West Bengal is a land of Pujas and festivals. Every month through out the year, there are several festivals. These festivals arrange for the get-together of the members residing in different locations. Charak Puja is a rural festival of West Bengal. This festival is performed mainly in the southern part of West Bengal and in Bangladesh. This festival is celebrated on the last day of the Bengali calendar year, known as Chaitra Songkranti.
People of rural Bengal believe that Charak Puja carry prosperity in their lives. This is a festival which is devoted to the deities Lord Shiva, Shakti and satisfying Lord Shiva is the main aim of this rural festival. Charak Puja continue for one day only but the preparation is a long process. In every village, normally one team is created for Charak Puja and the members go from house to house of different villages to procure rice, oil, sugar, money and other items.
On the Charak Puja day, the worshippers gather together to worship Lord Shiva with Pujas.
A group consists of 12 to 15 members of both sex. The devotees of the ritual are called ‘Charkia’ and the leader of the team is called ‘Deoboinshi’. They are called with different names in different parts of Bengal. The devotees keep fasts for one month before the Charak Puja. During this period they live on fruits and do their daily worship. At the end of the month, on the day of Charak Puja, the devotees perform different dangerous acts like jumping on glass, nails from a height. Extreme physical pain is the main motto of Charak Puja. This is a festival of physical pain and stress. The devotees believe that through physical pain and stress, Lord Shiva can be satisfied. Sharp steel rods are passed through the throat, ears of devotees and strangely they never take any medicine. In many places during this festival a human "Charak" is made. The "Charak" is tied with a hook on his back and then rotated around a bar with a long rope.
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