NAYAGARH:Manikgoda village in Khurda district bordering Nayagarh is an example of communal harmony where Muslims and Hindus have kept alive the centuries-old tradition of celebrating the festival together. The village with a population of 10,000 comprises almost equal number of Hindus and Muslims.
The village chief, a Muslim plays the role of Dalabehera while Hindu priests perform the rituals. The tradition was started by a Hindu king.
The festival starts from Manika Bhuyan temple adjacent to a mosque where a Jani-tribal priest posses spiritual powers and becomes a Kalishi, who later loses his powers at Jogamaya Temple. The entire event culminates at Bhagabati mandap. In the final stage, Aparajita Yagna is performed by Brahmin priests with Dalabehera as its patron in front of Somanath Temple at Malisahi near Manikagoda.
Legend has it that, a Hindu king while crossing the village fell in love with a Bhuyan community girl, Manika. He wanted to marry the girl and settle in the village and ordered for construction of a fort and a pond adjacent to it. As construction was underway, the village deity asked the king in his dream to appease Goddess with a human sacrifice, that too of Manika to which she readily agreed.
So moved was the king by the magnanimity of Manika that he left the village after handing over its administration a Muslim headman.