Shakta Rash or Shakta Rasa or Shakta Ras is the most celebrated festivals of Nabadwip, West Bengal, India. This festival celebrated thirty-five days after the autumnal Durgapuja celebration or fifteen daus after Kali puja in Kartik Purnima. To the people of Nabadwip Rash Festival is everything. Entire commonwealth are eagerly waiting for this festival all year around. The main features of the Nabadwip Rash are to make huge idols with clay and to worship Shakti. Every idol has an artistic design, a variety of imagination, religious discourse, and deep understanding of the scholars, which help entertain innumerable people. Cartoonist Chandi Lahiri said that hugeness of clay idols differs from any other festival as Nabadwip's idols are shapely and symmetric despite their light weight.
Historical groundings
Ras festival mainly part of Vaishnavism. In the time of Chaitanya deb or some years earlier, Rash Yatra was started in Nabadwip. But it was Vaishnabic festival. Shakta ras is totally different from that. Sakta Ras festival may be older than Vaishnava Ras, because in the beginning, idols were worshipped in Patachitra. During the time of Krishnachandra and mainly Girishchandra, Nabadwip Rash yatra became popular. Krishna Chandra and Girishchandra spent much money to popularise the festival and since then worshipping started through clay idol. Girish Chandra Basu highlighted the first glimpse of Nabadwip Ras. In 1853–1860, he was a daroga of Nabadwip-Shantipur and Krishnanagar. In his famous book Sekaler Daroga Kahini, he wrote various socio-cultural reports along with the geographical location of the Nabadwip of that time.
Nabadwip is a sanctum of Tantra. Many Shakta and Tantra philosophers worshipped Devi kali even before the Shakta Ras Festival began. Later these Kali idols were worshipped in Ras festival. Fundamentalism of Brahmin leads others people to turn towards Tantra. Since the twelfth or fourteenth century, tantra has been enriched with tendance of Tantra philosophers throughout Bengal.
Conflict with Vaishnavism
In the early 16th century, some Vaishnabic scholars started the Vaishnabic movement. So it was an obvious conflict with Shakta followers who were worshipping Tantra.
Shakta ras in early days
Documentation of early days of Shakta ras is very rare as flood and earthquake hits several times. Although Girish Chandra Basu and Kanti Chandra Rari gave glimpse of Shakta ras in early days.
Girish Chandra Basu
Girish Chandra Basu, Daroga of Nabadwip-Shantipur-Krishnagar, wrote "Sekaler Daroga Kahini, where he described socio-cultural view of Nadia. He wrote
Description
Girish Babu's description gives an idea about 19th century Ras utsav. Bindhyobasini was worshiped in Purangunge. This place is now ruined. In 1853-60 he saw Purangunge in right place. After that in 1871 Purangunge was ruined by Ganga due to erosion. Then Bindhyabasini deity transferred to Sribasangan. But due to some internal problem puja committee had split into two organising committees. And one committee worshiped Bindhyabasini in Sribasangan and other one started Gourangini puja near Jognathtala.
Kanti Chandra Rari
Historian Kanti Chandra Rari also wrote about Nabadwip Ras in his Nabadwip Mahima book. There he confirmed that Shakta Ras jatra had been celebrated since long year back. He wrote,
Glory of the Idols
Cartoonist Chandi Lahiri said about the glory of the idols worshiped in Nabadwip Rash jatra-
