GAURIPUR, March 17 - More than 150 years of old royal Doul Utsav of the erstwhile zamindary estate here will begin from March 20 with a three-day colourful programme.
On March 20, the idol of Lord Krishna called �Kalia Thakur� will be brought out in a dola from the Mahamaya temple situated near the royal palace and placed in the �Doulgriha� near the children�s park on the western bank of the Mahamaya tank and �Adhibash� will be performed. Thereafter, the Bhelaghar built a few yards away will be ceremonially burnt down.
Doul Puja and hom jagna is scheduled to be performed on the second day of the festival and prasad will be distributed among the devotees. On the concluding day after placing the idol on the dola, four devotees will carry the dola on their shoulders in a procession to the nearby Mahamaya playground. Hundreds of devotees will attend the programme with fanfare. Though the Royal Doul Utsav of yore has lost its former glory, still the members of the royal family are performing Doul Puja with all traditional rituals as before.
