JEYPORE: The five-day Dussehra festivities concluded in a low-key manner in Koraput on Monday. In tribal areas, village heads and priests observed all rituals including worshipping ‘lathis’ (symbolic of Devi) without the traditional fanfare. However, small crowds were seen in Vitaragada in Nandapur , Birikhamo in Boipariguda and Kantabaunsini in Damanjodi.
In Jeypore, celebrations were muted as the ceremonial lathi procession on Bijaya Dashami was banned in view of the Covid-19 crisis. People visited puja pandals across Koraput, Jeypore, Borrigumma and Kotpad but offered prayers from outside. This year, there was no animal sacrifice in various Shakti pithas in the district. On Tuesday, few puja committees started immersion of idols amidst coronavirus guidelines.