Berhampur, April 27: The month-long festival of Goddess Budhi Thakurani, popularly known as Thakurani yatra, ended today with pomp and gaiety.

The biennial festival was on since March 28.

According to the legend, on a Tuesday night in the month of Chaitra, the chief of the Dera community offered shelter to a young lady who was the goddess herself in disguise. The deity accepted the chief as her father and said that she would visit his house every two years. Thus, the tradition of Thakurani yatra began.

This year, the yatris covered around 104 areas of the city including Sana Bazaar, Bada Bazaar, Santarani Sahi, Marthapeta Sahi, Keuta Sahi, Shankarpur Sahi, Jena Sahi, Bachubari Sahi, Kedareswar Road, Chandrama Sahi, Khaspa Sahi, Pudipediwari Sahi, and Khadura Sahi. Around 22 chariots hit the streets and 35 kalakunja (decorative stages) were erected to welcome the deity.

The procession started when the main priest of the Thakurani temple requested the deity to return. The goddess left her father's house at 11.15pm to go to Mahuri Palace, where the Mahuri king offered prayers to her. Bagha nacha (tiger dance), trumpet tunes and elated devotees accompanied the goddess to her temple.

"The goddess reached the temple at 3am today," said Satya Narayan Nanda, secretary of the Thakurani yatra committee.

"I am happy to see everything go peacefully by the grace of the goddess. I thank the district administration, police and the visitors for their co-operation," said P. Durga Prasad, who played the role of the goddess' father during the festival.

"Five platoons of police were deployed to maintain law and order during the yatra," said Berhampur sub-divisional police officer Thakur Prasad Patra.