SAMBALPUR: ‘Boial Yatra’, the festival of Shakti worship, is immensely significant for the inhabitants of rural areas in Western Odisha.
The Yatra is celebrated in the rural areas and the presiding deity of the area or Goddess Samaleswari is worshipped for the well being of villagers and good harvest.
The villages in the region celebrate the festival on any day between Ashwina Suklapakhya Nabami (ninth day of the bright fortnight in the Odia month of Ashwina) and Ashwina Purnima (full moon day in the month of Ashwina). This year, the Yatra will begin on Monday and conclude on October 13.
As per tradition, a male member from village priest’s family takes on primary role during the Yatra and he is referred to as ‘Barua’. It is believed that the Goddess enters the body of the ‘Barua’ and he becomes her emissary. Two persons known as ‘Bahatia’ hold the Barua tight from both sides in a bid to control him as he sways amidst reverberating sounds of ‘Dhol’, ‘Muhuri’ and ‘Ghanta’. Animals are sacrificed during the Yatra and offered by the devotees to the Goddess.
The Barua, better known as Boial, is taken out in a procession in the village amidst beating of traditional musical instruments and he visits each household of the village and advises villagers on their personal problems. It is believed that Boial can foretell the past, present and future of the devotees and villagers pay obeisance to him.
“The Boial visits each house of the village and each household worships him with great devotion”, said Haresh Kumar Pradhan of Kankhinda village in Dhankauda block of Sambalpur district.
Similar to Boial Yatra, Bali Yatra is celebrated in Sonepur and it continues for 16 days beginning from Ashwina Amavasya (new moon day) or Mahalaya till Ashwina Purnima. Bali Yatra is an annual festival of Shakti worship and is celebrated with spirit and devotion.
Though the Yatra is celebrated in different Shakit Pithas across Sonepur, Sureswari, Samaleswari, Khambeswari and Budharaja Pithas are the main centres of the Yatra which attract huge crowd during the period.