Bael Yatra of Patnagarh – A key festival of western Odisha

Akshaya Kumar Sahoo

Patnagarh, Oct. 26: The traditional Bael Yatra of Maa Patneswari in Patnagarh of Odisha’s Bolangir district is a unique cultural festival.

According to the devotees, the Goddess    enters the body of a person called Barua during this Yatra and marches the town amidst playing of drums and trumpets.

Though the administration had imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure in the town, this year, the devotee did not comply with it and participated in large numbers in the festival.

Bael Yatra was started in 1111 by Patnagarh King Anant Verma.  The festival gained prominence in later stages, especially during the reign for Ramai Deo.

Ramai Deo killed Asthamalika, eight other rulers who ruled one day each in turns, and buried them inside the palace.

During Dussehra, Barua carried the Patakhanda or main sword and rushed to the place where the heads and torsos of the Ashtamalika were buried and symbolically hit them.

After hitting the Ashtamalika, the Barua then goes for the darshan of Dasmati, the younger sister of Devi Pataneswari.