Badasahi: At a time when caste politics has threatened to divide society in the country, here is a mutt where tribals and fishermen perform rituals of the deities.
The mutt is located at Budheirana village in Shialighati panchayat under this block in Mayurbhanj district.
Not only are visitors in awe of the mutt’s tradition, but also it is astonishing for many as such rituals are hardly seen anywhere.
People of fishermen and Bhuinya communities have been worshipping Lord Jagannath and other deities ever since the mutt was established.
According to local legends, late Brundaban Dash and Krushnamohan Dash had set up the mutt over a century back on a patch of three acres of land adjacent to Badajoda canal. While Brahmins are generally appointed as priests to conduct rituals in temples as per the existing practice, the founders of the mutt allowed tribals and fishermen to work as priests. This tradition is being followed even now.
After late Krushnamohan Dash, several mahants including Tina Babaji, Jagannath Naik, Kumar Das, Solaram Mahant, Chakradhar Nayak, Pradip Dash and Bipra Das worked as head of the mutt.
People of nearly 10 village including Shialighati, Budherana, Paunsia, Banatalpada, Bhanjabata, Mankadapal of Shialighati and Paunsia panchayats turn up at the mutt daily for darshan of the deities.
Surrounded by large sal, piasal, mango and jackfruit trees, the mutt receive maximum footfall during Makar Mela held on Makar Sankranti.
While a temple made from concrete has replaced the thatched one about a decade back, the temple of Baba Rameswar Mahadev has been constructed nearby recently. Every year, thousands visitors including school and college students and employees of various organisations throng the site for picnicking.
However, the popular site is losing its attraction due to lack of proper upkeep, according to locals.
At present, the rituals of the deities are conducted with water of a nearby canal as the well on the mutt premises has become defunct, said priest Ramakanta Nayak.
In the absence of a boundary wall around the mutt, the premises has turned into a pastureland, said Shirish Chandra Giri, a retired teacher.
Earlier, the mutt had facilities to accommodate devotees of far flung regions. Now, it wears a deserted look after sunset, said Babulal Behera (85) of Tungadhua village.
While both the Centre and the state spend crore of rupees for renovation of old mutts, the ancient Budherana mutt is lying in a state of dilapidation, alleged Trinath Sethi and Dasarathi Nayak of the village.
Locals demanded a pucca approach road to the mutt along with electrification. PNN
