BHUBANESWAR: The frightening sight of devotees walking barefooted on burning charcoal was seen at ‘Jhamu Jatra’, one of the most popular festivals of the state, in various parts of the capital Sunday.
The ritual originated in Mangala in Puri, Odisha. Once a village festival, it is now celebrated in urban pockets too. It was conducted in Ashok Nagar, Rasulgarh, Nayapalli, Rangamatiya, Patia, Damana, Kalarangha and Daruthanga with complete rituals.
Hundreds of people gathered around to watch people walking on burning charcoal barefooted. Participants were from various age groups. Devotees who perform the 8-day puja collect sacred water from a river and offer it to the deities for blessings.
The devotees whose wishes are fulfilled walk on pyres consisting burning charcoal filled in a channel. It is believed that blessings of the deities save the devotees from being injured during the ritual.
People who engage in the ritual are colloquially known as ‘Patuas’. Kalasis, devotees who are in trance, listens to the wishes of all the other devotees. The dangerous stunt is a way of showing gratitude to the Goddess. It is believed that the pain bore by the devotees is nullified by divine intervention.
A Patua Umakant Rout said, “I am going to perform the ritual to appease Maa Mangala. I firmly believe that my wishes would be fulfilled by the ritual. Earlier, the ritual was performed only in Behrampur. However, I am happy that it has finally come to Bhubaneswar.’
Bhagwan Maharana of Rangamatiya Maa Basulai Jhamu Yatra Committee said, “I have practised this ritual for the last 25 years. Maa Mangala has been kind to me and solved all my problems. The Goddess instructed me to practise the ritual and I obliged each year since then.”