Malkangiri, Feb 2: A 200-year-old tradition has been revived as the Crown Prince of Jeypore, Bishweshwar Chandra Chud Deo, participated in the Patkhanda Yatra of the Bonda tribe residing in Malkangiri district. The Yatra Committee organized a grand समारोह to welcome the member of the royal family.
Patkhanda Yatra is regarded as one of the प्रमुख festivals of the Bonda tribe. The festival began nearly 500 years ago. In earlier times, the then King of Jeypore used to attend the Yatra and perform rituals according to tradition. However, the king’s visit had stopped around 200 years ago.
This year, following the old tradition, the Yatra Committee formally invited the Jeypore royal family. Accepting the invitation, the Crown Prince arrived at Khairput. After being welcomed by the committee, he first visited and offered prayers to Maa Damaldei Thakurani. Later, upon proceeding to Bondaghati, he was greeted with traditional dance and music by members of the Bonda tribe.
Bondaghati was once under the rule of the Jeypore king. During that period, the king had provided bows and arrows to the tribal community for their protection. Recalling this history, the tribe presented the Crown Prince with a bow and arrows as a traditional offering during the Yatra.
The Patkhanda Yatra is organized annually with participation from people of 12 villages located in the घाटी. There is a ritual of worshipping a sword (khanda) for a good harvest. There is no idol or permanent temple for the worship. Instead, a sword has been reserved inside the hollow of a tree for years by the Bonda tribe. Every year, the sword is taken out from the tree hollow, worshipped, and then placed back in the same spot.
As part of the rituals, goats and chickens are sacrificed, and seeds such as paddy, ragi (mandia), and suan brought from their homes are offered near the Patkhanda, praying for a good harvest in their fields.
The Yatra also features traditional dance and music, including the famous Kalasi dance.
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