The world-famous biannual festival, the Brahmapur Thakurani Yatra, entered the fourteenth day on Friday. Thousands of devotees from across the country are braving the hot summer to have a darshan of Maa Budhi Thakurani in her temporary abode for fulfilment of their wishes.
As per the long tradition of the festival, Maa Thakurani should visit the house of her Mausi, who is Kumuti by Vaisya caste, at Jaura Sahi on the fourteenth day. But this year the tradition was broken as Maa Thakurani could not pay a visit due to lack of time as the deity had to go on Sahi Parikrama to several other streets. When asked about the deviation in the age-old ritual, the in-charge of Yatra management of Desibehera Street said the goddess would visit her Mausi’s house on another day to fulfil the ritual.
When the Ghata of Maa Thakurani was brought outside from her temporary abode for the Sahi Parikrama, thousands of women in colourful attires queued up on both sides of the road for darshan of the deity to seek her blessings.
later, Rajabati King Narendra Kumar Deb performed the well-laid-out rituals, including Puja, Alati and offered Bhog at Mahuri Rajabati as per the tradition. From there, the Ghata was taken out in a colourful procession to Bada Bazar, Pattra Street, Jemi Sahi, Mangalbaram Petta, Illubari Sahi and Coconut Market with thousands of men and women chanting Hulahuli amidst Sankha Badya.
After the Ghata procession returned to the deity’s temporary abode at Desibehera Street in late night, hundreds of “Besh Dharis” were in queue and puja was performed to the head of the tiger before the deity. The district administration has deployed several platoons of police to maintain law and order during the prolonged festival.
As per the tradition, nine more chariots are still to be invited to participate in the rituals. The district administration is reportedly contemplating to extend the duration of the Yatra up to April 27 keeping devotees’ demand in mind.