Ancient Tradition Thrives: Koshigram Celebrates 'Mathpaluni' Before Poush Sankranti

• Koshigram in Purba Bardhaman observes 'Mathpaluni' or 'Poshla Utsav' the day before Poush Sankranti.
• Residents leave their homes to cook and eat together in an open field, a tradition passed down generations.
• The custom originated from a fakir baba's decree during a cholera outbreak in Koshigram many years ago.
• Food is offered to ancestors and the fakir baba before communal eating, with relatives and neighbors joining.
• Despite some rationalists calling it superstition, villagers uphold it as a matter of faith and culture.

Why It Matters: Koshigram's 'Mathpaluni' is a unique, generations-old tradition of communal field cooking before Poush Sankranti.