BHAWANIPATNA: Festive fervour has gripped Kalahandi which will celebrate the Chatar Yatra of Goddess Manikeswari in Bhawanipatna on Sunday. Devotees from the State and outside have reached the town to take part in Astami rituals at the Manikeswari temple and witness the Chatar Yatra. After Sandhi Puja in the temple on Saturday night, the ceremonial Chatar of Goddess Manikeswari will be taken out to Jena Khal on the outskirts of the town.
After performance of secret rituals early on Sunday on the occasion of Navami, the Chatar of the deity will be taken out in a procession accompanied by beats of Jena Badya, Ghumura, Nisam, Ghanta and other folk music.The return journey of the Chatar to the temple is known as Chatar Yatra. During the festival, devotees release doves for fulfilment of their wishes.
A gathering of three lakh devotees is expected during the yatra. Heavy security arrangements have been made by the police for smooth conduct of the festival. Five DSPs, 17 inspectors, 26 sub-inspectors, 92 constables, 174 home guards and 10 platoons of police force have been deployed in the town. A large number of volunteers will also assist police to ensure smooth management of parking, vehicular traffic and celebrations.Police have appealed to the devotees to stop animal sacrifice during Chatar Yatra.
Astami rituals in Durga temples
Jeypore: Special rituals were performed in Goddess Durga temples across Koraput district on the occasion of Mahastami on Saturday. This year, 20 Puja pandals have come up in Jeypore, Kotpad, Borrigumma, Koraput, Semiliguda and Potangi. As many as 800 tribal heads from various villages will reach Jeypore with ‘lathis’ or sacred bamboo poles by Sunday to take part in Dussehra celebrations.