Odisha: Famous Nagbacha puja of Subarnapur district

Subarnapur: The western Odishan district of Subarnapur is said to be famous for Jantra, Mantra and Tantra. The district enjoys repute for tantra puja. One of such worship is the Nagbacha puja of Kanpur village in the district.

The Nagbacha Jatra of Kanpur includes worship of Lord Shiva and His consort Devi Parvati while the cobra god is also worshipped. It is believed that some people can heal others from snake bite by the grace of the Mother Goddess. Perhaps because this belief is getting stronger day by day in this area, the jatra witnesses footfall of a large number of devotees.

Nagbacha jatra is celebrated with much pomp and show in Subarnapur district. The festival is observed for 3 days starting from the Naga Chaturthi day each year. This year the jatra was organised in Subarnapur district for the 25^th year and hundreds of people participated in it.

On the festival day the devotees set out in a procession holding the Cobra God (Nag Devta) amid tune of musical instruments dhol and Mahuri.

The procession moves along the roads of the village. Devotees wash feet of the Nag Devta in front of their houses to welcome religious procession. Finally the procession reaches the Demula field. Here the Nag Devta gets worshipped. Later, the snake burrows in Bikalpali, Kanpur village are worshiped.

After Gambhira Bije, the Cobra God is believed to incarnate in the body of each of the baruas. They seek blessings of Devi Parvati and Lord Shiva inside the Gambhira. In the night they perform nisha puja and consume poisonous laddu and distribute medicines to devotees free of cost that can get relieve people from snake bite.

Nagbacha Jatra is getting popular day by day. It is believed that people get blessed with worship of the Cobra God and thus participate in large numbers in the festival.

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