Dhenkanal: Even as non-vegetarian food like meat and fish remains the preferred choice of many, a village in Dhenkanal takes to vegetarian food since time immemorial.
The residents in Bentasalia village in Ekatalia panchayat about 10 km from Bhuban block have shunned non-vegetarian food and taking only vegetarian food since a long period. The village having a population of 400 comprises of people mostly from Baishnav community.
The villagers earn their living by practicing agriculture and do not take non-vegetarian food at all. The village elders say that even the cats and dogs never take non-vegetarian food and rely on vegetarian food to satisfy their hunger. They believe whoever defies the practice will lose his eyesight.
All the residents including the youths working in defence forces, newlywed brides coming to the village or their married daughters are bound in a common string and take only vegetarian food. The villagers are also teetotaler and never take liquor.
Nobody could predict the exact time when and how this practice started in the village. However, according to legend the practice dates back to a time when a Dalit man was stung by a snake while bringing curd and fish for the marriage of one of his family members.
The villagers took refuge of the village deity Radhakrushna and prayed before the deity to save the life of the man. The man’s life was saved and the villagers stopped taking vegetarian foods by making a promise before the deity.
Since then meat and fish are not allowed inside the village. While Radhakrushna remains the presiding deity of the villagers they also swear by Mahapurush Achyutananda and worship the legendary saint for 600 years.
The main festival in the village is Ashtaprahar Namajagnya, Janmashtami, Dola Purnima, Kartik Purnima, Maha Vishuv Sankranti and Makar Sankranti. The festival of Sarat Rasa during Kartik Purnima is celebrated with all enthusiasm and fervour.
The villagers also read the Srimad Bhagavat daily in the Bhagabat Tungi of the village. The village has its own share of problems. The village is deprived of various facilities with the Bhagabat Tungi lying in a dilapidated condition due to lack of repairing. Even many scriptures in palm leaf manuscripts have been destroyed due to lack of proper upkeep.
An elderly villager Nrusingha Charan Das said the village was established during the time of royals and has been practicing the tradition since generations.
An elderly woman Sundari Das said the village has many problems but they are yet to be addressed despite several complaints. PNN
