Sital Sasti: 'annual meet' for eunuchs

When the Sital Sasti festival is underway in Sambalpur one cannot stay away from the glimpse of a large gathering of Hinjra (eunuchs) who throng to participate in the marriage ceremony of Lord Shiva and Parvati. With the beats of dhols and dulduli when eunuchs start dancing in colourful famine costumes, the atmosphere becomes rhythmic and attractive. But eunuchs do consider it as their annual meeting place and come to participate as there is no such occasion where they can meet in such a large number.

“I come to the festival not to enjoy the festival but it is a place where I meet my friends every year. It becomes out annual meeting place as we get an occasion to discuss our problem”, eunuch Bela told. “We are deprived section of the society but we are thankful to the Yatra committees who have created an occasion for us”, another eunuch Lolita told.
Sources said, traditionally eunuch led the Barat of Lord Shiva and there after in the street procession of newly married couple during Sital Sasti Yatra, being organized by the various Yatra Committees in Sambalpur. They do not need any invitation to attend the festival and they come by their own wish every year. The Yatra committee provides them food and shelter and pay nominal amount as pocket money. ‘We consider them as a symbol of the pious as people believe their presence in ritual function gives a positive result”, General Secretary of the Joint Coordination committee Anupam Mishra told. “However looking to their expenses and accommodation we have decided to limit their numbers from this year on ward”, Mr. Mishra added. More over, with the changing of the time, their traditional costumes of sarees have been replaced with modern jeans and tops. Using cosmetic and modern technique eunuchs keep them attractive. “Do not surprise to see eunuchs, dressed in jeans and tops. They have totally changed themselves with the changing of time”, senior member of the Nandapara Yatra committee Prafulla Hota told.
However the have not changed their thinking even after changing of costumes. They feel it a curse to have born as eunuch. So they pray lord Shiva to give salvation in the next birth. “Lord Shiva is our presiding deity because he is Ardhanariswar (half man and half woman). So we join in his marriage and dance madly because we believe he is the god who releases us from the bondage of eunuch birth”, eunuch Monica contented
it may be mentioned here that the marriage ceremony of Lord Shiva and Parvati will be solemnized on Thursday night and the street procession of Lord Shiva and Parvati will start on Friday and continue till Saturday afternoon. Elaborate arrangements have been made by the various Yatra Committees for the smooth organization of the Sital Sasti

Land scam::court order helps 'dead' tribal to get her land

She is all along alive, but land mafias have sold her land citing her dead and issueless. This has been done cunningly with the help of few revenue officials and the Tahasildar has even mutated the land in the favour of the purchaser with out verifying the fact. But thanks to the judgment of the Addl. Sub Collector of Sambalpur, the old tribal lady Gangi Munda finally gets back his land. Pronouncing the order in the mutation appeal case, the Addl. Sub Collector expressed concern on attitude of the revenue officials while dealing with cases related to transfer of the lands belong to tribal people.
“Innocent tribal people are falling pray in the hands of land mafias and slowly loosing their ancestral property. There is strict enactment of law to safeguard their interest but the legal principles are openly violated because of the corrupt practices of few revenue officials. Revenue official should apply his own mind while dealing with the transfer case of land belongs to the tribal people”, the Addl Sub Collector Mr. Ashok Purohit told on Friday.
Sources said, about 6.5 acres of land located in the village Gengutipali under Sadar Tahasil, outskirt of the Sambalpur town was purchased by one Jag Mohan Singh of Surguja (Chhatishgarh) in the year 2004. The land belongs to a tribal family having 7 members including the 60 years old Gangi Munda. But during transaction of the land, the purchaser cited her dead and issueless and with out her knowledge the land was transferred. The sale deed of the land shows that Nagua Oram, Kartika Oram, Rengtu Munda and Bhikari Munda have put their thumb impressions. The Sambalpur Tahasildar has even mutated the land in favour of Jag Mohan Singh by correcting the ROR. More over the market price of the land was Rs. 11,000/- per decimal but the transaction was made @ Rs. 1000/- per decimal.
“The matter came before me when one of the aggrieved parties filed an appeal. On verification I found that there are as many as 17 recorded tenants of the land. But surprisingly the land was purchased by one Jag Mohan Singh of Surguja (chhatishgarh) with the help of few recorded tenants citing others dead or issueless. Possibility of involvement of land mafias in the back ground can not be ruled out”, the Addl. Sub Collector Mr. Purohit told.
Sources said, tribal land can not be transferred to non-tribal people with out prior permission of the revenue officer. But with out obtaining permission Jag Mohan purchased the tribal land as he claimed to be a member of the tribal community of Chhatisgarh state. But during the course of hearing Gangi Munda appeared and claimed to have cheated and not aware of the transaction of the land. .
“She was described as dead and issueless in the sale deed but when I saw her I did not have any doubt on the malafide intension of the purchaser land. I have order to insert the name of the recorded owners in place of the purchaser Jag Mohan”, Mr. Purohit added.

euphoria begins in Sambalpur with Sital Sasti Jatra

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The euphoria begins in Sambalpur with the preparation of the longest moving festival Sital Sasti Jatra that begins from Sunday with “Patrapendi” or marriage negotiation of Nandapara Yatra committee. The Yatra that runs for about a week is expected to fetch lakhs of devotees and pilgrims to witness the holy festival. The festival will be concluded with a grand procession of the newly-married couple on 30th May. However the Yatra committee members expressed concern over the attitude of the state government for not declaring it a ‘state festival’ despite its age old tradition.
“The state government has not yet recognized the festival despite its age-old tradition. What to talk of a ‘tourist package’ when the festival does not place in the state calendar as holiday. Several time we put forth our demand before the government to give proper attention but every time our demand remains unheard. It becomes difficult for us to maintain the 400 years old tradition if the government does not patronize us”, Badal Dani, the president of the joint coordination committee of Sital Sasti Yatra told.
Sources said, The 400 year old festival revolves with the marriage ceremony of lord Shiva with goddess Parvati. The entire process of the marriage of the lord Shiva and Parvati is done as per the prevailing human tradition. Human beings become the parents of Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati and perform the marriage as like their own son and daughter. The Yatra is mainly organized in three temples of Jharuapara, Nandapara and Modipara. But over the past few years youths of several other places including Badbazar and Budharaja have taken initiatives to begin yatra in their respective places. “Yatra is mainly organized in Jharuapara, Nandapara and Modipara. So we have formed a Joint co-ordination committee to make the festival more attractive”, the senior member of the committee Prafulla Hota said.
Sources said, the festival was initially organized by the two sects of Brahmin community of Jharuapara and Nandapara. The Brahmin resides in Jharuapara is known as ‘Aranyak’ the Brahmin resides in Nandapara is known as “Utkaliya”. Though people of both communities are socially and culturally powerful still there was a socio-cultural difference among them because of their different origins. So there was a sense of ‘rivalry’ among their mind-set which was apparently reflected during the organization of the festival. The festival was organized by them every year uninterruptedly because of the competitive mentality between the two sects.
“Perhaps the competition between the two groups of Brahmin was the secret of the festival that has remained alive since a long time and being organized every year uninterruptedly”, eminent social activist Bhagawat Nanda told. However joining of Modipara in late 70s and formation of a joint coordination committee of the 3 Yatra committees, Sital Sasti Yatra got a new dimension, he added.
According to the Historians, the festival was initially being organized in the Somnath temple of Balibandha in a simple form. Later People of Jharuapara followed the tradition and performed the marriage ceremony of Loknath Baba. But few others believed that the festival was initiated by the people of Nandapara and to commemorate the festival the present Balunkeswar temple was constructed in 1776 with the active support and patronage of than King Narayan Singh. “Though we do not have any concert evident to prove the origin of the festival still from the old document and evidences we believe that the festival is more than 400 years old”, the senior member of the coordination committee Prafulla Hota reiterated.
Sources said, Sital Sasti is perhaps the only such kind in Hindu festival where a devotee gets an opportunity to become the parents of goddess Sakti and to perform her marriage with lord Shiva. The marriage is performed in prevailing local tradition and culture and the entire process of marriage is similar to the marriage of a human being. Lord Shiva goes in a barat with the local people to the house of the selected parents to marry goddess Parvati. People are eager to perform the role of the parents of goddess Parvati to give her panigrahan like their own daughter spending lakhs of rupees. Looking to the demand of the devotees the each Jatra committees have a long waiting list of aspiring parents. “We have prepared a list of aspirant parents and selected as per the list. It is believed that your berth is reserved in heaven if you become the bride’s parent even for a single occasion. So every one of Sambalpur wants to become the bride’s parents for one occasion during his entire life time”, the eminent president of the Jharuapara Yatra committee Saroj Dalpat said. This time the Pradeep Babu of Nandapara has been selected as the bride’s parent, Mohan Chand Tulasyan of Marwadipara is the bride’s parents of Jharuapara Yatra committee and Omprakash Agrawal of LNMishra lane is the bride’s parents of the Modipara Yatra committee. The marriage of Lord Shiva will be held on 28th followed by a grand street procession on the next night that will continue till 30th afternoon.

result Sambalpur Lok Sabha surprised everyone including the candidate

it was a miraculous win for congress in Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat. Though congress won the seat it was the candidate who could not believe it when he got the result. Though he visited Sambalpur for several times but in his wildest dream also he was never thought to become the MP of the prestigious Sambalpur parliamentary constituency, but after the delimitation of the constituency it became possible as his native Chhendipada assembly segment got included in the constituency. Meet the congress leader and winning candidate of Sambalpur Parliamentary constituency Amar Pradhan who was initially reluctant to contest the election.

“I was not at-all prepared to contest the parliamentary seat and I had conveyed my feeling to the party leader after they selected my name. I even switched off my cell phone to keep away my self from the party leadership after they forced me to contest. But I was unaware about the wish of the all mighty”, the congress MP of Sambalpur Mr. Amar Pradhan told while meeting the press for the first time as MP on Sunday.

“I was not sure about my win but it is the people of Sambalpur district who made it possible. I am thankful to all my voters. I visited Sambalpur for several times in the past as Youth congress president and later as a minister but I was never dreamt to become the MP of this prestigious seat”, Mr. Pradhan admitted.

Reacting to the query of the press-persons on the stand of the sharing of dam water to the industrial houses, Mr. Pradhan said that he would support the farmers of the district and will oppose the water-sharing policy of the government. :”if necessary I will agitate against the state government”, the newly elected MP Amar Pradhan told.
Sources said, Congress candidate Amar Pradhan won the election defeating his rival Rohit Pujari of BJD with a margin of about 14, 989 votes. When congress got 3, 06,718 votes, BJD finished with a little difference of 2, 91,721 votes and BJP’s Surendra lath remained in third position with a total votes of 1,51,568 votes. Out of the 7 assembly seats BJD won 4 seats congress won 2 and BJP remains happy with one. But congress was quite ahead in both Kuchinda and Rengali assembly seats in comparison to BJD that it became difficult for BJD.On the other hand the BJD candidate Rohit Pujari expressed his gratitude to the voters for extending overwhelms supports. Though he did not win the election still he is happy that his party has got a clear mandate in the state. “I am thankful to my voters for such a huge support.I will continue to serve the people of my constituency” Mr. Rohit Pujari told.

Jayanarayan got 'hat trick' fighting the battle alone

It is a hat-trick win for the Sambalpur legislature Jay Narayan Mishra who made a record in the Sambalpur history winning the election for third time consecutively. Defeating his rival of congress Sureswar Mishra, he won the battle with a margin of over 6,997votes. Known to be arch-rival of the party state president Suresh Pujari, Mr. Mishra had even filed his nomination papers this time with out waiting for party declaration and party was forced to nominate him as party candidate. While Jay Narayan managed a simple win in Sambalpur, Suresh Pujari lost the battle to congress’s Anup Sai in Brajarajnagar.
Sources said, in the Sambalpur assembly seat no one has earlier won the seat for third times and it is Jay Nayayan Mishra who made it despite of all odds. Earlier late Bodhram Debey, Shradhakar Supakar, Banmali Babu, Sriballav Panigrahi, Durga Sankar Patnaik have won the seat for two times consecutively. Shradhakar Supakar has won the third time when he was again elected in 1885 assembly election. But Jay Narayan has won the election consecutively for 3 times. “It is a win of the people. I am always with the people so despite of the opposition from my own party people have voted me”, Jay Narayan told.
Jay Narayan got a total 34086 votes when his congress rival Sureswar Mishra got 27089 votes.
While the Mishra’s camp celebrating the victory, silence shrouds in the Pujari camp in Sambalpur. Though Mishra did not expressed happiness over the defeat of the party President Suresh Pujari still the gigantic celebration in the Mishra’s camp despite the party’s debacle condition in the state is indicating his mind. “We are sorry for him but he got the price for his nasty game in Smbalpur”, a close associate of Mishra told.
On the other hand it is also a hat-trick defeat for the BJP chief Suresh Pujari who lost the election battle third time consecutively in Brajarajnagar. While Pujari got a total 38862, Anup Sai of congress got a victory with 50,858 votes. Anup Sai and Suresh Pujari contested the election for the third time and Anup remains the winner every time. “I accepted the mandate of the people in Brajarajnagar and as well as in the state. We will analyze the party strategy as I personally feel we did a mistake to let the people understand the stand of the party”, Mr. Suresh Pujari told.

Prasanna wins over sanatan's wrong calculation

It was a last moment decision that helps former BJD MP Prasanna Acharya to remain in power as a legislature. He was selected as the party candidate for Bhatli constituency of Bargah district after he expressed his unwillingness to contest the Lok Sabha election due to delimitation of the constituency. But he decided to contest from Rairakhol assembly after the sitting legislature and state health minister Sanatan Bishi decided to switch over to Rengali seat at the last moment and accordingly he snatched the party ticket from a lady candidate who was selected for the assembly seat. While Prasanna won the battle Sanatan Bishi remains unsuccessful.
“It is a win of the people of Rairakhol and win of the Naveen Patnaik’s clean image. I expressed my gratitude to my voters to elect me. I am happy that people have chosen me to serve them for nest 5 years”, Prasanna Acharya told soon after the declaration of the result.
Sources said, Rairakhol assembly constituency becomes general after the delimitation of the constituency. it was earlier reserved for the scheduled caste candidates. The state health minister Sanatan Bishi who won the seat twice consecutively feared to contest with the general candidates this time. So he switched over to newly created Rengali constituency considering it safe and healthy due to its reserved category. But Sanatan Bishi’s entry to the constituency had fueled the party aspirants who opposed Bishi candidature. “It was a wrong decision and Bishi has got the price for taking a wrong decision. He would have won had he been contested from Rairakhol”, a senior party colleague told.
But Sanatan Bishi does not repent for his decision of changing the constituency. “It was after al party decision. I have sincerely carried out the decision”, Mr. Bishi told accepting his defeat.
Sources said, Sanatan Bishi was opposed the day he decided to contest from Rengali constituency. “The party aspirant MB Prariraj contested as independent. His aim was to defeat the party candidate and he became successful”, a BJD worker of Rengali told. The congress candidate Durjyodhan Gardia won the seat with 32,654 votes defeating his nearest rival MB Prariraj over a margin of 13 thousands votes. Bishi remained in the third position with 15, 693 votes.
On the other hand Prasanna Acharya got 37,710 votes defeating his congress rival Asaf Alli Khan with a margin of nearly 10 thousand votes.

court's verdict has exposed illegal land dealing of Bhusan

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Sambalpur revenue court of addl.sub-collector has directed the Rengali Tahasildar to re-enter the name of the original land owner in the land record in place of Bhusan steel and Power Company that has mutated the land after being purchased from the land owner. The court has pronounced the order on Thursday on an appeal matter filed by the land owner against the Bhusan Company. The court has convinced that the company has transferred the land in it fevour fraudulently. Court has asked the Tahasildar to execute the order with in 15 days.
“The Bhusan steel and power company has purchased the 39.25 acres of land situated under Khadiapali under Rengali Tahasil fraudulently with out paying the money to the land owners namely Sidheswari Pal and Dibya Kishore Pal. The company had also mutated the land in its fevour. But when the owners of land filed an appeal case I the issue came before me. After examination of the records and documents I found a foul play in the entire proceeding .I have directed the concern Tahasildar to reenter the name original land owners in place of the company” , the addl. Sub-collector Mr. Ashok Purohit told.
Sources said, the Bhusan Steel and power company has purchased about 39.25 acres of land located in the village Khadiapali under Rengali Tahasil and got mutated on 20th may 2008 in its fevour. The documents of the company showed a payment of Rs.98 lakhs which is much less than the market price. On the other hand the land owners Sidheswari Pal and Dibya Kishore Pal had filed an appeal in the court of the addl. Sub Collector denying any payment from the company. They claimed that the company had cheated them by transferring the land fraudulently.
“We have no knowledge about the transfer of the land. We have appealed before the addl. Sub collector to cancel the mutation of the land in fevour of the company as the transfer was totally illegal”, land owner Sidheswari told.
It may be informed that the industrial houses have purchased lands from local people directly violating the norms of state R& R policy. As per the law the company has to acquire the land through government agency with proper rehabilitation to the land losers. But the thousands of people have been deprived from getting the proper rehabilitation and employment as the companies have transferred the lands fraudulently. Some government officials are also hand in globes in the matter. “The case of Sidheswari has proved how she was cheated by the industrial houses. Here you can not only hold responsible to the industrial houses as this can not be possible with out the support of the government officials”, Sambalpur lawyer Vedavyas Supakar told.

Jyoti Vihar invites private org. to open high school

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Hanging up the UGC proposal of setting a central school for more than a year, the Sambalpur University has now invited a private educational organization to start an English medium high school inside the university campus. This has created sharp reaction among the locals and university staff as it would be difficult for them to effort the costly education of the private organization.
“The syndicate had approved the proposal of UGC to set up a central school in the university campus during March 2008. To take up the matter seriously a committee was also formed. But unfortunately the proposal was not materialized. So now we have moved to invite Xavier to set up a high school”, the registrar of the Sambalpur University Dr. SS Rath told. However he could not give any reason why the proposal was not materialized. “I can not say as I was not posted by that time. My predecessor would answer this”, Dr. Rath told.
Sources said, UGC had sent proposal to set up two central schools in Sambalpur and Berhampur university campus during 2008. Berhampur University authority taking immediate step began the school from 2008-09 academic years. But Sambalpur University did not take proper step immediately. The proposal was placed before the syndicate in April and as per the decision a committee was set up comprising Prof AK Panda, Prof DK Behera and Prof Sukdev Nayak to fellow up the matter. The committee was finally prepared a detailed report on the proposal that was sent only in the month of June. ‘Though a positive report was sent to the UGC to set up the central school in the campus but no body took the issue seriously to pursue the matter with the UGC ’, a senior office staff of the university told.
On the other hand the University claimed to have talked with the educationists and eminent persons of the locality before taking such a decision. “We have talked with corporate houses and eminent personalities before taking such a decision to invite the Xavier organization”, the registrar Dr. Rath told.
On the other hand the university has decided to lease out 10 acres of land inside the campus to the private organization to construct school building. “But how the university would lease out the land to a private organization when the university has got the land from the government on lease basis. This is illegal”, opined a legal expert.

bloody superstition: man beheads his 10 yrs old grand child

The killer-grand father was crazy to sprinkle the human blood in his field to increase his yield. So he collected blood by hacking his innocent grand daughter. He would sow the blood stained-seeds on Monday (akhi tritiya) to appease the god of land as he was believed his production would increase once he pleased the ‘god of land’ with human blood. The accused had confessed before the Jamenkira police during interrogation on Monday.
“It was a strange but he confessed that he killed his grand daughter as he was in need of human blood to appease the land of god. So he hacked her and collected blood. But he does not regret what he did as it was part of his rituals to please the god”, the additional Superintendent of police (Sambalpur) Mr. Labakant Rana told.
Mr. Rana has been to the spot on Monday afternoon to take a stock of the incident and to review the progress of the investigation. Police have registered a case u/s 302 IPC and handed over the body of the deceased to the family after completion of autopsy on Monday evening. “It was a gloomy day in our village as no body was believed such a happening in our village”, a villager of the Adhpather told. The body of the girl was cremated on Monday night.
According to the sources the accused was having a grocery shop in the village and he was quite familiar to every one. “We never thought such a sick-mind was living inside him. It could happen to any of our children as they were often going to his shop”, he added.

It may be mentioned here that on Sunday a 55 years old man Rajesh Hembrum of Adhpather under Jamenkira police of the district had beheaded his grand daughter Bernika Kandulana (10) with an axe and collected the blood in a steel bowl. He than packed the beheaded body in a bag and tried to mix the blood with the seeds kept in a bag. But his wife shouted after coming back to the house. The nearby villagers assembled there hearing her scram and nabbed the accused. The police rushed to the spot and arrested the accused.
Irony of the fact is that the accused family had adopted Christianity and regularly going to church for prayer. Even on the day of the incident the victim girl had been to Church with her uncle. She was reading in class 4th and going to church regularly. She was residing with her grand parents. Victim was the daughter of Silbina, the daughter of the accused. Silbina got remarried after the death of her husband 4 years back.
“In tribal community such things are not new. They have their own faith and beliefs and they continue to perform their traditional rituals even after the conversion”, a church father told.
However the incident has created a shiver among the villagers who demanded immediate punishment to the accused for his barbaric act. “He should be hanged immediately for his heinous act” a villager told.
On the other hand the police have no other choice than to book him under 302 section of Indian penal code. “Since there is no special provision in the IPC for such cases, he will be trailed like a killer”, The Addl. SP Mr. Rana added.