28-day Thakurani Yatra begins in Berhampur

Berhampur: The biennial festival of Buddhi Thakurani, popularly known as 'Thakurani Yatra,' began in Berhampur on Tuesday night. It is the period when the Goddess visits her father.

The Yatra, celebrated by the people in Berhampur with pomp and gaiety, would last for 28 days.

The festival started with thousands of devotes, led by Patala Durga Prasad Desi Behera and his family members, marching towards Buddhi Thakurani temple, considered as her in-laws' place, at 11.40 pm, to invite the Goddess to come with them to her parental home at Desi Behera Sahi.

The procession reached the main temple at around midnight to seek her permission. After the arrival of the floral sign of the deity (Aagyamala) at 1.30 am, the presiding deity of the town left for the temporary temple at Desi Behera Sahi and reached her father's house at around 3 am. With the arrival of their daughter, the two-year long wait was over, said Desi Behera.

The invitation to the Goddess was extended in the form of offering 'Etamalliphula', a bunch of flower, which falls from the head of the Goddess, kept in the temporary thatched house for worship symbolising 'Buddhi Thakurani'. During the entire Thakurani Yatra, religious procession would be taken out at different selected streets of the town from third day onwards. Devotees, mainly ladies, participate in this procession.

It is a tradition during Yatra that devotees enact as Krishna, Balaram, Radha, Rama, Sita, Hanuman, Siva, Parvati, Durga, Kachara, Gajia, Jilapi (another incarnation of Lord Krishna), Dahani (witch) and demons for fulfilling their desires.

Even children, below 5 years, are dressed up. They go around the city on foot, bikes, bicycles or rickshaws. The main attraction is tiger costume or 'Bagha Nata'.

Lakhs of people from different parts of the State and even outside Odisha congregate here to witness Thakurani Yatra.