World Famous Brahmapur Thakurani Yatra

Dakhina Kalinga has always had a sizable amount of Shaivite and Shakta followers. Idyllically situated with the revered Rushikulya on one side, the Bay of Bengal on the other side and the beautiful Kerandimala hill area of the Mahendragiri Mountain range of Eastern Ghat hovering over a small piece of this Dakhina Kalinga region. The scenic beauty is eternal. In ancient times this portion was called as Mahuri State and its capital was Brahmapur. Its rulers were powerful, majestic yet people friendly. The ruler belonging to Narendra dev dynasty ruled this state for around 500 (Five Hundred) years. They were good follower of Shaivism, who believed Shakta Upasana.  The Asta Shambhu (Eight Shiva Temples) in the Mahuri state was their creation. Their Ishta Devi & Presiding Deity) was Maa Kalua. Maa Budhi Thakurani was the Gramadevati of Brahmapur  and worshipped by one and all at the outskirt of the then Brahmapur. Rituals and Festivities concerning to the Diety was a common occurrence.

Historically speaking the Festivities took a different turn with the advent of the “Dera Community” (The weavers’ community later renamed here in the area as Dera). Legend says the Mahuri Raja was once he had gone on a  on business trip to the Rajamahendri (Now Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh) got impressed upon the Silk work and ongoing Festival of Goddess there at that time by the people of weavers  community  and brought them to Brahmapur on his return. First they stayed in a tent (the local name of the tent is DERA) nearby the King’s palace in the Rajah Street. They stayed in different groups and the Head of the Community was called as “Desibehera’. The Dera community people were staunch believer of Shakti Cult, started worshipping Maa Budhi Thakurani. Legends say once the Chief Senapati – Desibehera saw a girl crying and wandering in the midnight in Desibehera street.. He enquired, but could not get any proper reply from her. He hence invited her to stay at his home till morning. In the morning to his utter surprise the girl had already disappeared. But she had left behind some flowers and the room was filled with the aroma of Chandan and He searched but could not find her. With a heavy heart he went to the Goddess temple for daily Puja. To his surprise the flowers were not received by the Deity (Mother Goddess). It was falling whenever he used to put a flower on “Her” and suddenly he heard a voice telling him that, “from today onwards YOU AR MY FATHER. So need not to come to this temple for my worship. I will come to your home”. The Chieftain (Desibehera) couldn’t believe it. Tears rolled down. The Maa assured him that once in every two year She would visit her home. This is the story behind the Grand celebration of the Thakurani Yatra. From then onwards on every two year the Desibehera invites Maa to his home and Maa keeps Her promise and come to Desibehera’s  home. Hundreds of years passed. But the tradition goes on.

Then onwards the all pervading ‘Adimata’, the omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent one receives an invitation from her father Desi Behera on every two year to visit her maternal / paternal home. An Agyanmala (a wrath of flowers) drops in pot from the mother head in Thakurani Temple- Her abode of worship in the dead of the night. That’s the Changudi. The Desibehera and his family returns home with the Changudi in all pump and show. From the second day the flowers are put in the sacred ’Ghata’. The Mother stay in the home and the whole area becomes sacred and people of all caste, creed and culture worship when she is in this temporary abode (Asthayee Mandap) of Her. They worship her with Prayers, dance near her Mandap and streets wearing different Beshas (painting one’s own self along with attires and making him / herself embodied with some peculiar character prevailing in the society) and also the people in Berhampur invite their fellow beings / relatives to their home to witness this great Saga of celebration which goes by the name of the Thakurani Yatra.  So many other traditions come to live with this Yatra. The entire City pulsates with a spiritual vibration of Shakti.

  Text: Hrusikesh Panigrahi

                                                                                       Translation: Sudipta Panigrahi