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Source: The Hindu (http://www.hinduonnet.com/2009/09/16/stories/2009091655250300.htm)
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Orissa
Village deity of Dudhari gets invitation for Dussehra fete at Jeypore
Ch.Santakar
KORAPUT: It was more than a celebrating moment for Dhaniya Barik, an old man at Dudhari in Semiliguda block of Koraput district for having received the invitation from the Dussehra Puja Committee of Jeypore to attend the festival with their village deity. It was for the first time after abolition of the estate that Maa Maulima, the village deity of Dudhari was invited by the committee to participate in the Dussehra celebration at Jeypore, he said. For Dhaniya who is a nonagenarian it was a moment to recall the events that used to happen during the times of the Kings when he had accompanied the villagers of Dudhari along with the neighbouring villages like Mundarguda, Haldibad, Thiapar, Sundhiput, Badliguda who had travelled to Jeypore while carrying the sacred lathi, the representative of the village deity Maa Maulima after covering more than 50 km of distance by walk every year.
Great honour
While it took two days to reach the destination it never was a painful journey to walk such a long distance, for, it was a matter of great honour to be with the village deity on her journey to join the other deities at Jeypore who reach from different parts of the Jeypore kingdom. Music played by the traditional band accompanying the team all along was also an added attraction for the people who used to receive the team on their way to the estate, he said.
While Dussehra at Jeypore carried national significance for its unique way of observing the festival, the entire responsibility to manage the show was taken up by the Endowments Department after abolition of the zamindari estates in the country and for the lack of availability of funds and involvement of the public, the traditional practice of sending invitation to the village deities had come down drastically over the years, Paresh Rath, member of the puja committee who had reached Dudhari to offer invitation to the villagers on Tuesday said.
Age-old practice
However with a section of people at Jeypore coming out to revive the age-old practice of celebrating Dussehra for 16 days amidst the deities accompanied by their priests and followers reaching from different corners of the undivided Koraput district, the practice of sending the invitations to the village deities was revived few years back, he said. Of the 16 days of the celebration, eighth day carries one of the most significant moments when all the sacred lathis which are eventually the representatives of the respective village deities reach Jeypore. Apart from inviting the deities to the festival it was most important to find suitable places for their placement during their stay. Specific arrangements are planned for each deity depending on their affinities, likes and preferences. The sacred lathis from the abodes of Jamunda Bhairava, Khadapa, Salapa, Telia, Kanga, Dharanahandi reach Banko Matha and proceed together to the temple of Devi Bhagavati where the sacred lathi of!
Bhairava stays in the temple premises while other lathis proceed to the temple of Devi Dakshina Kalika and take rest, he added.
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