Damodar fair kicks off as Santhals pay tribute

BARIPADA: Hundreds of Santhal community members thronged Damodar Ghat, the confluence of Jarali, Sarali and Budhabalanga rivers near Madhuban as the three-day long Damodar Fair kicked off here on Saturday.

Following the rituals, Santhals immersed ashes of their ancestors during the opening day. The fair comes a day after Makar Sankranti.

The tribal community members thronged and observed their annual rituals following the COVID-19 protocol.

The local administration had made elaborate arrangements by setting up temporary health camps, police kiosk, drinking water facility and traffic arrangement besides building a temporary bridge on Budhabalanga for communication of tribals to conduct the traditional rituals.

Khudu Murmu, a resident of Jhinkria, came to immerse the bones of his mother Aras Murmu who died last year. Dinabandhu Murmu, Natha Soren and Pukulu, all from Badbila village under Baripada block also paid final tributes to their late parents.

Secretary of the Society for Research and Development of Tribal Cultures Gurva Soren said the Damodar Ghat gained prominence during the rule of Pratap Chandra Bhanj Deo, the last king of Bhanj dynasty in the erstwhile princely state of Mayurbhanj. 

Before that people were going to Thakurbadi, a place near Gopiballavpur in West Bengal for performing the ritual. Later, the traditional ritual was performed at Damodar Ghat in Baripada.