Holy Sacrifice

PHOTOGRAPHY

Jan 31

Photographer Kaisar Ahamed documents Charak Puja – one of the most important festivals of the Hindu religion in West Bengal and Bangladesh. Through extreme body rituals, the worshippers believe they will be rewarded from God with a peaceful life and removal of all their sins.

Photography Kaisar Ahamed

Charak Puja is also known as Nil Puja. The believers of the Hindu religion celebrate this Puja on the last day of Chaitra month (Chaitra is the last month of Bangla calendar). The day of Charak Puja is also known as Gajan. People believe that the festival will carry prosperity by eliminating the sorrow and sufferings of the previous year. The festival is actually a festival to satisfy "Loard Shiva” the great "Debadideb" of Hindu Religion.

Though the festival takes place on the mid night of Chaitra Songkranti, the preparation phase usually starts before one month of the day. The arrangement team of the festival go from village to village to procure the necessary components like paddy, oil, sugar, salt, honey, money and other items with the arranged cosmetics such as Shiva, Parvati and Narod. The cosmetic Shiva is locally called ‘Nil Pagol’ or ‘Jal Katha’.

On midnight of the Songkranti, the worshippers are gathered together to worship the God and after Puja the ‘Prosad’ is distributed. The rituals of Charak Puja, a way to show the miracle of ‘Lord Shiva’ are unique and at times a little risky. Around midnight, the devotees gather to offer prayers to the ‘Lord Shiva’.

About Kaisar Ahamed

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Holy Sacrifice

Photographer Kaisar Ahamed documents Charak Puja – one of the most important festivals of the Hindu religion in West Bengal and Bangladesh. Through extreme body rituals, the worshippers believe they will be rewarded from God with a peaceful life and removal of all their sins.

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