Silk City’s famous Budhi Thakurani Jatra
In Hindu culture a deity is primarily worshipped by the Brahmins. However, in the Silk City Berhampur, there is a temple where it’s not the Brahmins but the people from the Dera (weaver) and barber community who have been donning the hat of priests for many years.
Maa Budhi Thakurani Temple, located at Big Bazaar of Berhampur town, is one of the most revered religious sites in Southern Odisha. The temple’s presiding deity is primarily worshipped by the barbers and Deras. Since its early days, the temple has been a unifying force to bring devotees under one umbrella negating the traditional barrier of caste. The temple is well-known not only for its religious significance but also for hosting one of the largest festivals in the region: the Thakurani Jatra. The bi-annual month-long celebration takes place in the Hindu month of Chaitra (Primarily April to May in the English calendar). The devotees of the region view Maa Budhi Thakurani as a protector who watches over them, providing a sense of safety and security. During the festival, the goddess is portrayed as a married daughter who visits her father’s house every two years, and her visit is celebrated. With a couple of days to go before the famous festival, Sunday POST sought to learn from fellow devotees, locals, experts, and priests about the legend behind the festival and its traditional significance.
Hrushikesh Panigrahi, a Cultural researcher from Berhampur shares great detail about the legend of Budhi Thakurani Jatra.
“Budhi Thakurani Jatra is an important festival in the city and is one of the prominent state festivals of Odisha. Since my childhood, I have lived in this area and learned about the origins of the festival from my ancestors. According to my knowledge and the story I heard, the origin of Maa Budhi Thakurani dates back to the time of the emergence of the Berhampur Town itself, i.e. around 1672. Telugu Lingayat Dera (weavers) community came to Mahuri on invitation from Mahuri Raja to take up their profession of weaving.”
He continues: “They started weaving a specific type of silk called “Pattu (Telugu)” or “Patta (Odia)” with a golden zari border using Rani pink (Magenta) for sarees and golden yellow for dhoti and kanduva. The then-king was very impressed with their art. This weavers’ community launched Mahamayee Thakurani’s “Ghata Jatra” under the direction of Kota Chandra Mani Kuber Senapati.”
Legend has it that Budhi Thakurani Jatra is not just a festival but the homecoming of a daughter.
Narrating the legend, he elaborates, “Desi Behera, the head of the Devanga Community in the area, used to worship Maa Budhi Thakurani every day with flowers. Once while traveling through woods, he saw a young girl weeping on the roadside. On inquiring, he came to know that she lost her way while traveling along with her father. Being a kind man, Behera invited the young girl to his house with fatherly affection. But to his surprise, she stepped into the nearby bushes and vanished. Desi Behera made his usual trip to the temple to pay his respects to Maa Budhi Thakurani. However, when he presented the goddess with flowers as an offering, she did not accept them, leaving him dejected. Later that night, he heard a celestial voice in his dream saying that the goddess had been touched by his fatherly affection and therefore did not wish to be worshipped by him. She again explained that she would come to stay with her father’s family for one month every two years to meet her devotees, and during her visit, she would not be worshipped by Brahmins but by members of the barber community. And so, the tradition of Thakurani Jatra was started to celebrate the homecoming of Maa Thakurani, the local deity, at her parent’s home on Desi Behera Street in Berhampur every two years.”
According to P Durga Prasad, who is also known as Desi Behera or the father of the goddess, fulfilling his duty as the father of the deity brings him great happiness and gratitude. Along with his wife, he feels emotional and overjoyed to carry out the rituals of their ancestors that welcome Maa Shantani as their daughter and fulfill their responsibilities. He inherited this responsibility from his father in 1995 and has since taken responsibility for 15 times. Maa Budhi Thakurani’s love and devotion attract people from all around the world to come to Berhampur. It is believed that just as Maa Thakurani returns to her parental home from her in-laws, the girls who are married from Berhampur should also visit their paternal place during this festival. This year, the Jatra will last for 27 days, from April 4 to May 1. It will feature giant images of various goddesses and mythological figures displayed on decorated pedals called Raths, as well as an array of folk dances and caricatures of different aspects called Beshas, which are the main attractions during the festival.
Shedding light on procession traditions, Prasad says, “Preparations for the festival commence following Shivratri. During a public meeting, the residents select a day, and Pujaka Byamagoti Basudev Sashtri Sidhanti announces the dates for the Thakurani Jatra. The installation of the Shubha Khunti (holy mast) follows, where in the Khunti is worshipped and brought by Nilamani Prusty, the Prastuta Karta of Shubha Khunti, to Desi Behera. The Shubha Khunti is obtained from the temple and is placed in front of Desi Behera’s house. On the first day of the festival, my wife offers floral offerings at the Thakurani temple, and the offered flower falling from the deity’s head is brought back as the deity’s representative to the makeshift temple and placed in a ‘ghatam’ along with eight others. After the Sthapana (consecration) of the goddess, she is worshipped by her devotees and offered Anna Bhoga, Bala Bhoga, and Kheeri during the rest of the festival. Each day, Maa Budhi Thakurani visits different streets belonging to the Dera community, and devotees offer their prayers. From the second day onwards, my wife takes our daughter, Maa Budhi Thakurani, to visit the Sahis (colonies) with sacred Handi on her head for Sahi Parikrama through Rajabati and invites all the Sahi Ratha for the festival. The devotees, having vows to the deity, take various peculiar Besha (forms) and get her blessings. The ‘ghatams’ are then taken in a grand procession back to the main temple on the festival’s final day.”
Brundaban Parida of Bijipur has been participating in the Landa Besha Manasika, a tradition that began in 1933 in Bijipur where people shave their heads in their desired style and paint their bodies with meaningful messages, for more than 25 years with love and devotion. Initially, this was done to spread awareness about corruption in the mutts and temples, but now, they write social messages for a better cause. Parida and his fellows, including Subas Maharana, Tukuna Dalei, and Prakash Rao, continue to support and adorn the Manasika dharis. The procession of Landa Besha starts from Bijipur and goes to College Square, Annapurna Market, and ends at Bada Bazaar, where Maa Thakurani’s makeshift podium is located.
Miracle does happen
Mamata Kanuga, a devotee who has been visiting the shrine for the past eight years, recalling her epiphany, says, Maa Budhi Thakurani played a crucial role in saving her family and children.
“My husband and I have two kids- a son and a daughter. Our daughter, Shriya, was diagnosed with a bone marrow condition at the young age of three. Due to her young age, finding a donor was challenging, and we were unsuccessful for six months. However, after learning about Maa Budhi Thakurani, I attended her Jatra and made a vow to the deity seeking her blessings for my daughter’s successful surgery. Miraculously, within a few days, the hospital called to inform us that they had found a donor, and my daughter had been cut off the waiting list and was allotted a donor. We went to Visakhapatnam for the surgery where the operation was a success” claims Mamata with tears rolling down her cheeks. Since then she has been visiting dressing up her son and daughter as Krishna and Balram and offering ‘Manasika’ to fulfill her gratitude and devotion.
- Types of Manasika Beshas
Gandhinagar 108 Hanuman Besha
Bagha Besha
Bijipur Landa Besha
Choda Gajia Besha
Krushna Besha
Ram Besha
Luv kush Besha
Bijipur Anadri Besha
Pila Khai Dahani Besha
- Types of Rathas
Binchana Ratha
Boita Ratha
Duli Ratha
Narayana Ratha
Nagarjuna Ratha
Ramachandra Ratha
Shivarudha kali Ratha
Jalamukhi Ratha