Many organisers of the Dola festival recently faced problems to find palanquin bearers to carry the deities in Jajpur district. The palanquins are used to carry the deities during religious processions.
“In the past, some male members belonging to Gopal caste used to carry
the palanquins. But recently, many family members whose ancestors were the bearers of palanquins refused to carry the deities in the palanquins (Bimans),” said managing committee members of Dola festival in Balichandrapur Sarat Tripathy.
Two decades back the palanquin bearers used to sing the traditional songs to carry deities and in lieu of their service, the temple authority used to provide paddy and some money. But now a-days, the children of the palanquin bearers are not interested to carry deities in the palanquins, said priest of a temple in Mangalapur Narahari Dash.
“In the past, Gopal caste persons with sound health used to carry palanquins. But now, it is difficult for us to get palanquin bearers. A palanquin bearer charges Rs 500-Rs 800 for the service for two hours,” said Dash.
“Since time immemorial, our family members have been carrying palanquins during the marriage season and religious festivals. I have been carrying the works of our ancestors by carrying deities and grooms in the palanquins for more than ten years. But others are determined not to carry palanquins,” said a palanquin carrier of Nanpur village Arakhita Behera (43).
Many educated youths belonging to the Gopal community refused to carry the palanquins as they consider it as derogatory to carry deities and persons in palanquins. So we broke the age-old tradition and hired some tribal youths from Sukinda areas to carry palanquins during the Dola Yatra. We paid Rs 600 to each bearer,
Balichandrapur-based Krushna temple manager Sangram Sena. “Few carpenters are now-a-days competent to make palanquins. I learnt the art of making palanquins from my father Parikhita Moharana. After 20 years, I made three palanquins and charged Rs 30,000 from the palanquin owners. Many temples possess old wooden palanquins, embellished with golden and bronze beads,” said Pratap Moharana, an artisan of Balichandrapur.
The ancient tradition to carry the deities in the decorative palanquins is on the verge of extinction. It is inhuman on the parts of some temple authorities to engage youths to carry deities on their shoulders in the palanquins. This tradition should be stopped, said Prafulla Naik, a human rights activist.
“Five years back, we stopped the palanquin system in out temple due to non-availability of palanquin carriers. Now, we hire a tractor to carry the deities in processions,” said Gopalpada village temple committee president Narayan Das.