The Guptipara Rathayatra is being celebrated in Guptipara in Hooghly District of West Bengal since the 1730s. The chariot is a nabaratna-style wooden temple, where the presiding deity in the chariot is that of Radharaman Jiu. The Guptipara Rathayatra is second only to the Puri Rathayatra in terms of the distance covered. One of the unique events of Guptipara Rathayatra is the bhandara loot, which is held a day before the purnayatra or the ulto rath. A month long fair is held in Guptipara on the occasion of the festival. Every year thousands of devotees take part in the festival.
<p>The present ratha or the chariot is a wooden Nabaratna temple having nine shikharas. The framework of the ratha is made of Shorea robusta hardwood. The ratha has a square base measuring 34 feet by 34 feet. It is four storied, having a height of 36 feet. The ratha is fitted with 16 wheels made from Vachellia nilotica hardwood. It has four ropes in the front, each 300 feet long which are used for pulling the ratha forward. There is one more rope at the back which acts as a brake. One of the front ropes is reserved for women.
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The present ratha is the same chariot that was being used in the first year of the rathayatra. It is nearly 280 years old. During the entire year the ratha is kept inside a giant metallic cage. Weeks before the festival it is brought out and prepared for the festival. As of 2012, the chariot was in a dilapidated condition. The Guptipara Shree Shree Vrindavan Chandra Jiu Math have been providing patch work to the current structure every year as a stop gap solution. They have approached the district administration and the Archaeological Survey of India for repair.
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<span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>