Tihidi: Desha Durga Puja festival at Barbatia under Tihidi block in Bhadrak district is being celebrated for the last 400 years. The rituals for the Goddess, being worshipped in a hut under a peepal tree, are special. There are several legends about manifestation of the Goddess.
Locals and devotees go lyrical about the divine grandeur of the Goddess. The puja here has been carrying on the cultural heritage of the region. “If you wish for something and worship the Goddess, your wish will be fulfilled,” assert the villagers.
Every year, thousands of people from far and near throng the place to witness the puja. Cultural programmes as well as bhajans and kirtans attract people in hordes.
According to priest Sadhu Charan Mishra, “Our ancestors used to worship the Goddess and now I continue to do that. The miracles of the Goddess are well known to all in the region.”
Tapan Kumar Mishra, a local, said, “I always deem myself a servitor to the Goddess. Every year, I extend all kinds of help in organising the puja and wish well for all.”
A temple was built for the Goddess with the help of Gadadhar Dixit of Baulapal and other locals.
According to a legend about the origin of the Durga puja here, a Brahmin named Krushnachandra Mishra was on way to Jhankad to offer prayers. A pleased Goddess Durga showed up in his dream and wanted Mishra to take her with him. However, the Goddess wanted Mishra to walk towards his destination without looking back.
Mishra escorted the Goddess to the village across river Baitarani. But he looked back as he reached a peepal tree. The Goddess stayed back there. Since then, the Goddess is being worshipped under the peepal tree.
However, it’s not clear why and how the Goddess was named Desha Durga. Meanwhile, locals have been making efforts to develop the place.
PNN