Thakurani Yatra kicks off in Berhampur; Goddess comes to her parental abode; City erupts in joy

BERHAMPUR: The famous Thakurani Yatra, one of the biggest and attractive carnivals of Berhampur and Orissa,has kicked off on late Tuesday Night. The bi-annual extravaganza began with the presiding deity “Budhi Thakurani” arriving in her father’s house at Desibehra street in the city. 

As per tradition, Durga Prasad Desibehra, main organizer of the festival and known as the “father” of the deity along with his wife went to the Thakurani temple at mid-night on Tuesday in a grand procession to invite the goddess. After performing rituals in the temple, they returned with a garland of flowers in a basket and kept the same in a temporary thatched temple constructed for the purpose in front of the house of Desibehra. The Goddess will take rest for today and tomorrow in her parental abode. From the third day of the commencement of the ceremony, the garland will be kept inside a decorated ‘ghata’ (earthen pot) and the Goddess will visit to different parts of the city, known as ‘ghata parikrama’, on every evening for next one month amid religious fanfare. The main ‘ghata’ is carried by the wife of Desibehra on head; eight other women take position with the pots known as parswadevatas. Several others follow the ‘ghata’ carrying a pot on their head during ‘ghata parikrama’. The Ganjam District administration has initially given sanction for 15 days for the Yatra, which is likely to be extended subsequently. Considered as the biggest festival in this southern Orissa city, the occasion provides the people opportunity to rejoice. People of the region settled in different parts of the country and outside the country visit the city during this Yatra to be with their families. The Thakurani Yatra brings people of the city on to the streets and it turns into a mega carnival when thousands of people get themselves painted as different mythological characters and roam around the city streets. 

Source: Orissa TV