The biennial festival of Maa Budhi Thakurani Yatra Brahmapur would be held here from Friday in adherence to strict Covid-19 guidelines. Some of important rituals like Ghata Parikrama and Pada Dhua (washing the feet of goddess) have been prohibited this year.
Similarly, people are not allowed to move around the streets dressed alike mythological characters. Traditionally, some people dedicate themselves to the goddess and move around the streets. The festival is basically celebrated by the local weaving community, known as Devangiris. Restrictions are also imposed on offering Deepas and Bhoga to the deity.
The decisions to this effect were made in a meeting on Wednesday at the BeMC Conference Hall where members of Thakurani Yatra Managing Committee, officers of BeMC, senior police officers were present.
Several other measures are also taken up like barricading the route on which Maa Budhi Thakurani would proceed to the Rajbati, where devotees and members of the managing committee only would be allowed to remain inside the barricade.Strict instructions have been given to the Yatra’s host Durga Prasad Desi Behera to avoid crowds around the deity. The administration has cautioned that on the 9th night between 10 pm and 11 pm when the Yatra manager would proceed to the Budhi Thakurani Temple for Agyaan Mala and from there while returning with theAgyaan Mala there would be no crowd on the way. Besides, the devotees and visitors shall have to strictly follow Covid-19 guidelines. To conduct the festival smoothly, the Yatra Committee has also been advised to take the help of different voluntary organisations. Besides, the BeMC authorities have also advised the Yatra Committee to explore the mechanisms to video-graph the day-to-day Yatra along with Puja, Alati, and upload and update the same in the various social networking platforms so that devotees and the common public can access the rituals.“We have conveyed our concerns to the Yatra Committee and they have also accepted the conditions. So, it will be observed as per the tradition,” said BeMC Commissioner Siddheswar Baliram Bonder.