Raas festival opens at Kantanagar temple

Raas festival, a traditional religious festival of the Hindus, kicked off at Kantanagar temple in Kaharol upazila of the district on Tuesday night.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Lt Col (retd) Faruk Khan inaugurated the month-long- festival. He also opened a restaurant of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation in the temple area.
Nearly one lakh devotees from different parts of the country gathered at Kantanagar temple on the opening day,, temple committee sources said.
Around one lakh devotees from different parts of the country gathered on the temple premises on the opening day, temple committee sources said.
On the eve of the festival, Kantaji idol was brought to the temple from Dinajpur Rajbari amid tight security. The idol was taken to Rajbari in August this year.
Organisers said thousands of devotees spent the inaugural night on the temple premises and left the area after taking holy dip in the Dhapa River yesterday.
A month-long mela has been arranged in the temple area. Hundreds of traders from different parts of the country have set up stalls at the mela.
Meanwhile, the government has sanctioned Tk Tk 25crore for renovation of Kantanagar temple and infrastructural development of its (temple) surrounding areas.
Minister Faruk Khan disclosed this while he was addressing a meeting at Dinajpur deputy commissioner's office yesterday.