Baripada: Raksha Bandhan makes me think of the relationship between brothers and sisters. By fastening a rakshi to the brother’s hand, the sister wishes him a long life.
However, the indigenous people of the Mayurbhanj district have observed this occasion in a distinctive way. The ‘Jungle Raksha Bandhan’ program was launched in 2004 to conserve and protect forests.
There are now 750 such tribal villages in the district where people celebrate this festival every year by tying rakhis to trees in forests. This year, the festival is celebrated in Jhinkariyasol village in Sureidiha Gram Panchayat under Baripada Forest Division.
Hundreds of tribals tied the sacred thread to trees in rural forests following a traditional ritual and have given the message to the community that “Jangal Banchile Ame Banchiba”, which means – ‘If the forest survives, we will live’.
Prakash Chand Gogineni, Field Director of Similipal Tiger Reserve participated in the program and appreciated such tradition of tribals.
Social worker Vivekananda Patnaik started this unique programme 20 years back and since then, with the efforts of tribals, the programme is conducted every year, smoothly.
