Cooch Behar: The largest and one of the oldest Madan Mohan Rash festival in North Bengal commenced in Cooch Behar on Friday. The festival was officially launched on Friday evening by the District Magistrate of Cooch Behar and Chairman of the Debuttor Trust Board, Arvind Kumar Meena, who performed the customary ritual of spinning the Raas Chakra at the Madan Mohan Temple.
Prior to the ceremony, a special worship session was held at the Madan Mohan temple, in accordance with the age-old tradition dating back to the reign of the royal family. In line with tradition, District Magistrate Arvind Kumar Meena fasted throughout the day and participated in the special worship ceremony. At this time, only select guests were present at the temple premises. Following the worship, the Raas Chakra was spun by the District Magistrate, marking the official start of the festival. After the ritual, the gates of the Madan Mohan temple were opened to the public, and a large crowd eagerly gathered to participate in the ritual by spinning the Rash Chakra themselves.
On this day, people from across the region gathered outside the temple as early as the evening, eagerly awaiting the gates to open. Traditionally, the festival’s opening coincided with the inauguration of the Rash Mela, a fair organised by the Cooch Behar Municipality. However, in a change that began last year, the inauguration of the fair has now been shifted by one day. The municipality’s Rash Mela will be inaugurated on Saturday this year. The more than 200-year-old Raas festival continues to attract millions of visitors. Every day, religious kirtans are held at Madan Mohan
Thakurbari as part of the ongoing celebrations, with the Rash festival at its heart. District Magistrate Arvind Kumar Meena, reflecting on the occasion, said, “This is the second time I have spun the Chakra and it is a matter of great fortune for me. I wish for the prosperity and well-being of the people of Cooch Behar.”