Balangir: Sulia Jatra, one of the major tribal festivals of western Odisha, began on Tuesday morning in Deogaon area of Odisha’s Balangir district with mass sacrifice of animals.
Sources said hundreds of tribals observed the traditional annual festival at Khairguda and Kumuria villages of the district. Tribals of Khairguda village took out processions with traditional weapons to the ritual site, where all the arrangements were made to carry out the sacrifice of hens and goats. This 500-year-old tradition is held on the second Tuesday of Pousa month every year.
Predominantly a festival of animal sacrifice, the villagers believe that spilling of blood of animals and birds at the altar of Goddess Sulia brings good harvest and prosperity.
Locals said thousands of birds and animals like cock, pigeons, fowl, goats, sheep and buffalo calves were sacrificed at Bada Khala and Nua Khala of Sulia Pitha at Khairaguda and Kumuria, respectively.
Sulia Pitha is an open place on a hilltop surrounded by a scenic landscape and a large water reservoir.
Tribals believe that offering the blood of animals and birds to Sulia, their traditional deity, brings a good harvest resulting in prosperity and happiness to their families and the community as a whole.
Adequate security arrangement was made to maintain law and order during the festival. In the absence of any prohibitory order, the police limited its role to crowd control.
The district administration, which earlier made attempts to abolish the gory practice following an Orissa High Court directive, has limited itself to ensuring law and order at the festival site after Supreme Court in its 2017 verdict stated that the rituals and traditions of the tribals must be respected.
Animal sacrifice is being practised since ages by the Kandha tribe. Eight sub-castes of the community too follow the tradition, which is believed to be at least 500 years old, according to reports.
