Odisha Village Still In Shock Over Last Year’s Tragedy; No Holi Celebrations This Time

Jajpur: While Odisha is in a celebratory mood, people of Bandhamunda in Jajpur district are still grieving over the death of six youths, who drowned while taking a bath in Kharasrota river after Holi celebrations last year.

The villagers and the families have decided not to celebrate the festival this year as the occasion reminds them of the tragedy that claimed the lives of Subham Kumar, Rashmiranjan, Karan, Biswajit, Krishna and Sambit Kumar. However, two of their friends who accompanied them to the river had managed to survive. The villagers have also set up a memorial with statues of the deceased.

Earlier, people of Bandhamunda used to immerse in the celebrations of the festival of colours with traditional gaiety. “On the eve of Holi, Sankirtans were organised and other celebratory activities followed it on the day of Holi in the village. The villagers are in no mood to celebrate the festival this year,” said Gourang Jena, a relative of a deceased youth.

Narrating the tragic incident, Jena said that all six youths had gone to Mangala Ghat of Kharasrota river after playing Holi last year and drowned. The incident robbed the village of the mirth. Since then, a pall of gloom continues to grip the village.

The villagers have set up statues of the deceased youths and planned to organise rituals to ward off such tragic incident from recurring in the village.

Villagers wished before the God that similar tragedy does not befall them.

Manoranjan Biswal, a representative of the local Sarpanch said that Holi celebrations in the village have been prohibited this year in the memory of the six deceased youths.