Raikut Kali Mandir, Jalpaiguri

 

The Raikuts claimed themselves as Hindu kshatriya though they are actually the descendants of the Mech and Koch tribes from the Kamrupa region in Assam. Therefore, they had observed all the rites as Hindus in every aspect of lives without dismantling their tribal connections. The Raikut rajas were great devotees of Lord Shiva, Durga and Manasa, prime Hindu deities. They observed the Durga Puja and Manasa-puja with the same overwhelming pomp. The mela held in the premises of Rajbari in the time of Manasa-puja is one of the famous celebration of the District from past few hundred years till now-a-days. It is generally held on the last day of Bengali month Shraban, i.e., middle of the month of July. Thousands of small craftsmen, artists, vendors came here to trade their articles in this course of time from all over the districts. Previously, the Mela lasts for a long joyous fortnight, but now-a-days it has cut short for only seven days. On the first day of Mela, it has been a declared local holiday for all the offices, schools and colleges of Jalpaiguri. Currently, the present Raikat family lives in Walkerganj, Jalpaiguri near the Rajbari and some branches of the Raikat family are scattered across the globe.