RATHAS NEAR MY HOME 

I discovered that there are at least 5 rathayatras in our neighbourhood that has been running for almost a century now . I don’t know how many more used to exist and is presently discontinued . Neverthless , the few rathas that exist defying changing rules of time still continue their journey every year on the month of Ashada , but without pomp and celebration . Wanted to document this vanishing tradition before its too late ...

Nazir bari wooden ratha ... deserves a seperate post . It is a fantastic surviving work of art

The original bigger ratha of Ramakrishna Mandap was resized and made smaller some years back

Thakur , Maa and Swamijee seated on ratha of Ramakrishna mandap .

Ratha of Ramakrishna mandap

Pancharatna ratha with brass tops of Dutta Bari . The ratha was discontinued after family's fortunes fell and have been re started a decade or so back after a gap of almost 40 years !

Chakra and dwaja atop Dutta bari Rath

Lone Kirtaniyas humming tunes before the rituals begin . At Dutta bari

Aadi Ganga was the main course of Ganges some 500 years ago . No wonder that numerous temples and shrines dot both its banks . Some distance away from where I live , this old ratha of a riverside temple .