— Photo: Lingaraj Panda

TRADITIONAL TOUCH: Damayanti Mohapatra paints a `Ghata' for Thakurani Jatra in Berhampur on Tuesday.

BERHAMPUR: Women play a major role as hereditary servitors in the biennial Thakurani Jatra festival continuing in the city.

Some of these hereditary servitors are unique because the hereditary transfer of right to serve the deity during this festival is matriarchal rather than patriarchal. Damayanti Mohapatra is the servitor to paint and decorate the main `Ghatam' that carries the representation of goddess Budhi Thakurani and eight other `Ghatams'. During Thakurani Jatra a procession of these Ghatams visits Dera populated streets of the city. Damayanti is continuing to paint the `Ghatam' since past ten festivals because the responsibility was passed to her from her mother. She would pass on this hereditary duty to her daughter.

`Changudi'

Similar is the tradition for Rangamma, a woman of Kumbharpalli of the city, who is the hereditary provider of earthen `Ghatams' to be used for the festival. Daramma takes pride in getting involved in the preparation of the `Changudi' or holy basket in which the flowers representing goddess Budhi Thakurani are brought from her temple to the temporary temple at Desibehera street for the festival. It is a hereditary duty for her for the deity which would be passed on to her daughter.

Procession

The temporary temple where the deity resides during the festival is white washed and decorated by traditional Rangoli of Orissa called 'Jhoti' by women from Sankarpur Bauri Sahi area of the city as per hereditary tradition.

During the procession of Ghatam every evening women play a major role. Wife of the traditional head of Dera community, Desibehera carries the main Ghatam on her head while eight other 'Ghatams' are carried by wives of 'Senapatis' of Dera community.

As per historians this festival is said to have started in the city in 1872 and since then women of all communities irrespective of caste have been given importance by using them as traditional servitors of the deity during the festival. It seems to be a homage to the Mother entity.

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