Religious fervour
Frenzied crowd choked the road beneath the under construction flyover near Pratap Nagari from where the daitaptis carrying the logs resumed their journey after night halt. Many had come with families in tow. “I have come from Berhampur with my family to have a darshan. It’s a lifetime opportunity,” said Santosh Behera, a devotee.
Though the devouts had their eyes set on the daru, their eyes couldn't miss the colourful rangolis at several places along the national highway. Women and young girls braved the scorching sun to turn parts of the highway into a riot of colours. As they painted patterns, men stood there to protect the artists from the milling crowds. Many women even spread new clothes on the road to welcome the procession.
“The Nabakalebar is one of the most important rituals of the Lord. It is not very often that one witnesses such groundswell of devotion,” said Minati Das, a devotee, who also appreciated the traditional horse dance.
Several organisations also came forward to distribute free food and drinking water to the devotees. To add to the religious ambience, Jagannath bhajans were played on loudspeakers.
Traffic in order
It was obvious that police did learn a lesson from the chaos that marked the journey of the scared logs of Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra. Elaborate arrangements for traffic control were in place as the daru moved in a single lane, which was separated at places with barricades. Heavy vehicles were diverted through Pitapalli in Bhubaneswar and Gopalpur in Cuttack. Around 23 platoons of police were deployed for traffic management, while around 100 volunteers assisted them on the national highway. Even then there were moments of agony with
commuters getting stranded and ambulances getting
stuck in the jam.
Pahala rasgullas
Rasgulla shops at Pahala had hoped to cash in on the daru procession. However, the devotees were more interested to have a darshan of the sacred logs and seek blessings of the daitapatis rather than buying sweets.
“There is absolute chaos here. No one seems to have time to come and buy our sweets. Still, we are not complaining as it’s an occasion when devotion takes precedence over business,” said Tura Behera, one of the shop owners.
PRAYER ON THEIR LIPS TOO
Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee
THE OCCASION: Married women across the state observed Savitri Vrat on amabasya, the last day of the dark fortnight, praying for the well-being and long lives of their husbands.
THE RITUAL: Donning traditional attires, women of all ages were seen making beelines at temples on Sunday to appease Yamraj, the Hindu god of death. Ram Mandir, Budheswari temple, Nageswar temple in Bhubaneswar and the Cuttack Chandi witnessed a huge crowd. As part of the festivity, women received gifts including saris and
fruits from their parents.
“A few of my friends and I visited the nearby temple with our husbands. The festival is extremely important for the women as we believe that it strengthens the bond,” said a 36-year-old homemaker Mrunalini Samantray.
FAST IN PRISON: Several women inmates in jails of Berhampur, Puri, Balasore and Bhubaneswar performed the ritual on Sunday. Arrangements were made and the women were presented with saris and other things required for the puja.
Members of transgender community, too, observed the fast. They wore mehndi and new clothes. “We
consider the Almighty as our husband and we feel this is the best day to invoke the lord,” said Monalisa,
a eunuch. Devotees also visited Jagannath temple in Puri, where a mini shrine is dedicated to the legend of Savitri.
Text by Anwesha Ambaly
Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee
