Significant tribal festival Sulia Jatra to be celebrated in Balangir today
Sulia Jatra, a significant tribal festival, will be celebrated at Bada Khala (primary ritual site) at Khairguda village and Sana Khala at Kumuria village in Odisha’s Balangir district today.
Balangir: Sulia Jatra, a significant tribal festival, will be celebrated at Bada Khala (primary ritual site) at Khairguda village and Sana Khala at Kumuria village in Odisha’s Balangir district today.
As per tradition, the Sulia Jatra is observed on the first Tuesday in the bright lunar fortnight of the Hindu month of Pousa every year.
During the celebration, the tribals as per the traditions make a large-scale animal sacrifices like goats, buffaloes and birds in order to appease the deities. They believe that offering the blood of animals and birds to their presiding deity Sulia results in good harvest and prosperity for the community.
Though animal sacrifice is banned, the district administration, respecting the tribals tradition, is not intervening in it for the last several years. Earlier, efforts were made to stop the animal sacrifices during the Sulia Jatra. However, all their efforts went in vain.
Meanwhile, police have been deployed on the spot only to maintain peace and order. One additional SP, 10 police officers, 3 platoon police forces along with 45 home guards have been deployed to avoid any untoward incident during the Sulia Jatra celebration.
