Special Puja and Festival

Apart from this prime Hingula Yatra other traditional ceremonies are also being observed near Digibandha tank excavated by Nalavanshi kings in the sacred altar of Devi Karadei. A traditional festival is observed in the month of Baisakh as per astrological calculations. There is specific prohibition on construction of a permanent temple for the goddess Karadei. She is being worshipped under the open sky for centuries past. Apart from these two occasions of Tantrik Pujas there are three other Satvik Pujas which are performed on the full moon days of Baisakh, Kartika and Magha. Such Tantrik pujas are called Athuari as it covers eight full moon days. 

 

The Dassahara puja is another very important festival. The goddess Hingula’s Alam is taken on a large procession for her permanent abode to the Dassahara ground where a podium for worship exists. Subsequently, the Alam is taken to Kuteisuni Pitha for further worship. 

 

Similarly, in the month of Bhadrab after harvest of new crops the same is offered to deities as Nuakhai. At Talcher Hingula pitha on this occasion the freshly harvested paddy rice with gur, ghee, milk, honey and turmeric are mixed thoroughly and offered to the deity in called Nakhi. The sacred Nakhi is prepared in unwashed new earthen pots. This is a depiction of tribal culture. The first harvested paddy rice is supplied from the royal granary .The royal queen hammers seven strokes with Dhinki and extracts rice for this purpose. 

 

On the day of Falguna Sukla Chaturdasi the ceremonial Durga Madhab Bheta of the deity is observed with worship of flaming fire called Agni Utsav. The Dologovinda idols from Soloda village are taken in a grand procession to the Agni Utsav field where the Hingula Alam is also being brought. In their combined presence the worship of flaming fire, Agni Utsav is being celebrated. It is followed by a holy jagyan after which the deities return to their respective abodes. 

 

Another great festive occasion arises in the month of Kartik from Bada Ekadasi During those five days five Maha Yajnas like Gita, Rudra, Graha, Chandi and Purnahuti are celebrated respectively. It is performed by expert yagnic Brahmin Pandits. 

 

The Patabari festival of the goddess Hingula is another analogous festival to that of Navakalevara of Lord Jagannath of Puri. On the death of a king when the successor king ascends the throne this occasion of holding a Patabari Utsav arises. Unless and until this festival is solemnized the new royal couple do not get their spiritual recognition. The prevailing pillar, stone, saree, canopy all are immersed in the Bada Digi Bandha in the midnight. The Sutar and Badhei construct new wooden pillar for the goddess Hingula and other deities as per tradition. In order to locate the sal wood required for the construction of pillar, the priests, devotees and the carpenters had to perform strict penance. They eat only once during daytime which is the holy prasad. They locate the particular sal tree which is devoid of nests of birds, do not support auxiliary sucking tree growth, is not hollow and falls eastwards after cutting. The cut off bark and branches, leaves are dug and disposed of covered with soil. The principal log is used for construction of Hingula Pillar. Sutar carries the log to the abode in the night and constructs the pillar within the same night. Dehury brings Salagram stones from river Brahmani near Nadhera Ramachandi which also forms a part of the Brahma aropara Karma rituals. On the next morning all the four pillars are constructed and each pillar is pierced with a golden niddle which is the soul of the goddess Hingula in symbolic form which is synonymous to that of the great “Darubrahma” of Lord Jagannath. The Dehury Kandha priest affixes the golden fiddle in te idol of the goddess Khambesvari, This is called Aropana. Two pillars are fixed in Chandi Altar,one fixed near Kuteisuni Altar and the last Pillar is dug and fixed near Bali Altar. Then all the goddess is dressed with new Patta Sarees. The king wears new dresses and ascends throne for the first time in his formal Rajyaviseka. 

 

 

The Bije Pratima of Hingula, the Alam is made up of Silver. One kilogram of silver is required for both the alams. Talcher king donates silver. The golden crown of Maa Hingula is also donated by the king. The royal Patta Saree is wrapped to a new green bamboo stick which forms the alam. After Patabari celebrations king wears new turban and the queen wears new golden crown. 

 

 

Dehury priest dresses himself like a woman, as because after the death of king Nala, the wife of Dhury had adorned the crown to the king and queen of Talcher. The priest wears bangles, saree and put the turban and golden crown on the head of the king and queen respectively. From that day onwards formal royal status is accorded to the king and queen. This utsav is known as Patabari Parba or Patuari Parba . On some specific occasions in the palace Maa Hingula Alam gracefully comes to bliss the king. The Alam is accompanied by Chhatis Patak Nijog. 

The drummers of Maa Hingula consisting of 14 families lead the procession. After completion of the ceremony the Hingula’s I Alam returns to her abode. At the time of calamities and catastrophies Hingula’s Agyanmala called I , Jhanda consisting of a piece of flag, a piece of saree and one garland is sent to the spot as representative for a sacred divine bliss.

 

 

The Goddess of flaming fires Maa Hingula occupies a significant place in the religious arena of the common people. On all auspicious occasions and in all cases of disasters people take Spiritual asylum before Maa Hingula for their well being, safety and prosperity. What ever Bhog is offered to her, all are raw and uncooked, the only exception being the cooked Nakhi (Khiri) on the eve of Hingula Jatra. 

 

 

Talcher area is full of several primitive Saivite shrines. Among them some are Astasambhu of Talcher Paschimesvar of Talcher, Balunkesvar of Solada, Kanakesvar of Karnapur, Kusalesvar of Dharmapur, Singhesvar of Talapada, Baral Balunkesvar of Balangi, Ramesvar of Dian Nala and Kanakesvar of Gundurinali, As in ancient times solada was the capital of Gopal Prasad Gada its presiding deity Balunkesvar Mahadev is directly associated with Goddess Hingula. At Hingula shrine, the Goddess herself is the presiding deity and Lord Jagannath is Parswa Devata, just the reverse of Nilanchal Puri where Lord Jagannath is the presidity deity and Goddess Bimala is Parsva Devati. 

 

 

Since historic periods the Hingula culture of Talcher has under gone a series of metamorphosis. Still it maintains a perfect originality of its own clearly distinguishable from other contemporary deities. The aboriginal tribal Kandha Dehury culture intermixed with Aryan cultures in a symboIic:, manner has evolved a refined concept of Saktism. The involvement of Chhatis patak Nijogs representing all sections and professions of th common man’s society and the apex centre powers of the erstwhile kings mouds a thought of universal common hood concepts which tested by time since centuries past.