JEYPORE: Several tribal communities of Koraput district on Wednesday celebrated Dussehra festival amid traditional rituals with fanfare. The tribal communities of Paraja, Gadava, Kondh, Bhumiya, Halwa, Soura and other sects from in and around the district conducted various rituals to appease the goddess. The festivities were marked by beating drums and performance of Demsa dance.
The ritualistic animal sacrifice was not observed this year owing to the restrictions imposed by the administration. “We respect the administration’s restriction on animal sacrifice and accordingly conducted the rituals without it,” said a priest of Boipariguda, Madhava Bhimiya.
Around 80 ‘lathis’, divine incarnations of Lord Durga, which had arrived from different areas of KBK region, were taken in a grand procession from Bhagabati temple to the local Dussehra ground for the ‘Aparajita’ ritual.
The celebration concluded with burning of effigies of demigod Ravana. Koraput Collector Abdaal M Akhtar, superintendent of police (SP) Varun Guntupalli and Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati were present among others.