BARIPADA: Tribals of Mayurbhanj, particularly the Santhal community, observed the traditional festival of ‘Sohrai’ or ‘Bandhana’ on Friday, coinciding with Kali Puja celebrations. The community members congregated at Budhikhamari village in Bisoi on the day and worshipped cows. The festival is observed a day after the new moon (Amavasya) when other communities worship Goddess Kali and continues for a fortnight.
The first phase of Sohrai commences with ‘Goth’ or ‘Gohal’. “Cow-dung, sun-dried rice, vermilion, ‘mithi’ (a kind of spice made into a ball) and powdered rice are also offered to the deities,” said Tapan Hansdah of Budikhamari village. All these are carried by a priest accompanied by a villager who too takes along a pot of rice beer towards the ‘goth’ (grazing ground for cows). The priest then selects a place there and offers prayers on behalf of the community.
In the evening, the cattle are herded to the goth where Gohal puja starts with a dance performed around a Karam branch carried and planted by two bachelors and cleansed with cow-dung by young Santhal maidens.