Devotees gather on Dharla riverbanks for 'Ganga Snan' in Kurigram

The riverbanks of Dharla and Baromasia in Kurigram's Phulbari transformed into vibrant hubs of faith and festivity today as hundreds of Hindu devotees took part in the centuries-old "Ganga Snan", a sacred ritual bath, alongside the Dashahara Mela, a traditional fair with a 150-year legacy.

As the first rays of sunlight touched the waters, devotees from nearby districts began arriving at three riverside locations: Purbo Dhaniram in Baravita union, Sonaikazi near the southern end of Dharla Bridge in Shimulbari union, and Balatari area beside the Baromasia river at Naodanga union.

The sacred ritual continued from dawn till 4:00pm.

At the Dharla Bridge ghat, worshippers offered prayers and received "prasad" (holy offerings) from the puja committee.

Bablu Chandra Bhattacharya, a priest at Dharla ghat, said, "Every year on Dashami Tithi, we conduct the sacred Ganga Snan. Devotees believe this bath purifies the soul."

Protima Rani, a pilgrim from Lalmonirhat, said, "We come here every year to take part in the snan. This puja brings us peace."

Locals say the tradition began in the early 1870s when a devotee, Sharat Chandra Roy, donated an acre of land specifically for hosting the Ganga Puja and the accompanying fair.

Originally held at one site, the annual event had to adapt after repeated erosions and course changes of the Dharla river washed away the original venue. Today, the rituals are spread across three sites in the upazila.

"We have witnessed this event since the time of our ancestors. Though it lost some vibrance over the years, we've been trying to revive it over the last five to six years," said Harikanta Chandra Roy, president of the puja organising committee at Dharla Bridge.