Despite heat wave, Thousands visit ‘Charantala Mela’ in West Garo

TURA: Despite the ongoing heat wave and unprecedented temperatures in the Garo Hills region, thousands of devotees of Goddess Kali thronged the site of the annual three-day Charantala Mela at Babedpara village near Selsella in the Western Garo Hills (WGH).

However, the intense heat wave ensured that many devotees, who had earlier walked to the site, changed their plans, despite the high number of visitors to the temple.
According to folklore, the ‘Charantala Mela’ started at this point when Goddess Kali had a dream and promised to rid the village of a smallpox epidemic in 1965. About 20 deaths occurred in the village this year. to disease.

In the same year, after dying from the epidemic, the local people built a temporary temple from where the goddess was worshipped. Word spread far and wide, leading to a large number of devotees queuing up to offer prayers, and the number has since increased.
What started as a temporary temple now houses a full-fledged temple complex, with idols brought in by donations from devotees from as far away as Rajasthan. The state government’s support has also helped improve the on-site facilities with a fully functional transit site catering to the needs of religious tourists.
Ranjit Sarkar, a resident of Assam, who was visiting the temple with his friends, added, “We are very happy to come here as this place gives us peace of mind and also gives us a sense of being one with these powers. The feelings that define us.”

The three-day festival began on Monday, and Tuesday saw the main religious performance. It will conclude on Wednesday and as usual, will see millions of people come to pray to Goddess Kali.
Queues to see the goddess started on Tuesday and the puja continued throughout the day. Many devotees queued up day and night to be a part of the event, camping overnight in nearby fields.

“I come every year since I remember to pray for Goddess Kali’s blessings every year. It is a special day in our lives and we will keep coming till our legs can’t carry us,” Biju Saha, a resident of Tura, said during his visit on Tuesday.
Due to the heat wave, most of the devotees who were on foot preferred to abandon the walk due to bad weather. With a footfall close to a lakh and being in one of the ‘hot zone’ buses and cars became the norm. There were plenty of water holes for devotees to drink in case of thirst.

Most people find it best to go in the evening when the temperature has dropped, even if only slightly.