Koraput: Thousands of devotees thronged Sabara Srikhetra in Koraput on Thursday to participate in the annual Rath Yatra, with tribal traditions taking centre stage as per centuries-old customs.
Despite intermittent drizzle, devotees gathered in large numbers to witness the grand festival and pull the chariots of the deities.
The Shri Gundicha Yatra commenced with the ceremonial Pahandi procession at the scheduled time of 9.50 am after the completion of traditional rituals and puja.
Lord Sudarshan was brought out first, followed by Lord Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra and finally Lord Jagannath amidst the chanting of “Jay Jagannath”, ringing of bells, devotional songs, kirtans and ululations. Cultural troupes accompanied the deities with bhajans, kirtans and traditional dance performances as they were escorted from the temple to their respective chariots.
In keeping with the unique traditions of Sabara Srikhetra, representatives from three tribal villages performed the ceremonial Chhera Pahara after the deities were seated on their chariots.
Members of the Kondadora (Shabar) community from Padua Upper Kandapali, dressed in traditional attire, offered fruits and flowers as the first bhoga to Lord Jagannath while performing folk dances. Members of the Dhurua community offered fruits and flowers to Lord Balabhadra, while the Paraja community from Upper Godala under Dasamantapur presented similar offerings to Goddess Subhadra.
District Collector Manoj Satyaban Mahajan attended the celebrations and felicitated village heads, including Mukhiyas and Nayaks from different parts of the district, with siripas (ceremonial stole) on the chariot in recognition of their role in preserving the traditional customs associated with the festival.
Following the completion of the customary rituals, the chariot pulling began as scheduled. Devotees, including youth, women and elderly people, enthusiastically pulled the chariots despite the light rain, considering it a moment of spiritual fulfilment.
The festival witnessed participation from thousands of devotees from across Koraput district as well as neighbouring districts and the adjoining states of Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, reaffirming the significance of Sabara Srikhetra as an important centre of Jagannath tradition where tribal communities continue to play a central role in the annual Rath Yatra celebrations.
