CUTTACK:THE Millennium City soaked in devotion as Telugu community in the city observed its age-old Solapuri Ammabari or Sola Pua Maa Thakurani festival on Sunday. Believed to be over 200 years old, the tradition of worshipping Sola Pua Maa Thakurani, an incarnation of the feminine divinity, was started by the family members of cane and bamboo weaving Telugu community. They observe the puja seeking blessings from the deity to get rid of contagious diseases such as diarrhoea, measles and other diseases.
Around 50,000 people of nearly 10,000 families belonging to Telugu community residing in more than 20 Sahis in Cuttack are taking part in the celebration. For the festival, an idol of Goddess Sala Pua Maa Thakurani is created with the help of bamboo poles and a ‘Kalash’ is placed, said A Umesh Kumar, president, Sola Pua Maa Puja Committee.
The festival is observed in three phases each lasting for three days. The first phase was observed by Telugu communities residing at Ranihat from September 3 to September 5. In the second phase, the festival is observed in 11 Sahis including Deewan Bazar, Sutahat, Buxi Bazaar, Odia Bazaar, Patapola, Baunsagali and Tinikonia Bagicha localities. The last phase includes trips to Seminary School, Hatipokhari, Baropathar Sahi, Dhobi Lane etc.
Starting from Amabasya, a month before Mahalaya, the festival which is carried out in three weeks between Sunday to Tuesday concludes before Dussehra on the premises of Sola Pua Maa Thakurani main temple at Pilgrim road near College Square.The deity is carried from house to house where devotees offer bhog for fulfilment of their desire.