26-day Thakurani Yatra in Berhampur from April 3
Berhampur : The 26-day long biennial festival of Buddhi Thakurani, popularly known as ‘Thakurani Yatra,’ will be held from April 3 to 28. The preparations for the festival began at Desi Behera Sahi after the Subha Khunti (auspicious post) was installed on March 12 night.
The date for Thakurani Yatra was fixed by ‘Siddhanti’ V Basudev Sashtri in the presence of Patala Durga Prasad Desibehera, Chief of the Dera community in Berhampur, now considered as the father of Buddhi Thakurani, and renowned persons of the locality. The 9-foot long Subha Khunti was installed in front of Desibehera’s house after it was taken in a huge procession to the Budhi Thakurani temple, which received the ‘Agyanmala’ of the Goddess to seek her permission.
The biennial festival is celebrated to mark the visit of Goddess Budhi Thakurani from the temple to her father’s house at Desibehera Street. Buddhi Thakurani is considered as the daughter of Desibehera and the deity stays with her father’s family during the entire Yatra period.
According to eminent historians, the cult of Buddhi Thakurani originated along with the emergence of Berhampur town in and around 1672 AD. Telugu Lengayat Dera (weaver) community, who came to Mahuri on the invitation of ‘Raja Saheb’ of Mahuri to take up their profession of weaving, started their ‘Ghata Yatra’ (Pot Festival) for highlighting the divinity of Mahamayee Thakurani of his capital town Berhampur.
According to legend, the chief of the Dera community used to collect flowers and offer it to the Goddess every day. During a Chaitra Tuesday night, he heard a girl crying on the road near his veranda. He opened the door with a lantern in his hand and came closer to the girl. He saw a young lady with black saree and open hair with tears in her eyes. He enquired why was she crying. The young lady replied that she was on her way to her father’s house but lost the way. The Dera chief said, “You are just like my daughter. Don’t venture in the deep night. Take rest in my house and you may leave in the morning.”
The young lady then suddenly disappeared in the nearby bushes. The Dera chief returned home with a confused mind. The next morning, when he tried to fix the flower on the head of the Thakurani, the flower fell down after every attempt. The dazed chief prayed to the Goddess. A voice came from the air: “You became my father last night. How will a daughter receive any prayer or offerings from a father?”
Thakurani told him to go home and appoint the first person he sees as the priest. The chief returned home and saw a barber first. From that day, the barbers are the priests of Buddhi Thakurani. The Goddess later told the chief: “I am your daughter. I will visit my father’s house every two alternative years for a particular period and return to my temple”. Thus, the tradition goes on.
During ‘Thakurani Yatra’, the Silk City gets flooded with people dressed like mythological characters such as Krishna, Balaram, Radha, Rama, Sita, Hanuman, Siva, Parvati, Durga and move around different lanes in the town on cycle, bike or on foot. The ‘Beshas’ are not confined to mythological characters. Several others dress like social and traditional folk characters. Even some resemble ‘pila-khai dahani’ (baby-eating sorceress), police, doctor and political leaders before reaching the temporary abode of the goddess. The traditional ‘bagha nacha’ or tiger dance is the main attraction during the yatra.