Jatar Deul, the Horse Race and the Fair

West Bengal

Last Updated on: May 8, 2017 

Traditions and culture have always fascinated me. So when I heard about the Horse Race at Jatar Deul, I could not resist myself to witness the event. A horse race in rural Bengal – this was enough to make me visit Jatar Deul in the middle of April.

Jatar Deul is located at Kankandighi near Raidighi in the South 24 parganas district. After a train, auto and motor van ride of around 4 hours, we reached the Jatar Deul. Please read my earlier post to know more about Jatar Deul and its interesting history.

Jatar Deul

Jatar Deul and the Horse Race

On the second day of Baisakh (this year on 16th April) a horse race is held at Jatar Deul. A fair is also held during this time. The horse race usually starts in front of the temple and follows a certain path in the adjoining paddy fields before ending again in front of the temple.

Horse Race at Jatar Deul

Going for the fair

The Fair:

The area around the temple complex was converted into a fair. It had all the colours and flavours of rural Bengal. There were various food stalls along with ice cream and kulfi malai stalls. There were other stalls of colourful merchandise and merry-go-round that are must in fairs!

Horse Race at Jatar Deul

Balloons at display

Singing, dancing and jatra (rural plays)  were also to be held at the fair. Overall, it was a festive and jovial atmosphere at Jatar Deul.

Horse Race at Jatar Deul

Jatra at the Fair – just see the name of the plays..

Horse Race at Jatar Deul

The Fair Ground at Jatar Deul

The Horse race:

The horse race was due to start from about 4:30 PM. The horses were generally brought from outside the villages. A few of them were brought from Canning. We were informed that there were 20 horses that would take part in the race this year. The horses were brought out and paraded before the crowd by their owners and jockeys. Well, here the jockeys were mostly boys in their teens.

Horse Race at Jatar Deul

The young Jockey

These small boys would ride these horses for the race. Also there were no saddle and stirrups. There was no fixed racing track. The horses ran through the uneven fields with the onlookers standing just inches away from them. Although it seemed a bit dangerous to me, but I learnt that is what happens every year.

Horse Race at Jatar Deul

Horses being paraded in front of the crowd

So we started waiting for the horse race to begin. The race takes place in several rounds. There is a complex point system and each of the horses gets a point after each round. After a certain number of rounds, the horse getting the maximum points is declared the winner. The point system went clearly above my head! I simply could not understand it and so decided to focus on the race. The atmosphere was quite charged up when the rounds started. The horses raced past the onlookers amidst much clapping and cheering. A few of the horses (I believe they were mules) were left far behind and they refused to budge even after much beating from their jockeys!

Horse Race at Jatar Deul

The Horses

Horse Race at Jatar Deul

The Horse Race

We watched 3 rounds of the horse race till 5:30 PM and then we decided to return back. Yet, there were 2 more round left.  So if you want to witness the entire event, either take a car or stay back at Raidighi. Raidighi has some basic hotels.

Horse Race at Jatar Deul

The green fields

How to reach:

Take a train towards Lakshmikantapur from Sealdah (South) and get down at Mathurapur Road.

From Mathurapur Road, take an auto to Raidighi.

From Raidighi, take a motor van to Kankandighi.

 

Reproduction of the content, including the photographs without prior consent/permission of the writer and photographer, is not encouraged at all and a violation of the same will attract legal action. If you need anything, Contact Us.

Agni Amrita Travel Blogger

Hey! we’re Agni & Amrita.

We have been travelling together since the last 15 years and writing independent and personal travel content since 2014. Travel is one of the best teachers and through this blog, we aim to share our experiences and travel tips. We encourage you to travel more and see the world through your eyes and not through filtered templates.

Find more about us.

RELATED POSTS

Sonada – An Offbeat and Relaxing Getaway near Darjeeling

Sonada – An Offbeat and Relaxing Getaway near Darjeeling

About the Blog: Our search for offbeat getaways from Kolkata took us to Sonada this time. We stayed at a beautiful homestay at Sonada and explored the place. Read this travel blog to know about our experience at Sonada, the places to visit (Sonada Monastery, Rainbow...

Baasbari Farms, Bijanbari – An Alternative Stay near Darjeeling

Baasbari Farms, Bijanbari – An Alternative Stay near Darjeeling

About this Blog: Bijanbari is a beautiful and offbeat destination near Darjeeling. We had visited Bijanbari a few days back and stayed at Baasbari farms, an alternative stay option near Darjeeling. Read this blog to know about our experience at Bijanbari and about...

Mim Tea Garden – Offbeat Hidden Destination near Darjeeling

Mim Tea Garden – Offbeat Hidden Destination near Darjeeling

About this blog: Our search for offbeat destinations took us to Mim Tea Garden this time. Located near Darjeeling, this place has the mountains, forests, tea gardens, rivers and views of Kanchenjunga, all in one place. It is something that is rarely found. We stayed...

Murshidabad Heritage Festival – Knowing the Past through Present

Murshidabad Heritage Festival – Knowing the Past through Present

About this Blog: Murshidabad Heritage Festival, organised by the Murshidabad Heritage Development Society (MHDS) is a 2-3 days festival to promote the heritage and culture of Murshidabad. Read this blog to know more about the festival and our experience at Murshidabad...

ECOPULSE – An Adventure-filled Offbeat Place near Kurseong

ECOPULSE – An Adventure-filled Offbeat Place near Kurseong

What is the first thing that comes to your mind while thinking about Kurseong? I had always associated the place with tea gardens, orchids and Giddapahar. However, I never thought that there could be a camping destination right in the middle of a forest near Kurseong!...

MAHALDIRAM (MALDIRAM) – Offbeat Weekend Getaway near Kurseong

MAHALDIRAM (MALDIRAM) – Offbeat Weekend Getaway near Kurseong

About this blog: Mahaldiram or Maldiram is an offbeat tourist destination in the Shelpu Hills of Kurseong. The place is known for its picturesque natural beauty, tea gardens and panoramic views of the mountains and plains. We had visited Mahaldiram on a weekend and...

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.