rape victim ostracized from the society for giving police complaint

 No matter how much we have developed our nation we are still ruled by superstition and our society has not come out from the social stigma. We may dream a casteless and classless society but in practice innocents people are being victimized by the so called male-chauvinism. The incident that took place in Sambalpur’s Kuchinda sub-division is an eye opener for every one. The girl who was a victim of rape was finally ostracized from the society. Her fault was that she made a police complaint against the culprit. The villagers became annoyed when police came to the village and booked the culprits.  

The culprit Dilip Palai (28) hails from an influential family of the village and his arrest made every one annoyed. Finally the girl was driven out from the village following the constant threatening of the villagers to outcaste the family for keeping the girl in the village.   

“The threatening of outcast from the society made my parents frightened who finally asked me to leave the house for the betterment of the other family members”, the 21 years old victim revealed while described her plight to the correspondent. She was sent to a short stay home at Sambalpur where she got a temporary shelter.  

Sources said, the victim belongs to Khadiapali village under Sambalpur’s Kuchinda police station limits was raped by the accused on the day of Holi festival (19th March 2011) when she had gone to attend a call of nature to the village field. Accused had also threatened her to do away with her life if she disclosed it before any one. “Not withstanding with his threatening, I narrated every thing before my parent and on their suggestion I made a police complaint against him”, she said.    

Police arrested the accused basing on her complaint. But the villagers were not happy with the police case; they wanted to solve the case inside the village. The caste-society warned the victim to ostracize her family from the village for not taking confidence of the society and involving police in the case directly. Because of the regular threatening from the caste-society leaders, her parents finally asked her to leave the village.

She took a bold decision and left the house on Thursday (16th June) to end the chapter. “On Thursday I came to Sambalpur with the help of a social worker and met the collector who suggested me to take shelter in the short stay home”, the victim girl said. She disclosed that she would continue her fight against the leaders of the caste-society till she gets justice.  

Warm reception to the First OPL cup winner in Sambalpur

first OPL cup

The players and officials of the first OPL champion, western Samurai were given warm reception in Sambalpur after their return to the town. They first went to the temple of Maa Samaleswari to get her blessing. “We became successful because of the mercy of Maa Samaleswari, so we came to the temple”, the franchise owner of the team Sudhansu Jena said.

The first match that was played against Puri was crucial for us and after wining the match at the home ground VSS Stadium, Sambalpur our players became so motivated that they played well in every matches and finally we won the title” caption of the Western Samurai Rourkela team Natraj Behera said. 

The district Athletic Association of Sambalpur organized a programme in the afternoon at VSS stadium to felicitate the players and coach of the team for their achievement. “They made us proud. They started the match here and now they returned their home ground to share their happiness”, DAA vice-president Sabbir Hussein said.

players at  Samaleswari temple

Later in the evening while talking to the press, franchise owner Jena disclosed that the team has decided to make VSS stadium to be their permanent home ground to continue the coaches to their players for further matches. He also informed to release an audio album of the team brand ambassador Jitendra Haripal to revive his past glory. Haripal, a famous singer of Sambalpuri songs of the 90s discontinued his singing because of his personal problem.

While answering a question, Jena informed that Western Samurai will continue promoting cricket talents of the region by providing various training and coaching. “The winning of the first OPL was a challenge for every one of us and we did it. So now we do not have anything in my mind for any shortfall taken place during the progress of OPL matches”, Jena said. He appreciated the efforts of caption Natraj Behera, chief coach Abakash Khatua and batting coach Ashok Singh which makes the team winner.      

players of Samurai with cup

It may be informed that Western Samurai Rourkela was the only team from western Orissa that played in the OPL league T20 conducted under Orissa Cricket association. There were total 10 teams with as many as 140 players selected for the tournament played in 5 various grounds which include Bhubneswar, Cuttack, Paradeep, Sambalpur and Angul.  There were as many as 44 matches played in difference places in flood lights. The tournament started on 22^nd May and concluded on 12^th June. In the final played at Barabati stadium of Cuttack, Western Samurai became the winner of the first OPL -cup beating the Cuttack tigers with just 4 runs. Western Samurai managed to score only 112/5 in stipulated 2o over, but Cuttack Tigers could score only 108 in stipulated 20 over after losing 5 wickets. 

Anti-pollution measure has become mendatory for industries: Forest minister

Minister DP Mishra 

State government has warned the industrial houses to face the music in case they do not take immediate step to install anti-pollution measure to check the air pollution.  This was disclosed by the minister of forest and environment Debi Prasad Mishra on Friday during his one day visit to Sambalpur where he inaugurated a seminar  organized by Orissa Kendupatra karmachari Sangha.  While talking to the press and media persons, he informed that he has received allegation against some of the industrial houses that do not run ESP system during night hours in order to save power.

“Action will be initiated against such industrial houses if they continue such practice further. Direction has been given to all industrial houses to install high-power ESP (Electro-static Precipitators) system in their respective houses to check the air pollution. They have to run it round the clock with out any break”, Debi Prasad Mishra said.

Mishra expressed displeasure on the plantation programme under taken by the industrial houses. “Though it is mandatory for each industrial house to plant trees 10 times of what they had destroyed during setting of the plant to keep a balance in the eco-system, but many industries do not take this seriously”. Mishra said addition ‘stringent action will be taken in case they deviate from this order”.

seminar 

Replying a question, Mishra informed that decision has been taken to indentify places inside the jungle to develop water-body for the use of wild animal. "we hope this will refrain  wild animal especially wide elephant from invading civilian areas", Minister Mishra said.  He also informed about the programme of road side plantation, development of eco-tourism and improvement of village forest. 

Later he went to Nari Seva Sadan to inaugurate the seminar on the future of Kendu leaf trade and workers which was organized by the Orissa Kedupatra Karmachari Sangha. Earlier in the morning, he participated in a review meeting where officials of the various forest divisions were participated.                    

Dowry, a mark of honour in the divine wedding

barat 

The practice of giving gifts and presentations to their daughter by the parents during marriage has earned a bad name of ‘dowry’ down the ages. But the divine wedding of god Shiva with Parvati brings back the affection gesture to the fore front which becomes a tradition in the sital Sasthi festival that concluded on Wednesday in Sambalpur district town of Orissa. Though giving or taking dowry during the time of marriage has become a criminal offence under dowry prohibition act, the couple  posing the parent of Maa Parvati do not hesitate to display the  range of household items and jewelry that they bestow as ‘divine dowry’ at the time of  kanya Bidayi soon after the wedding is over.  They think it’s an honour to the divine spirits.  

balibanda

“We do not consider it as dowry. This is love and affection of the parents who hold the divine marriage. They provide as per their ability and capacity. No one forces them for any special items”, senior member of Nandapara Yatra committee Prafulla kumar Hota said.

 Sources said, the 300-year old ‘Sital Sasthi festival’ is being organized in Sambalpur by the various Yatra committees. While Jharuapara, Nandapara, Balibandha are considered oldest, Modipara, Badbazar, Thakurpara and few others Yatra committees have also made their presence in the festival. A couple has been selected by each committee to hold the marriage posing the parent of Maa Parvati.

modipara

As per the prevailing tradition, lord Shiva is being taken to the bride’s house where the selected kanyapita makes all arrangement to welcome the Barat and treats them with nuptial feast. People consider it pious opportunity to host the marriage and there are people who wait for years to get this opportunity. “Though I spent a huge amount for the divine marriage, I feel honour for getting this opportunity as I was trying it over the past few years”, Byamokesh Panda, the kanyapita of Balibandha Yatra committee said.  

 Every one, on the other hand, believes that unless the wishes of god one can not become a divine’ parents.  “I am trying to get this over the past 8 years. It was my mother who wanted me to do it, but this time god gives me this opportunity”, the bride’s father of Jharuapara Yatra committee Motilal Dash said.  

Sital Sasthi: Divine wedding laces in the human practices

Balibandha

When all human beings are the creation of God, only few are fortunate enough to get the opportunity to become the parents of the divine spirits to hold the divine wedding. But the 300 odds years traditional annual fest that depicts the marriage ceremony of lord Shiva and Parvati provides opportunity to every one to take part in the ceremony which has been performed with all intricacies of human rituals.

 The fest that is commonly known as 'Sital Sasthi' which has begun in Sambalpur from Saturday with the celebration of Patrapendi (negotiation), The festival will continue till 8th June after the return of newly wedded divine couple to their respective temples. Elaborate arrangement has been made by the respective Yatra committees to hold the marriage ceremony of the god and goddess in various places in Sambalpur on Monday night. The town procession will begin on Tuesday and it will continue till Wednesday afternoon.

Nandapara

Sources said the main attraction of the festival is the marriage ceremony of the lord Shiva with Parvati which commence as per the human rituals. A couple is selected to perform the marriage who would adopt Maa parvati as daughter. All retuals like going barat to bride’s house, panigrahan and kanya bidaya are being performed at the bride’s house in the similar way happens in human marriages.

 “The festival is though based on the marriage of lord Shiva and Parvati, it is done as per the rituals going on in the human society. When human couple becomes the divine’s father and mother to perform the divine's marriage, god becomes the family members of a human being”, Senior member of Yatra coordination committee Amulya Mishra said.

Modipara

In patrapendi members of the Yatra committee go to the house of the respective bride house to negotiate the marriage of Lord Shiva with their daughter Parvati. During the time, they also finalize the date and time of the marriage. Latter on the day of marriage they come in a barat to the bride’s house to solemnize the marriage.  

Jharuapara Kanya pita /mata

Sources said, Sital Sasthi is a week long festival that begins from 2nd day and concludes on the 8th day of Jyesta (June-July) every year. Though there is no exact evidence to describe when the festival was first taken place in Sambalpur but as per the available document and evidence it is presumed that the festival is about 300 years old. “The present temple of Bom Barad Balunkeswar (lord Shiva) located at Nandapara was constructed in the year 1780-81. But prior to the construction of the temple Sital Sasthi was celebrated in the place. So we presumed that the festival is 300 years old in Sambalpur” senior member of Nandapara Yatra committee Prafulla Hota said.   According to him Sital Sasthi is mainly observed in Jharuapara, Nandapara, Modipara and Badbazar be the respective Yatra committees However Sital Sasthi is also performed in Balibandha, Thakurpara, and Budharaja area of Sambalpur town

Nandapara Kanyapita mata

While Motilal Dash has been selected as the Kanyapita of Jharuapara Yatra committee and Bhupendra Kumar Dash has been for Modipara committee,   Surendra Mohanty has been for Badbazar Yatra committee. Byomkesh Panda has been selected for Balibandha Yatra committee and JayaNarayan Sarangi has been selected as the Kanyapita for Nandapara Yatra committee.