Talcher: The famed annual yatra of Talcher’s presiding deity, Goddess Hingula, revered as a form of fire, will begin Tuesday, with the sacred site for the rituals already identified to the east of the temple. According to tradition, Patabari festival, also known as Nabakalebara of the goddess, will be celebrated with much devotion and gaiety. The ritual is considered rare, occurring only once during a king’s lifetime.
Following the death of former king of Talcher, Rajendra Chandra Deb Birabar Harichandan, last year, Prince Bijayendra Chandra Deb has ascended the throne as the 26th king. In line with custom, he has announced of organising of the Nabakalebara and Patabari festival this year.
As part of the rites, previously worshipped symbolic elements of the deity — including wooden posts known as Alams, cloth and ceremonial canopies and gold and silver ornaments will be immersed, and new adornments will be installed. Artisans will carve and prepare a new sacred wooden structure following prescribed rituals. Special processions will also be held to collect the sacred wood, typically from a selected sal tree that meets strict religious criteria. Traditionally, the wood is cut in stages using golden, silver and iron axes.
During the ceremony, the temple priest, dressed in female attire, performs rituals including crowning the king and queen, formally recognising the new ruler. The festival’s rituals and traditions will remain unchanged throughout the reigning king’s lifetime. On the occasion, the king has urged all devotees to observe a vegetarian diet and light lamps in every household in the name of the goddess.
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