TURA, April 18: Despite the ongoing heatwave and unprecedented rise in temperatures in Garo Hills region, thousands of devotees of Goddess Kali thronged the venue of the annual three-day Charantala Mela in the village of Babedpara near Selsella in West Garo Hills.
The sweeping heatwave, however, ensured that many devotees, who earlier walked to the site, changed plans, despite which the numbers that visited the temple remained high.
According to folklore, ‘Charantala Mela’ began at the site after Goddess Kali appeared in the dream of a devotee and promised to rid the village of smallpox epidemic that had been afflicting the locals in 1965. The village had seen about 20 deaths that year to the disease.
In the same year, after the dying down of the epidemic, locals created a makeshift temple from where prayers were offered to the Goddess for her blessings. The word spread far and wide, thereby drawing numerous devotees, which has only increased over the years.
What may have started off as a makeshift temple currently houses a full structure of temples, with idols brought from places as far as Rajasthan, through donations made by devotees. Support from the state government has also helped in bettering amenities at the site with a fully functional transit site catering to the needs of religious tourists.
“We are extremely happy to come here as the place gives us peace of mind as well as makes us feel at one with the powers that define us,” said Assam resident Ranjit Sarkar, who went there along with his friends.
The annual festival, which is also the biggest congregation of Hindus in Garo Hills, witnessed people from far-off states attending the Mela.
The three-day festival began on Monday with Tuesday being the main day of the religious performances. The Mela will conclude on Wednesday.
The queue to see the Goddess began early this morning with pujas being conducted throughout the day. The queues continued through the day and night with many devotees camping in the nearby fields through the night, to be a part of the event.
“I have been coming every year since I can remember to pray for Goddess Kali’s blessings every year. It is a special day in our lives and we will continue to come till our legs can carry us,” said one Biju Saha, a resident of Tura, during his visit today.
Due to the heatwave, most devotees, who used to walk to the site, preferred to skip the same.
Most preferred to visit the Mela during the evening with the drop in temperature, even if slightly.
