1 Nov to 15 Dec 2026 (expected)
Indigenous festivals
Wangala: the Garo harvest festival
The Garo thank the sun god for the harvest with drums, songs and dances. Held village by village from late October to…
5 to 13 July 2027 (expected)
Dhamrai Rath Yatra
In Dhamrai, a town of metal-casters 40 km from Dhaka, the Hindu community has worshipped Jashomadhab, a form of Vishnu, for about four centuries. Every year at Rath Yatra thousands of devotees pull his great carved chariot through the streets, and a fair fills the town for a month.
Updated 21 October 2026.
Dates
| 2026 | 2027 (expected) | |
|---|---|---|
| Rath Yatra | 16 July | Monday 5 July |
| Ulto Rath (the return) | 24 July | About 13 July |
| Fair | From 16 July for about a month | From 5 July |
The dates follow the lunar calendar (Ashadh Shukla Dwitiya).
The chariot
The present chariot was built in 2010: about 37 feet high, carved from teak and other timber on an iron frame, with 15 wheels, wooden horses and a charioteer. Its three-storey predecessor, about 60 feet tall, was burnt in 1971 during the Liberation War.
What happens
- Puja, kirtan and prasad at the Jashomadhab temple.
- In the afternoon the chariot is pulled from Rath Khola near Dhamrai Bazar to Jatrabari in Dhamrai, and back at Ulto Rath.
- Stalls of toys, sweets and household goods line the roads for weeks.
Getting there
Dhamrai is about 40 km north-west of Dhaka on the Dhaka–Aricha highway, one to two hours by car or bus via Savar.
Tips for visiting
- Dress modestly and take your shoes off at the temple.
- The rope-pulling is dense and pushes; stay at the edge of the crowd.
- A fair day after the opening is calmer.
- Visit Dhamrai’s bell-metal workshops while you are there.
Visiting with us
We can combine Rath Yatra with the metal workshops of Dhamrai and the National Martyrs’ Memorial in Savar. Plan your trip.
Rath Yatra FAQs
When is Dhamrai Rath Yatra 2027?
Expected on Monday 5 July 2027, with Ulto Rath about eight days later.
Can visitors pull the chariot?
Many people join in pulling the ropes, but the crowd is very dense; watching from the side is safer.
Also coming up
23 to 25 Nov 2026 (expected)
Fairs and melas
Rash Mela at Dublar Char, Sundarbans
At the full moon of late Kartik, pilgrims sail into the Sundarbans to Dublar Char for a dawn holy bath in the…
24 Nov to 24 Dec 2026 (expected)
Fairs and melas
Kantajew Rash Mela in Dinajpur
At Rash Purnima the deity returns to the Kantajew Temple, Bangladesh's finest terracotta temple, and a month-long fair begins. Expected 2026 dates.