Some of the many festivals of Vaishnavite character have become popular
and these festivals are observed by all sections of Hindus. One of these
is the Rathayathra festival held on the second day after the new moon
in the early rainy season. An image of Vishnu in the form of Jagannath
(Lord of Universe) is placed in a wooden chariot built in the shape of
a temple on wheels, which is drawn by men of all castes to an appointed
place. The day is considered very auspicious, marking as it does the start
of the sowing season for the monsoon crop, throughout eastern India. The
festival is observed in towns and villages. A special feature of fairs
held on the occasion is the brisk sales of seeds and seedlings to farmers
and gardeners. The festival at Mahesh a few miles from Calcutta on the
west bank of the river Hooghly, attracts lakhs of people.
