Kolkata: India is a land of festivals, and Bengal always contributes actively with its rich cultural traditions. Currently, the Indian subcontinent is experiencing the monsoon season, which is typical for this time of the year. This season brings the special festival of Rath Yatra. The week-long celebration of Rath Yatra Utsav culminates with Ulto-Rath Yatra, and people across Bengal are celebrating this event with great enthusiasm. In this auspicious occasion, Howrah Zilla’s Shyampur is also celebrating with fervor.
Shridhar Mandal, President of Howrah Gramin Panchayat and a loyal follower of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, organized a Ratha Celebration ceremony with the support of Shyampur’s Radhanagar Iskcon Temple. On the occasion of Ulto-Rath, there is a tradition of distributing Bhog (Prasad) to 5,000 people.
To make this moment more memorable, the famous Bengali personality and popular Zee Bangla and Star Jalsha actor Payel Sarkar graced the event with her presence. Alongside her, musical artist Gunjan Bhowmik, awardee of the Banga Kriti Samman 2023 and Starlight Ananya Samman 2024, was also present, along with other dignitaries and Maharaj (Saints) of the temple. The ceremony began with a tilak being applied on the forehead, followed by the pulling of the chariot ropes amidst the cracking of coconuts and the lighting of lamps.
