Cooch Behar: The entire Cooch Behar district is mourning the passing of Altaf Mia, the creator of the Ras Chakra for the Cooch Behar Madan Mohan Rash Utsav. He was undergoing treatment at MJN Medical College and Hospital and passed away on Saturday night. His demise has left a deep void in the cultural fabric of the region.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her condolences on his passing.. On Sunday, his last rites were performed as per Muslim customs. Several dignitaries, including Cooch Behar Municipality Chairman Rabindra Nath Ghosh, North Bengal State Transport Corporation Chairman Partha Pratim Roy and Zilla Parishad Sahakari Sabhadhipati Abdul Jalil Ahmed, visited his residence to pay their respects. For generations, Altaf Mia’s family has been entrusted with crafting the Rash Chakra, a key element of North Bengal’s grandest festival. This tradition was established by the Maharajas of Cooch Behar to symbolise communal harmony. His grandfather and father carried forward the legacy and for the last 40 years, Altaf Mia himself oversaw the Ras Chakra’s construction, which would begin after Lakshmi Puja.
Due to his illness over the past two years, his son, Aminur Mia, continued the tradition under his guidance.
Expressing his concerns, Aminur said: “I will carry forward my father’s legacy. However, our family is facing severe financial hardships. If I am provided with a job, it would be a great help for us.” Cooch Behar Municipality Chairman Rabindra Nath Ghosh remarked: “Ras Utsav has always been a festival of communal unity and Altaf Mia was the biggest example of this harmony.
We honored him on multiple occasions and over the past two years, we regularly visited him during his illness. His passing is a profound loss to Cooch Behar.”