Asansol's Haunted Village Benagram Comes Alive Only During Lakkhi Puja

Asansol: Dilapidated houses, crumbling walls, deserted land covered in bushes, and silence all around. Benagram looks like a mysterious settlement. Locals now identify it as the 'village of ghosts'. But once upon a time, this same village was bustling with people, neighborly interactions, and the vibrancy of life. About 20-22 years ago, due to the lack of basic civic amenities, the villagers were forced to leave their homes and settle elsewhere. However, even though the village settlement was abandoned, the picture here changes completely one day a year. That day is Kojagari Purnima. On Sunday, Goddess Lakshmi's worship was organized in the newly constructed temple of Benagram. Since morning, former villagers started returning to the village. Lighting arrangements were made, songs began playing on loudspeakers, and cooks gathered to prepare prasad. Before long, vibrancy returned to the deserted village. There was an acute lack of basic amenities like roads, drinking water, and electricity in the village. Due to these troubles, people had to leave their homes and settle in other areas of the city or nearby villages. Today, many old one and two-story concrete houses, ponds, and ancestral lands preserving memories of the past still exist in Benagram. However, most of these places lie deserted and are surrounded by forests and bushes. Though the village's vibrancy may have been lost over time, the people's attachment to their soil has not diminished. The historic tin-roofed Lakshmi temple located in the village has now been given a new form. The temple has been made beautiful with colorful tiles and attractive decoration. Every year as Kojagari Purnima arrives, a festive atmosphere is created once again in this deserted village.