Bolangir: The famous Sulia Yatra, a festival of tribals in Bolangir district, will be held January 19 in strict accordance with the Covid-19 norms.
The festival is held every year on the first Tuesday of the lunar fortnight of the Hindu Pousha month by the tribals at the Khairaguda Badakhala and Kumuria Sanakhala under Deogaon block of the district. This was stated here by chief priest Somanath Deheria at a meeting of the Sulia Yatra puja committee, Tuesday.
The organising committee Tuesday finalised the date of the festival in the meeting and presented a plan for the same in view of the Covid-19 restrictions imposed in the state. As per reports, the members of the committee have decided to perform rituals concerning the puja and animal sacrifice according to tribal customs during the festival sans major celebrations.
Speaking to mediapersons, Maya Pradhani, the president of the Sulia Puja committee said the festival is being organised on the first Tuesday of the month of Pausha. This year, it will take place January 19, he said.
However, the district administration is yet to hold any meeting or announce anything related to the annual festival.
The tribals holding their traditional weapons take out a procession and worship their traditional deity Sulia Budha on the basis of ancient rituals. They sacrifice birds and animals to propitiate the deity. The sacrifice is part of their custom and is believed to be an act of gratitude to the deity. The devout can offer animals or birds for sacrifice. They will have face masks and maintain social distance among themselves and form a queue for darshan of the deity
Sulia Yatra is one of the major festivals of tribals in western Odisha. Devotees from within and outside of the state throng the district to witness the festival.
PNN