JEYPORE: Tribals from across Koraput district gathered at Gadapadar Hill on Friday evening to participate in the traditional ‘Biripani’ yatra, an age-old ritual to predict rainfall and plan agricultural activities accordingly.
Members of various tribal communities from Jeypore, Koraput, Boipariguda, Kotpad, Borigumma, and Kundra congregated at Gadapadar village to perform rituals to appease Goddess Biripani for an accurate monsoon forecast.
The tribal priests began by performing a puja of the divine ‘lathis’ at the foothills and then proceeded to the hilltop to measure the water level in the sacred hole. The priests found the hole filled with water, predicting good rainfall during the monsoon.
After descending the hill, the priests announced the forecast to the assembled tribals, advising them to align their agricultural activities with the predicted abundant rains. “This year, rainfall is expected to be plentiful during the monsoon, as indicated by Goddess Biripani through the divine hole. We will plan our agricultural activities accordingly in different areas,” said Guru Nayak, a tribal headman of Gadapadar village. Last year, the tribal priests had predicted average rainfall.