Traditional Charak festival begins in Pabna

PABNA, Apr 13: Like in previous years, a 3-day traditional festival marking the Charak Puja of the Hindu community has begun with enthusiasm and festivity at Bothor village, beside the Boral river under Chatmohar upazila of the district early Monday.
Among Bengali folk traditions Charak festival gets popularity on the occasion of Pahela Boishak in Pabna. According to Hindu myth, God Mohadeb once arrived through Charak tree to convey the message of freedom for the Hindu community, thousands of years ago.
Since then the Hindus started to celebrate Charak Puja. During the festival, the mythological tree is kept at the centre of the traditional Puja.
"Charak festival begins at Chaitra 30 of Bangla calendar and ends on celebrating Pahala Boishak every year. Devotees worship god 'Mohadeb' at Bothor Shib Mondir' and pour milk, sugar and fruit for the satisfaction of the goddess to get relief from the trouble." Roni Roy, one of organisers of the festival said.
Once only the lower caste Hindus used to perform the Puja but now the whole community celebrates it. The grandeur of the festivity turned into typical Puja as traditional festival, said Gonesh Ghosh, president of Pabna district Puja Udjapan Parishad.
During the Puja, devotees pour milk and sugar on Charak tree root and place wreaths in a bid to satisfy the god, he added.
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