Raiganj: Devotees throng Bhairavi Temple during three-day fair

Raiganj: A grand three-day fair concluded successfully on Monday, drawing a huge crowd. The fair was held at the Bhairavi Temple, an ancient shrine located in Bindol near the India-Bangladesh border in Raiganj, North Dinajpur district.

The fair celebrates the worship of the Bhairavi idol, a form of Goddess Kali made from precious ancient touchstone (kosti pathar) during Rakhi Purnima. Known for its historic significance, the Bhairavi Temple, estimated to be around 500 years old, is located 20 km from Raiganj town and was renovated with funding from the state Heritage department and local Panchayat.

According to local tradition, the temple was previously covered with weeds and climbers but was restored in 2008 following a visit of former state Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi, who highlighted its dilapidated state.

The temple also features a tunnel that connects to the nearby Kanchan River, which originates in Bangladesh.

Several thousand devotees thronged the temple premises to offer prayers and fulfill vows to the deity. Bisakha Barman, who travelled from Dalkhola, over 60 km away, along with her family said: “I gave birth to a baby with the boon of the Goddess.

So today we visited to sacrifice a goat to the deity according to our promise.” Shaymal Samaddar, Secretary of the Bindol Maa Bhairavi Puja Committee, noted that the mela, held annually since Rakhi Purnima, attracts thousands of devotees from Siliguri, Kolkata and beyond.During three days, more than one lakh people from near and far attended the mela this time.