The Shakti Puja and Durga Puja celebrations are as old as the State’s cultural heritage.
During autumn, which falls in the month of Aswina , Durga Puja is celebrated all over the State with local variations. On the occasion, the deity is worshiped in Shakti shrines either as Ghata or Kalasa or in the form of earthen statues, called the ‘Murmayee Pratimas’ in several parts of the State.
Usually, the celebration goes about for 10 to16 days in prominent Shakati Peethas with strict Hindu rituals and traditions while it is held in fascinating puja pandals for 4-5 days in urban and rural areas.
Amid these rich traditions, a cruel ritual that still accompanies the celebrations is the brutal sacrifice of animal, which has been banned by the Orissa High Court since the year 2002. Despite the ban and a mass awareness drive against the cruel practice, animal sacrifices are made at several Shakti Peethas. On Tuesday, therefore the practice was held. Superstitious people find it hard to adhere to the ban on animal sacrifice.
Historic evidences suggest that Shakti Puja or Durga Puja celebrations are going on for more than 100 years. Shakti Puja gained importance in the erstwhile State of Kalinga , which led to the mushrooming of a number of other Shakti shrines throughout the State.
Historical data reveals that Durga Puja was celebrated since Ganga dynasty. Chodaganga Deva held the puja. However, the puja celebrations have immensely developed in Odisha since 16th century. The arrival of the Bengali community during British rule gave a further impetus to the celebrations, informed historian Dr Bholanath Rout.
Shakti shrines also act as the socio- cultural centres of the people in the State. Odisha has at least eight famous shrines and each one maintained its own independent identity, besides having all the incarnations of Devi Durga.
The various forms of Shakti that are being worshipped in these shrines include as Bhagabati in Banapur, Biraja in Jajpur, Bimala in Puri, Mangala in Kakatpur, Sarala in Jhankad near Tirtol, Charchika in Banki, Sameleswari in Sambalpur and Hingula in Brahmapur.
According to historians, goddess Biraja at Biraja Kshetra in Jajpur district and Maa Bimala placed inside the famous Jagannath temple at Puri are the oldest deities of Goddess Durga in Odisha.
Goddess Durga is considered to be an embodiment of the supreme divine power. People believe that Durga saves her devotees from danger, distress, difficulty, calamity, sorrow, obstacles, misfortune and fear and reincarnates to destroy the evil.
Mythological stories related to the Goddess are depicted in the Vedas and Upanishads, the Ramayan, the Mahabharat, the Haribansa, the Srimad Bhagavat Gita, the Markandey Purana and the Chandi Saptasati, etc. These books speak of Maa Durga’s triumph over demons, vices, evils, and how she restores peace, order and Dharma on earth.
Artisans, blacksmiths, carpenters, and goldsmiths worship their instruments and take rest during six days of the festival.
On the day of Asvina Sukla Saptami, the idol is installed on Maha Ashtami when an animal or a bird is sacrificed or a Kushmanda (water gourd) is offered. On Dashami also called Bijaya Dashami after performing puja, the idol is immersed in river.
One Keshaba Mohapatrqa from Raghunathpur area in Jagatsinghpur district moved court filing a PIL for a complete restriction of animal sacrifices at Sirlo Pitha where thousands of animals are killed during Durga Puja.
Adjudicating the petition in the year 2002, the Orissa High Court had intervened in the matter and directed to stop the animal sacrifices in Sirlo Peetha and several other Shakti Peethas where inhuman practice had been running during Durga Puja.
