18th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
CATTLE RACE

Very few people may have heard of this festival. The 'Moichara' festival is still celebrated in different parts of rural Bengal to increase the fertility of agricultural land before the monsoon. This cow race has been going on in rural Bengal for the last 100 years.The main purpose of this cow race is to test the ability of cows before the start of farming in the rainy season and to increase the fertility of the land.Earlier this game could be seen in many villages of West Bengal. Unable to keep up with the times, the festival is now on the verge of extinction. Even today, every year during the rainy season, the festival is held at Tantpara in Canning. The locals call this cow race 'Moichara'. The plowing of the field begins with the running of the cows.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 06.2018
Date Uploaded: 11.2020
Photo Location: Canning, India
Copyright: © SANTANU BOSE