Koraput: The ancient tribal festival of Badayatra which kicked off March 11 has given Malkangiri town a festive look.
The district administration has made necessary arrangements for smooth celebration of the festival which is likely to be witnessed by more than two lakh people from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana besides various parts of the state.
The four-day festival celebrates the annual journey of Kanamraj, Balraj, Potraj and Mutuyulamma (Jagyanseni) from the hilly shrine Manyamkonda in Kalimela block to the district headquarters town.
The rituals began Monday amid a gathering of more than 50,000 people from the three states. Malkangiri Collector Manish Agarwal was present on the occasion. The deities were taken in a procession to Tadakarec and later given a bath in the Polleru-Silleru River.
After the ceremonial bath, the deities were taken in a decorated boat (nauka bihar) in Polleru river, then brought to Kanyamajhibandha in Malkangiri town in a wooden palanquin crossing Kalimela and Sikhpally.
Later, the deities were shifted to Mandiabhata in Malkangiri Tuesday. The deities will be taken to the Maulima temple Wednesday where they will be worshipped till March 14, it was learnt.
PNN
