Saint Anthony church at Dhori in Bermo sub-division has become a place of pilgrimage for many. People from different parts of the State and outside are pouring in to worship Dhori-Mata the presiding deity of church, during the ongoing nine-day annual festival .
More than 10,000 of devotees from across the country, including Hazaribag, Dharmaprant president Anand Jojo, Palipurohit Vikram Tirkky, Father Ramanush Karkatta, Father Par Deep Toppo, and Vinoy Kido, took part in Saturday’s function rendering a lively look to the function.
On Saturday evening, the penultimate day of the festival, a large number of devotees took out a procession in the Jarandih and Kathara market areas. Dhori Mata was carried on a palanquin in the procession by the devotees to enable local population have a glimpse of the Goddess.
During the procession, on Saturday evening the well-bedecked palanquin carrying the wooden image of Dhori Mata captivated the attention of one and all. Devotees competed with each other in catching a sight of the deity even as members of Dhori Mata Tirthalaya committee successfully maintained decorum all along the procession.
As per information provided by a committee member, Wilson Francis, a Dhori Mata replica of Mother Mary, the 18-inch long image resembling the Goddess was found on June 12, 1956 by a coal cutter Rupa Satnami. The image was identified as a replica of Mother Mary by late Father Berbrakan who later also installed the image in a church in 1957. In due course, local people began to worship the statue as Dhori Mata.