Berhampur: South Odisha’s biggest biennial festival – the Maa Budhi Thakurani Yatra of Berhampur has begun. The festival, which takes place in the honour of Goddess Budhi Thakurani signifies her visit to her parental home and symbolizes the rich cultural traditions of South Odisha, will continue for 28 days.
Maa Budhi Thakurani is the presiding deity of Berhampur and this is the most eagerly awaited festival for millions of peoples belonging to South Odisha and neighboring north Andhra Pradesh districts.
Silk City Berhampur is fully decked up to celebrate the festival after a gap due to the pandemic. The Desibehera Sahi, the natal abode of the Goddess has been waiting for Maa Budhi Thakurani to come to her father’s home tonight from her own temple. People will have the opportunity to have the darshan of the deity at the temporary Mandap put up. While the modalities of the route of the Goddess’s visit are being made out, all preparations by the district administration have been complete.
According to tradition, during the day-time men as well as women from different areas, age groups social backgrounds irrespective of caste and creed come to the festival, buy offerings and have darshan of Maa Budhi Thakurani. Every evening, during the Jatra period, the goddess herself leaves the temporary mandap and visits her devotees. Nine sacred Kalashas or pots, representing the Goddess and her eight sisters are taken around in a procession through the streets of Old Berhampur. The procession is the most important feature of this festival. It is very auspicious to carry one of those Kalashas and thought to be very lucky who gets the chance to carry one of those. While the Desi Behera heads the procession with the main goddess, she is followed by eight selected Dera women who carry the remaining eight pots on their heads. The procession is accompanied by masked dancers, drummers, and priestly attendants.