Guptipara is a rustic town under Balagarh police station in Chinsurah subdivision of Hooghly district in West Bengal. This place is famous for Ratha Yatra and also for the sweets. Guptipara is the place where Durga Puja first held in a public community base. Guptipara is the birth-place of legendary folk singer, Bhola Moira, and the birthplace of the great Commander in Chief of King Siraj ud-Daulah, Mohanlal. Guptipara offer an interesting mixture of Bengal temple architecture. Now the primary tourism attraction in Guptipara is the terracotta temples. The temples are located in a single temple complex that is the four Vaishnava Temples. These are Ramchandra Temple, Chaitanya Temples, Brindabanchandra Temple, Ramchandra Temple and Krishnachandra Temples. Out of all these, the Ratha Yatra and the fair allure more to the national and international tourists. Bridabamchandra Temple in Guptipara houses the idol of Lord Jaganath, Balarama and Subhadra. On the day of the Ratha Yatra the idols are carried out by the towering chariot to another temple known as "Masir Bari" where the Lord is kept for seven days. After which the journey is retraced by the ratha, which is known as ulto rath, and the idols are brought back to the Brindabanchandra Temple. The nine pinnacled rath like a tower is decorated with coloured banners and flowers and is fitted with wooden horses and several wooden statues. The multi wheeled ratha is pulled by four thick ropes, out of which one is reserved for women. A rope at the back serves as a brake. The ratha is pulled through muddy and slushy ground in a wild rampage. Ratha Yatra of Guptipara has the seven day period. This is in between the rath and ulto rath and the celebration is marked with a mela (fair). The fair is complete with marry go rounds and magic and circus shows, makeshift stalls sells household wares to decorative showpiece. The food stalls selling papad and hot jelibi is lip-smacking. But the age old fair is also going through the process of evolutions with different fast food items. |