Hundreds of tribals on Tuesday observed the annual Sulia Jatra at Khairguda village in Balangir district by sacrificing animals and birds. The tribals marched in a procession to the ritual site at Khairguda and performed sacrifice of animals and birds in the morning.
Notably, to propitiate the presiding deity, the devotees throng Khairguda village of Kultapada panchayat under the Tusura police limits of the district on the second Tuesday of Pausa month every year with hens and goats for sacrifice. They believe that offering blood of animals and birds to Sulia, their traditional deity, brings good harvest resulting in prosperity and happiness to their families and the community as a whole.
Significantly, there had been a tussle between the district administration and the Zilla Adivasi Sangha in the past following the Orissa High Court’s order to abolish such practice and mass killing of animals.
But after the Supreme Court’s verdict to respect tribal rituals and traditions, the district administration this year kept itself away from opposing the animal offerings. It only beefed up security during the festival to avoid any untoward situation. Adequate security arrangement was made to maintain law and order situation this year as well. In absence of any prohibitory order, police limited its role for crowd control.