Rajnagar (Kendrapada): Upholding a centuries-old tradition, members of the royal family of the erstwhile Kanika kingdom on Monday performed special Mahashtami rituals at the Maa Banadevi temple deep inside Bhitarkanika National Park, trekking through the dense forest to offer prayers to the presiding deity.
A team of 15 people, including priests, sevayats, cooks and helpers, led by Kanika royal family representative Bisoi Subas Das, reached the temple after travelling by boat to the Bhitarkanika forest block and walking nearly three kilometres through the forest.
The annual ritual included Mahasnana (ceremonial bathing) of the black chlorite stone idols of Maa Banadevi and Hara-Parvati, followed by special prayers and offerings. Rice and fish-ghanta bhog were prepared and offered to the goddess as part of the observance.
Situated in the dense forest of Bhitarkanika mauza, the temple is worshipped by forest personnel throughout the year. However, special worship by Brahmin priests on Mahashtami is performed annually on behalf of the Kanika royal family.
Historical accounts trace the temple’s establishment to Kanika King Bhujabala Bhanja in 1200 AD. The king is believed to have worshipped Maa Banadevi before embarking on military campaigns against other kingdoms, reflecting the deity’s traditional significance to the royal family.
Even after Bhitarkanika was declared a national park, the land on which the temple stands continued to be recorded in the name of the erstwhile Kanika royal family.
The annual Mahashtami observance continues to preserve a distinctive blend of royal heritage, religious faith and local tradition amid the mangrove forests of Bhitarkanika.
