On the occasion of Chaitra Sankranti, people pay homage to a confluence of faith, tradition, and divine grace. It was on this very auspicious day in 1949, under the spiritual guidance of the great tantric master Sri Haripada Chakraborty, that Ma Karunamoyee manifested herself and blessed, leading to the establishment of the Lake Kalibari Temple. The temple marked its 76th Foundation Day.
Chaitra Sankranti marks the last day of the Bengali calendar and holds immense religious significance. The days leading up to it, especially Neel Puja, are devoted to the worship of Lord Shiva, the blue-throated (Neelkanth), who drank poison for the well-being of the world. Devotees—especially mothers and women—fast, offer fruits and light lamps seeking the welfare and longevity of their children.
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The following day, on Chaitra Sankranti, the vibrant rural festivals of Charak and Gajan take place—rituals of intense devotion involving ascetic practices and symbolic penance performed by Shiva devotees. Historically rooted in both Shaivism and Buddhist tantric traditions, these festivals symbolize spiritual awakening and the ushering in of a new year.