The unique Car Festival ended peacefully in Remanda village of lakhanpur block in Jharsuguda district on Wednesday, where Hindu and Muslims pulled the chariot and Gontia Mohammed Jamiulla performed the chhehra pahanra.
The festival is being observed here in a different style for around 117 years to spread the message of fraternity and universal brotherhood. Early morning after normal puja of the deities, noon offerings, and alati, the pahandi was held. Mohammad Jamiulla of the Muslim Gountia family in the village observed the sweeping festival with a golden broom.
Every year, the Car Festival is observed on the fifth day to create a unique precedent. After observing the puja by priest Subash Satpathy, the deities were brought to the chariots. later, the chariots were brought in front of the Gountia house. The villagers also went on celebrating the occasion with kirtan and chanting of slokas. Both the Hindu and Muslims pulled the chariot. Poet Jamiulla is a Sarala Samman awardee.
Samhati Manch secretary Amazad Badshah said that his father Mohammad Jamiulla added a new dimension to the festival in 1983 when he volunteered to perform the chhera pahanra, an important ritual in the yatra.
He further said that Hindus also reciprocated the feelings of the minority community in ample measure by joining their festivals.