Sundarbans, Nov 03 (V7N) — The three-day traditional Rash Festival began on Monday at Dublar Char, located along the Bay of Bengal within the Sundarbans. From early morning, Hindu devotees began arriving at the sacred site after obtaining official passes from the Chandpai and Dhangmari stations under the Sundarbans East Forest Division. The main rituals of the Rash Puja will formally commence tonight at the temporary temple on the island’s Alorkol area and conclude early Wednesday with a holy bath in the sea.
 
This year, like in recent editions, the festival will not feature any cultural programs or fairs. Only Hindu devotees are being allowed to participate, while people from other faiths and tourists remain restricted from entering Dublar Char — a measure introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic and still being enforced. Devotees are required to leave the site after completing their prayers and ritual baths.
 
Md. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Divisional Forest Officer of the Sundarbans East Forest Division, stated that pilgrims can attend the festival by paying the fixed government fees and obtaining official permission through designated routes. He added that strict regulations have been implemented again this year to protect the Sundarbans’ fragile ecosystem, prevent deer poaching, and control plastic pollution.
 
According to historical records, the Rash Puja at Dublar Char began in the late 18th or early 19th century, initiated by a Hindu monk named Harbhajan Das. Accompanied by his followers, he would perform prayers and take ritual baths in the salty waters of the Bay of Bengal during the full moon of the Rash festival. Over time, this spiritual gathering evolved into what is now known as the Dublar Char Rash Mela — one of the largest annual religious festivals for the Hindu community in Bangladesh.
 
The event is currently organized by the Dubla Fishermen’s Group, led by Bir Muktijoddha (Freedom Fighter) Md. Kamal Uddin Ahmed, who also serves as the president of the Rash Festival Celebration Committee. He said the main religious rituals began today, with devotees from across the country joining prayers at the temporary temple dedicated to Radha and Krishna. The ceremonies will conclude at dawn on November 5 with a holy dip in the sea’s first tide, after which devotees will depart for their homes. The organizing committee has taken comprehensive security measures to ensure the festival proceeds smoothly and without incident.
 
As per forest department regulations, each devotee must pay a revenue fee of Tk 75 for three days. Registered fishing trawlers are charged Tk 300 for the same period, while unregistered trawlers must pay Tk 1,000. Additionally, each trawler must pay a daily anchoring fee of Tk 300.
 
The Rash Festival at Dublar Char continues to represent a deep spiritual tradition — a blend of faith, devotion, and the natural splendor of the Sundarbans, where thousands gather each year to seek blessings and renewal amidst the rhythm of the sea.
 
END/AHS/SMA/