Cooch Behar’s historic Rash Festival flagged off

Cooch Behar: One of the biggest annual events of North Bengal — the Madan Mohan Rash festival — commenced on Sunday in Cooch Behar. Arvind Kumar Meena, the District Magistrate of Cooch Behar and president of the Debottar Trust Board, inaugurated the Rash Festival.

The festival was declared open by turning the traditional Rash Chakra at the Madanmohan Temple at 9:10 pm on Sunday by the DM. Prior to this, a special Puja took place in the Madan Mohan Temple premises.

Following the tradition of the royal period, the District Magistrate observed a special Puja after fasting all day. The gates of the Madan Mohan Temple were opened to the general public once the Rash Chakra was turned and a huge crowd gathered to participate in the festivities.

Cooch Behar was witness to the convergence of lakhs of people for the more than 200-year-old Cooch Behar Rash festival. People from not only Cooch Behar district but also from places like Assam, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh come together in Cooch Behar for this grand event. The Madan Mohan Temple hosts religious kirtans and Jatrapala everyday during the Rash festival.

Originating from the era of Maharajas, the role in various functions of the Rash festivities is now performed by the District Magistrate of Cooch Behar. At the time of the Rash festival, the Cooch Behar Municipality annually organises and inaugurates a fair called ‘Rash Mela’ on the day of the Rash festival’s inauguration.

Monday will mark the auspicious opening of the Rash Mela. Although the Rash Mela organised by the Cooch Behar Municipality is held for 15 days each year, it has been extended to 20 days by the municipality since last year.