Orissa Review September - 2009 Two Shakti Pithas of Kandhamal District Raghunatha Rath Shakti cult or Mother Goddess worship had been level are known as Rastra Devi. They are being traced in the Indus valley civilization. Hence we Hinduized in name and process of worship also believe that from the ancient period Mother and Bramhin priests are engaged by the state. Goddess is being worshipped in India. Suktas The deities Pattakhanda and Baral Devi were dedicated in the Vedas to as much as forty of Kandhamal district have a tribal root, in course female deities. It is widely of time they have developed to accepted by scholars that the the status of regional fame being root of Shakti worship is laying patronized by local chiefs and in Devi Sukta of Rig Veda. So worshipped by both tribals and there is no doubt about non-tribals which helped the ancientness of mother chiefs to subdue the tribal Goddess worship in India. subjects and to gain control over In Adibasi community them. In the following paras we most of deities belongs to will come to know about both the female line. They worship deities in detail. Earth Goddess, River Goddess Pattakhanda Goddess, and Mountain Goddess etc. All the sources The word Pattakhanda literally of nature are worshiped as means "chief sword or main Goddesses in tribal societies. sword". Pattakhanda worship Likewise at the end of each indicates worship of weapons. village in Odisha we can Weapons are regarded as Goddess Durga, which is witness a place dedicated to Goddess Pattakhanda Mother Goddess, known by prevalent in the Hindu society of different names. They are believed to be the Odisha since remote past. guardian deities of the village and eradicate all The deity of Pattakhanda installed at evils. But some of them are regarded as deities of Balliguda, Mahasingi and elsewhere is regional or state level, being patronized by the represented by a piece of crude stone, having no chief of the state. Deities gained the status of state shape of any living being. A sword is being placed 154 Orissa Review September - 2009 near the deity known as Pattakhanda. It may be But other tribal systems are still prevailing there. presumed that the sword had been presented by Even the non-brahmin priests are not changed till any local chief many years ago. Placing of a sword now. A beautiful temple have been built for the indicate that the deity was regarded as war deity deity, golden and silver ornaments are used to in remote past and gradually people regarded her decorate Her. Nuakhai, Kandul Bhaja Parab as guardian deity of the village as well as the and Dasahara festival are being observed in region. Nonbramhin, mostly Kshatriya caste Pattakhanda Pitha at Balliguda. Dasahara is priests are employed for worship of the deities of observed with much pump and gaity. A mud figure Pattkhanda. Except Balliguda in other places a of Mahisa Mardini Durga is being made in the curved pole is posted named as chhatkhamba campus of Pattakhanda temple and worshiped where the sacrificed animal is being tied. It remind by bramhin priests in Hindu manner of worship us the worship of Khambeswari by the tribal for four days i.e. from the 7th to 10th day of bright Kandhas in the bygone days. fortnight in the month of Aswin every year. People of Balliguda region regards Kandul Bhaja Puja is observed in a day Mahasingi as the first seat of Goddess in the month of Phalguna as decided by the Pattakhanda, where she was worshipped by temple committee. Arhar is locally known as Kshatriyas belonging to Nala dynasty. They were kandul. Till observation of kandulbhaja parab called Raja of the area. When their family people of this region strictly do not eat kandul. expanded they were sent to rule in different muthas and they also established a pitha of Bonda tribals of Mudulipada area also Pattakhanda at each mutha headquarters. In this observe Pattakhanda worship on the first way Pattakhanda worship extended from a village Monday in the month of Magha. A sword known cult to a regional status. as Pattakhanda kept in a hole of a banyan tree is brought down and worshipped by the disari, the According to belief the original seat of priest and sacrificed a goat. The blood of the Pattakhanda is Jarasinga in Bolangir district. From sacrificed animal is mixed with the seeds to be Jarasinga the deity was brought by the first Raja planted next year and distributed among all. We of Mahasingi to his capital. In the past Balliguda could not find any link between the Pattakhanda was not having a prominent status. So British of Mudulipada and Balliguda. But a legendary link authorities built a bridge on the river near could be observed with Pattakhanda of Jarasinga Mahasingi and a Restshed to camp there. The of Bolangir district and Mahasingi. The legend bridge still exists. When Forest Range Office, runs as follows. Taluk Office and Police Office were set up in the last quarter of 19th century at Balliguda by British About 25 generations back there lived Government, then outsiders migrated to Balliguda adivasi chiefs named Nagbura and Kanabura, and settled permanently. Those plain-lander who were worshipping Goddess Pattakhanda. people started worshipping the tribal Goddess They both committed innumerable offences, which Pattakhanda. Since then the Goddess was enraged the Goddess. Due to the anger of the regarded by both tribals and nontribals. The Goddess for twelve years, the animals and the Goddess is being offered Prasad two times a day human being could not became pregnant, the and Arati (Light offering) is being done daily at crops failed, trees did not yield fruit and the evening, which was introduced by caste Hindus. streams also dried up. 155 Orissa Review September - 2009 People fett that such calamities occurred Baraldevi is worshipped in each village due to the anger of Goddess Pattakhanda. Hence of Kandhamal subdivision. All the matters of the all of them prayed the Goddess and begged Goddess is being administrated by a committee apology. The Goddess appeared in dream and represented by sirdars of the muthas around the told them that the chief priests have done unclean seat of the deity. things. Hence I am not satisfied with their worship. Baraldevi is also worshiped at So you have to search for another priest. Then G.Udayagiri, K.Nuagam and Mahasingi of the people prayed Her to know the name of the Balliguda Sub-Division and Bandhagada, Menia, Priest. Gochhapada etc. of Kandhamal Sub-Division. In reply the Goddess told them in dream Goddess Badarauli devi, who is worshiped at that they should tie two pieces of black yarn and Baramul in Nayagarh district, is perhaps a yellow yarn to two arrows and shoot them high changed version of Baraldevi who have into the air. Where these two arrows would fall connection with Sri Jagannath temple. Before there would be a man and he was to be brought cutting of timber for making of chariot of Lord and make their King. Then Nagbura and Jagannath the Goddess Badarauli is being Kanabura shooted the arrows and ran after the worshipped with the offerings of seven sarees, arrows. The arrows went and struck the ground Mahaprasad, sandle wood and flower garlands near a spring in Jorasingi, at which place a man sent from the Sri Jagannath temple. Hence the named Madan Singi was bathing. Then the importance of Goddess Baraldevi, which is a cult Kandhas bodily carried him to Mahasingi and of tribal society needs more research. kept him with royal honour. Then the Kandhas At the main seat of Baraldevi at assigned him with some hard work in order to Balaskumpa, Durgapuja is observed from the test him and miraculously Madan Singh came out second day to tenth day in the bright fortnight of successful. Then the Kandhas installed him as the month of Aswin, which is locally known as their king and the chief preist of Goddess Navami Jatra. On the beginning day of the Pattakhanda. There-after all their miseries festival the Sword, Gun, Tangi and Knife which vanished and they lively peacefully. were presented by the then Raja of Baudh are Goddess Baraladevi placed near the shrine and offered puja by the Dehury, the priest and a goat is being sacrificed. Goddess Baraldevi is the presiding deity On Navami the main Puja is celebrated. On this of village Balaskumpa, which is situated at a day people of the area are used to gather at distance of 15 kms from Phulbani, the Balaskumpa and offer their worship to the headquarters town of Kandhamal district. A Goddess. Instead of the main buffalo other temple has been built for the deity now. Before buffaloes of the persons mentally desired are tied construction of the temple there was a thatched in front of the temple on poles fixed there. The hut meant for the deity. The Deity is in the form of pole where the main buffalo is being tied is known three to four small stones buried in the ground as chhatkhamba. When a old chhatkhamba is and decorated with vermilion. In front of the temple destroyed a new one is inserted. To insert a new a pole is posted, where the sacrificed animal was post some rites are observed which has tied before sacrifice. Since 1999 animal sacrifice resemblance with Navakalevar of Lord has been stopped. Jagannath. 156 Orissa Review September - 2009 After sacrifice of the main buffalo Purunakatak in the name of Bhairabi. Then the arranged by the temple committee, other buffalos Raja entered his Kingdom and installed the deity are sacrificed.