JAGATSINGHPUR:Delay in harvest of paddy crops and vegetable price hike have cast a dampener on the celebrations of ‘Manabasa Gurubar’ to worship Goddess Mahalaxmi this year.
Hindu women observe this spiritual ritual every Thursday in the Odia month of Margasira every year. This ritual is known as ‘Manabasa Gurubar’ which is observed for the prosperity of the family. It is described in ‘Laxmipurana’ that Goddess Mahalaxmi on every such occasion moves along to the places of Her devotees in quick succession and offers Her blessings to the devotees where She is immensely pleased with their devotion.
Source said markets, during this season, are generally abuzz with activity, but the festive spirit is missing now. Traders in the district look forward to every festive season as women and petty vendors purchase provisions at the wholesale shops. But due to non-availability of new paddy stalks for worshipping Goddess Mahalakshmi and rising prices of vegetables, womenfolk are forced to cut short the preparation.
One Shantilata Mandal of Bhajakhia village said unseasonal rain has severely affected the paddy crops in the area. Crops on her three acres of land have been damaged and rotten.
As there is no paddy in the fields, she was forced to purchase the new paddy stalks at the rate of `50-`60 per piece from local market. Meanwhile, farmers who have not suffered crop loss due to unseasonal rainfall are doing brisk business by selling paddy stalks at higher rate, she added.
Similarly, the rate of radish, which is essentially required to worship the Goddess, has been increased from `five per piece to `25. Agriculture Department sources said total 58,061 hectares (ha) of paddy crops have been damaged due to untimely rain in Erasama, Kujang, Tirtol, Raghunathpur and Biridi blocks, while 28,142 farmers have been affected. However, no crop damage has been reported from three blocks, Jagatsinghpur, Balikuda and Nuagaon, he added.