The song of Rakher upobash.

This photograph documents Rakher Upobash, a significant Hindu religious observance in Bengal. On this sacred day, thousands of devotees gather at the Barodi Temple, lighting oil lamps and offering fruits as they pray collectively. Men, women, and children begin arriving from the afternoon, sitting shoulder to shoulder in quiet devotion.

Rakher Upobash is observed in remembrance of Baba Loknath, an 18th-century Hindu saint revered across the region. Devotees fast from morning until night, seeking divine blessings through prayer and ritual. As part of the ceremony, dry coconut husks are burned, producing cleansing smoke believed to purify the surroundings. The rising haze envelops the temple grounds, creating a dense, spiritually charged atmosphere.