Bolangir: The roads of Khairaguda and Kumuria in Kultapada panchayat of Deogaon block in this district turned red as thousands of animals were sacrificed on the occasion of traditional Sulia Jatra Tuesday. The festival held on the first Tuesday of the lunar fortnight (Sukla Paksha) of the Hindu month ‘Pousha’ drew lakhs of people from Subarnapur, Kalahandi, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Nuapada, Boudh, Kandhamal and other districts as well as from neighbouring Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. The festival is named after god Sulia of tribal communities. The Sulia Pitha is an open place situated on a hilltop surrounded by a picturesque landscape and a large water reservoir. The devotees thronged the main Sulia shrine at Badakhala in Khairaguda village, Sanakhala at Kumuria as well as at Mirdhapali and other places of the district to pay obeisance to the deity by sacrificing animals like poultry, goats, sheep, ducks, pigeons and buffaloes.
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Prior to Sulia Jatra, a secret ritual ‘Nishi Puja’ was held before the deity late Monday night. The Baruas, possessed by the deity walk to the Badakhala in a procession carrying the offerings to the beats of traditional musical instruments like Dholaks and Nishans. Later, the head priest invites the deity and performs rituals by wearing Siali leaves. Similar rituals were also conducted at Sanakhala in Kumuria. After the rituals, thousands of animals were sacrificed and devotees paid their obeisance to the deity praying for their wellbeing and fulfillment of their wishes. As per their belief, it is an act of gratitude to the deity and meant to pay back the debt after the fulfilment of their wishes. Congress leader and former minister Narasingh Mishra visited the main Sulia shrine at Khairaguda while BJD leader and former minister Ananga Udaya Singhdeo visited the Sulia shrine at Kumuria and paid their obeisance to the deity. This year, the district administration had cancelled Sulia Mahotsav due to a serious faceoff between two factions of the community. Three platoons of police force led by an additional superintendent of police (ASP) maintained law and order during the festival. People in the area have a lot of faith and belief in the festival. They celebrate it with a lot of devotion for fulfillment of their wishes, said a local devotee. Tusra tehsildar Artatrana Thati, his Deogaon counterpart Bikram Keshari Nayak, Sadar SDPO Pradip Kumar Sahu, president of the Sulia Jatra puja committee Maya Padhani, head priest Somanath Deheria, Kalindri Majhi and Tapan Kuanr were present on the occasion.
