple premises. The temple is in Kaharol Upazila of Dinajpur, and the inaugural ceremonies were held under tight security.
During the celebration, the Kantajiu idol (Radha-Krishna Bigroho) of the Kantanagar Temple was brought at the Rash altar (Rash Bedi) in the presence of thousands of devotees. These devotees came from all over the subcontinent. The rituals are performed on a full-moon night in accordance with a tradition that dates back five hundred years ago, connected with Rajas of Dinajpur.
The festival itself transforms the region. A veritable human sea swells and pulses around the Kantanagar Temple area with thousands of devotees from India, Nepal, as well as across Bangladesh, as pilgrims from Dhaka, Barisal, Faridpur, Rangpur, Madaripur, Magura and Bhola flood in for the festivities.
During this period the temple authorities provide food and entertainment. The latter includes ritual songs and Radha-Krisha dances, much to the delight of the attending pilgrims and in keeping with traditional temple hospitality.
In addition to the purely religious rituals, the festival organisers also arrange a month-long mela at the temple premises. There, hundreds of traders from different parts of the country arrive with their products.
AM Saiful Hasan, Deputy Commissioner of Dinajpur inaugurated the festival. Special guests present on the occasion were the representatives of Kantanagar Temple -- Amalendu Bhowmik, Parimol Chakrabari Tapan, Subrota Majumder Dollar, Chitta Ghosh; President of Dinajpur Press Club, Golam Nabi Dulal and Secretary of the Dinajpur Press Club, Md. Akram Talukder; General Secretary of Dinajpur Journalist Union and Dinajpur correspondent of The Daily Star Kongkon Karmaker.