Nuapada: As the sacred Dasahara festival of Maa Sunadei is observed in Odisha’s Nuapada district, the Chakotia Bhunjia tribal community is preparing to celebrate its annual Yatra, preserving a unique tradition rooted in ancestral faith, collective decision-making and devotion to Adi Shakti.
The Chakotia Bhunjia Adivasis, who inhabit 24 villages in the Sunabeda Sanctuary, regard Maa Sunadei as their presiding deity. Preparations for her annual journey begin with the lighting of an Akhand Jyoti, or eternal flame, on Amavasya, marking the commencement of 15 days of special worship.
The rituals culminate in the Sunadei Yatra on Kumar Purnima, when the deity is ceremonially carried from her sacred seat on a Chhatar, a traditional ceremonial canopy, to Lingabhata.
The occasion is more than a religious procession for the community. At Lingabhata, the annual accounts settlement begins, providing people an opportunity to place their grievances, sorrows and complaints before the Goddess. The ritual reflects the enduring relationship between the deity and her devotees, who approach her with reverence, affection and the hope of finding solace.
Following the observance at Lingabhata, the ceremonial Chhatar circumambulates Sunabeda town, marking another significant phase of the annual pilgrimage.
The festival preparations bring together members of the Chakotia Bhunjia community from all 24 villages, who collectively decide how the celebrations will be organised. The gathering underscores the community’s shared responsibility for preserving its religious customs and cultural heritage.
Rooted in the traditional worship of Adi Shakti, the Sunadei festival remains a distinctive expression of the Chakotia Bhunjia tribe’s faith and collective identity, with ancestral rituals continuing to shape community life in the forested Sunabeda region.
