Khurda: Although the times have changed, the people of Banapur in Odisha’s Khurda district still continue with the tradition of ‘narabali’ (human sacrifice) to appease Maa Bhagawati (a form of Goddess Durga), albeit symbolically.
Banapur has a history of human and animal sacrifices during Dussehra since ancient times. But all these stopped with the Orissa High Court passing a verdict prohibiting all types of sacrifices, including animals, during festivities in 2009. However, this did not dampen the faith or spirit of the devotees here. Every year, thousands of people congregate at the Maa Bhagawati Temple in Banapur to witness the unique ritual of ‘symbolic human sacrifice’.
The festival, Durga Puja, is celebrated at Maa Bhagawati Temple in Banapur in a unique manner. During the Durga Puja, Maa Bhagawati is worshipped with her seven sisters – Maa Birjayi, Maa Kalijai, Maa Siddeshwari, Maa Budhi Thakurani, Maa Pulkamhi, and Maa Narayani in seven different rooms.
Earlier, one male member of the Jena family in Singheswar village near Balugaon was sacrificed before Maa Bhagawati every Dussera. But the practice has stopped and now the temple trust organises a symbolic human sacrifice with Rabindra Kumar Jena (known as Bali Jena in his locality) from the family on Dussehra to appease the Goddess.
On the first day of Sodasha Puja, Rabindra Kumar Jena gets up early and leaves his home after performing puja and heads to the Dakhseswar temple, the paternal home of Goddess Bhagabati. Later in the evening, Jena is taken to the Bhagabati temple in a huge procession to get ‘sacrificed’ symbolically before the Goddess.
“On the Sodasha (Dussehra) Puja day, I receive the ‘Agyan Mala’ and leave for the Bhagawati Temple in a large procession to get sacrificed. Following the completion of the puja, the priests of the temple garland me and put vermillion on my forehead. Then they make me lie down before the Goddess Bhagawati to offer my life to Maa,” said Jena.
At that time, Rabindra feigns to become unconscious for some time and surrenders himself to the Mother. Amidst the playing bells, turi, and dhol, Rabindra gets his life back sometime later. Thus, the symbolic sacrifice is performed.
Speaking about the unique ritual, the managing trustee of Bhagabati Endowment Trust, Balamukunda Das, said, “This temple has a history of sacrifices, including human sacrifices in ancient times. However, it is performed symbolically now after the Orissa High Court’s order.”
