Berhampur: Several traditions and rituals once closely associated and celebrated in Odisha have taken a backseat. Those are not celebrated with the same fervour and gaiety as was the case even a few years back. The net has played a role in the decreasing of importance of such rituals and in the last couple of years the Covid-19 pandemic has proved to be the last nail in the coffin.
One such tradition is ‘Gamha Dian’. It is a type of game organised in southern districts of Odisha on the occasion of Rakhi Purnima. Since, this festival is also called ‘Gamha Purnima’ in Odisha, the game got its name as ‘Gamha Dian’. ‘Dian’ means jump. The event used to be observed in almost all villages in the southern districts to add festive spirit on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.
There was a time when youngsters would collect donations from the villagers they stayed in to celebrate ‘Gamha Dian’. On the day of ‘Raksha Bandhan’, they would build a raised platform with stones, bricks, earth and straw. In front of it they would erect two bamboo poles on the two sides of the platform. They would then tie a rope between the two poles and hang lucrative gifts on it.
Many took part in the event and there would always be hundreds of spectators watching it.
The rules of the game were simple. A participant would have to announce the gift he was aiming for. He would then have to run from a distance, jump on the platform and leap into the air trying to touch the gift of his favoured choice. If he managed to get his fingertips on the object of his choice, it would be given to the participant. Excitement would run high with the spectators cheering on the participant.
However, this tradition of ‘Gamha Dian’ is virtually non-existent now. These days most youngsters are glued to their mobile phones and they do not show the urge to organise ‘Gamha Dian’. Barring a handful of villages, the festival is not observed at all.
The situation has come to such a pass that there are many young adults who hardly have any knowledge about ‘Gamha Dian’.
PNN
