Koraput: The tribals here will perform the ‘Chhera Panhara’ rituals on the three chariots at the Rath Yatra festival of Sabara Srikhetra in Koraput, a report said. Moreover, only women will be allowed to pull the chariot of Devi Subhadra during the festival as Sabara Srikhetra of Koraput will be holding its 51st Rath Yatra this year. The matter came to the fore at a preparatory meeting for the 51st Rath Yatra celebrations held at the Sadbhavana conference hall of the Collectorate, Wednesday.
Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Rameswar Pradhan presided over the meeting. In the meeting, it was decided that only women and girls will be allowed to pull the chariot of Devi Subhadra during the festival. In order to have an inclusive approach towards all sections of society, a tribal Dasi Nayak of Rangabali Kumbha village will conduct the Chhera Panhara rituals on the chariots of Lord Jagannath. Local tribals will also conduct the Chhera Panhara rituals on the chariots of Devi Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra during the festival.
Moreover, the Deba Snana Purnima of the Trinity will be held at Sabar Srikhetra June 4, Netrotsav and Naba Jaubana Darshan June 19, and Rath Yatra June 20 on the basis of traditional rituals. All steps are being taken to maintain law and order during the festival, the ADM said. Attending the meeting, Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati urged the temple management committee to lay stress on the quality of ‘Mahaprasad’ during the nine-day-long festival. He also stressed on maintenance of proper sanitation and cleanliness at Badadanda and Gundicha temples during the Rath Yatra.
Apart from the Jeypore MLA, temple management committee secretary Jagabandhu Samal, Koraput Municipality chairman Lalat Ranjan Sethi, sub-collector Benudhar Sabar, DIPRO Swaraj Sisha, project director Arun Kumar Das of district water shed mission, SDPO Manoj Kumar Pujari, Koraput Town IIC Dhiren Pattnaik, all members of the temple committee and media persons attended the meeting.