Rakh-er Upobash, or the Kartik fast or simply Rakh festival in Bangladesh is like another Diwali— the whole universe illuminated beneath a sky glowing with hundreds of thousands of lamps. It is usually held from November 2 to November 17. Hence one of the names of this celebration: the lighting of ghee lamps. In Bangladesh, it was at the Baradi Ashram of Baba Loknath Brahmachari that he first instructed his devotees to observe this ‘Rakh-er Upobash’ during the month of Kartik. Some therefore also call this ritual the Kartik Brata. One of the largest centers of this festival is the Baradi Loknath Brahmachari Ashram in Sonargaon, Narayanganj. Besides this, countless Loknath temples across both Bengals observe the ritual.
Rules and Materials
From the 15th to the 30th of Kartik, on every Saturday and
Tuesday, devotees fast all day and perform this ritual in the evening. The main
materials used are banana leaves, earthen lamps, and ghee.
From dusk, women begin arriving at the temple courtyard.
They pour milk over the idol of Baba Loknath, light incense, and thus begin the
festival. Fruits and sweets are offered as naibedya. Then, sitting in rows
before the temple, they place wicks twisted for lighting on banana leaves and
set the ghee lamps in front of them.
For each family member for whom they pray for protection
from danger, one lamp is placed. Around the lamps are arranged whole fruits as
offerings.
At sunset, the bells begin to ring. Amid ululation, women
start lighting the lamps. Hundreds of lamps blaze simultaneously. Finally,
after offering prayers, the day-long fast is broken. The courtyard glows with
the flames of hundreds of lamps—an extraordinary warmth radiating through the
universe.
Devotees observe this fast for the well-being of their loved
ones. Yet its warmth seems to reach toward the welfare of all.
Reason
Autumn and spring often share similar weather, and thus
outbreaks typical of spring could sometimes appear in autumn as well. Though
milder now, in earlier times smallpox was deadly. Between 1817 and 1820 alone,
India saw five cholera waves; before that, countless more. Cholera was
devastating—four to five hundred thousand lives could be lost in a single
outbreak. The disease surged especially in the months of Baisakh, Asharh, and
Hemanta. To protect people from cholera and smallpox, Baba Loknath instructed
devotees to observe fasting in Kartik and to light ghee lamps and incense in
the ashram courtyard.
Perhaps it has no direct medical effect, but behind this ritual lies a reminder of past horrors—an urging to remain cautious. Alongside praying for loved ones’ well-being, people themselves become more aware.