Devotees in Bainan, a village about 60 kilometers from Kolkata, are celebrating the Gajan Festival with fervent devotion. The week-long Hindu festival

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Devotees in Bainan, a village about 60 kilometers from Kolkata, are celebrating the Gajan Festival with fervent devotion. The week-long Hindu festival, culminating with Charak Puja on the Bengali New Year, features participants known as Gajan Sannyasi or Bhokta engaging in rituals and performances. One of the striking aspects of Gajan is the Shiva Nriye, a dance dedicated to Lord Shiva. Devotees, adorned with vibrant costumes and body paint, perform this energetic dance as a form of worship. Some participants even pierce their bodies with nails as a way to express their devotion and endure physical hardship in honor of the deity. The origins of Gajan remain unclear, though some historians believe it has roots in Tantric Buddhism. Regardless of its history, the festival serves as a powerful display of faith and tradition in rural Bengal.

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