The fifth Jugar Yatra passed off without a hitch and animal sacrifice at Patrapali in Kolabira Block in the district. It is ritual organized across western Odisha to pay obeisance to the respective village deities.
The celebration began with a congregation at the temple of lord Shiva in the village where principal organiser of the yatra Dr Rama Charan Pradhan spoke against animal sacrifice and said that no deities would be happy with killing of innocent creatures created by her. He said that the aim of the yatra is spreading harmony and brotherhood and thanked villagers for agreeing to the proposal to stop animal sacrifice.
later, a huge procession with devotees carrying Jugar was taken out in the village to facilitate worship by the villagers. Jugar is a cone-shaped sweet made of mixture of fried paddy and jaggery. Although the yatra was confined to Patrapali, this year it was extended up to Raghunathpali Ayodhyanagar Chowk in a bid to create awareness against animal sacrifice.
In the past, animals sacrifice was made and it was main attraction during the yatra. The entire area emitted stench of fresh blood like Chhatar Yatra in Bhawanipatna till Dr Pradhan stepped in the last five years and with great difficulty managed to put a stop to it after taking the villagers into confidence.
A souvenir “Jugar Yatra Festival 2017” was also released and a free homeopathic medical camp was also held on the occasion where 95 patients were treated and given medicines.