Dussehra celebration in Jeypore is a 200 years old tradition compared with the one in Mysore in terms of splendour and its royal linkages. The Jeypore Dussehra is unique, being a mix of royal and tribal customs.
Prominent locals have continued their efforts to maintain the tradition of year even as the procession of elephants, horses and infantry units of the royal era is no more in sight these days.
While the Navaratri Puja began late Wednesday night, the entire town is geared up to celebrate Dussehra utsav which signifies the victory of good over evil.
The puja started at the shrines of the presiding deity of the town Bhagabati and other deities – Dakhinakali, Jagatjanani, Basantayee and at the seat of Byaghra Devi of Rajanghar chowk and a deity is worshipped by the Gujarati community. A total of eight different pandals of lord Durga have been installed.
People from all over the district, State and nearby States of Andhra and Chatisgarh, visit Jeypore during the puja.
It is said that the ancestors of Jeypore royals had shifted their capital from Nandapur to Purunagada at the foothills of Nakati Dangar near present day Jeypore in 1751. This had happened during the reign of King Ramchandra Dev I. However, his successor Ramchandra Dev II shifted the capital from Purunagada to Jeypore in 1791.
Ramchandra Dev III who succeeded him started celebrating Dussehra in such a big scale that it was compared with the festival at Mysore, according to some historians.
Colourfully-decorated elephants and horses used to be brought in a huge procession from the royal palace to the Dussehra ground. The royal family members, ministers and top British officials sat atop elephants during the procession with the attendance of tribals and common people of undivided Koraput district.
The members of the infantry units of the erstwhile king took part in the parade held during the festivals. Tribal dance, music and drama were intrinsic parts of the Dussehra celebration in that period, it is learnt.
According to some senior citizens, the Jeypore ruler after his victory over his neighbouring kingdom of Bastar, brought the latter’s flag to Jeypore and celebrated the success on the Vijaya Dashami.
This apart, subjects offering gifts to the ruler and getting felicitated by the latter has been an age-old feature of the festival. The British officers also enjoyed the mass festival.
The festival was celebrated in a royal fashion for the last time by Vikramdev Burma in 1952 after the introduction of the Orissa Estates Abolition Act. Since then the festival lost much of its sheen as the celebration has to be scaled down due to scarcity of funds. The festival had to be observed within the budget sanctioned by the endowment department.
This year the festival is celebrated with the same significance under the leadership of local MlA Tara Prasad Bahinipati who is also the Chairman of Jeypore Dussehra Puja Committee.
Tribal researcher Paresh Rath said the tribals carrying lathis and seats as the symbol of their goddess used to walk over a hundred kilometer with their traditional bands and music to be part of the celebration after receiving invitation from the Dussehra puja committee.