‘Rash Ceremony, begins in Bagerhat
Bagerhat Correspondent :
Like in past years, this year also a three-day-long, century-old traditional “Rash Ceremony” or “Rash Purnima (day of full moon)” of the Hindu community will start at Alorkol Island within Dublarchar, situated on the bank of the Bay of Bengal in the Eastern Division of Sundarbans (Bagerhat district), to celebrate the Rash Ceremony.
Early in the morning on Sunday, the three-day ceremony will conclude with the participation of Hindu devotees through bathing in the holy saline water of the sea at high tide.
It is a common belief among the Hindu community that a person who has committed grave sins can be emancipated if he or she participates in the holy bathing ceremony on this occasion.
Not only that, but a long-cherished desire of a person can also be fulfilled if they get a chance to take a holy bath in the saline water of the sea during the Rash Ceremony.
That is why thousands of Hindu devotees participate in the three-day-long Rash Ceremony held at Dublarchar islands in the Eastern Division of Sundarbans, usually in the middle of the Bengali month of Kartik or early in Agrahayan.
Devotees come from different parts of the country, including Bagerhat, Dhaka, Chattogram, Faridpur, Gopalganj, Barishal, Satkhira, Khulna, and several thousand members of the Hindu community living in various foreign countries.
On the occasion, Hindu devotees establish temporary temples and create deities of Radha and Krishna with mud to pay homage to them.
Freedom Fighter Md. Kamal Uddin Ahmed, President of the Dubla Rash Utsab Ceremony Committee and simultaneously Chairman of Dubla Fisherman Village, said the Rash Ceremony will be held at Alorkol within Dublarchar in a happy and peaceful atmosphere.
In this connection, Muhammad Asaduzzaman, Police Superintendent of Bagerhat, exchanged views with all concerned at a meeting held at Alorkol of Dublarchar Fisherman Village on Tuesday to maintain law and order in the Sundarbans during the Rash Utsab.
Present on the occasion were Ashraf Ullah, PPM, Additional Police Superintendent (Morrelganj, Sharankhola and Mongla Circle), Officers-in-Charge of Sharankhola and Mongla, Subrata Kumar Das (Deputy Ranger), Officer-in-Charge of Dublarchar Fisherman Village Forest Outpost, and others.
Md. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, DFO (Divisional Forest Officer), Eastern Division (Bagerhat district), said that some regulations have been set for Rash Mela participants and visitors.
Visitors have to complete all festivities between 3-5 November and return before sunset on the last day of the festival, as no boats will be allowed to travel after sunset.
The DFO also noted that everyone wishing to join the Rash Mela must seek permission from the Forest Department and pay a certain fee (fixed by the Forest Department) to obtain the permission.