Berhampur: The famous procession of ‘Landa Besha’ during the Thakurani Yatra in Berhampur of Odisha’s Ganjam district was taken out amid fun and frolic on Friday.
Total 227 persons of different age groups participated in ‘Landa Besha’ which has been organised by ‘Daridra Panchakshyar Party’ of Bijipur for the last 87 years.
The procession started from Kalua temple and went through Bijipur Market, Gopabandhu Square, Khallikote University, Town Hall Square, Telephone Bhavan, Old Bus Stand, Annapurna Market, Urban Bank Road, Girija Restaurant Square, Satya Narayan Temple, Giri Market, Hanuman Bazar, Sana Bazar, Bada Bazar, Mahuri Palace before reaching the temporary abode of Budhi Thakurani at Desi Behera Sahi.
All the participating devotees comprising children, youth and elderly persons, who had taken vow (manasika) earlier, got their heads tonsured in Bijipur for the procession. They had informed us a few days before the procession and deposited a token amount which is being spent towards the charges of barber, breakfast and feast, said the organisers.
“Landa Besha, the brainchild of an influential person of Bijipur, has been followed since 1933. He had started it by inviting some persons to get tonsured. It mainly reflects the unholy activities of some ‘Mahanta’ or the heads of the matha and temples,” said Pradeep Mahapatra, retired professor Department of Journalism and Mass Communication in Berhampur University.
One devotee dresses himself as a Mahanta and leads the procession on a chariot which is surrounded by some male persons dressed as modern and fashionable ladies. Others follow the Mahanta in the procession. They return to Bijipur after offering prayer to Budhi Thakurani at Desi Behera Sahi.
Daridra Panchakshyar Party also organises Buddhist Monk Besha with selected devotees of ‘Landa Besha’. They move in a procession chanting ‘Buddham Saranam Gachami’.
