Bathudi Tribe Worship Palace Athara Deula, Badam Sala and Thakurani Sala

Bathudi Tribe Worship Palace  Athara Deula, Badam Sala, and Thakurani Sala.

As per the 2011 census, India is home to 104 million people belonging to the indigenous tribe, which makes 8.6% of its total population. These indigenous tribes draw a picture closer to obscure and indifference for India. They have their own identity as Adivasihaving their own language, religion, festivals cuisine, and music. One such tribe is Bathuditribe, mainly found in parts of Mayurbhanj, Kendujhar and Balasore district of State Odisha. The ancestors of Bathudi emigrated from Bakua in Similipal hills, following the course of Godavari River.

Bathudis were traditionally khyastriya. However, today they primarily depend upon rain-fed agriculture and collection of NTFPs. Their practices and methodologies of doing agriculture are very traditional. The agricultural equipment used is also indigenous. They live in plains amongst different castes and tribes. The land holding is also small and hence doesn’t help them in adapting to new, modern and large machinery. Hence, the possessed land resulting insufficient for meeting basic needs. Hunting and fishing are also no longer practiced for income; Leaving them to the seasonal NTFP collection from forests as the temporary source of income. Educational qualification of this tribal population is also very low leading to huge migration mainly in the youth population.

They worship nature god like tree and stone at village scared worship place under the trees like badam sala, thakurani sala. Etc. Dehuri is the main person who worships God and goddess in different Odiya month calendar of the year.  The sala is not developed like no boundary wall and covered with the small hut at thakurani sala. They mainly worship the sacred palace. the main objective is the construction boundary wall of sala and small hut-like structure temple decided by Dehuri of each bathudi village. Badam is the main god of the bathudi tribe and different goddess in the different bathudi village. Puja or festival celebrated in the different month of the odiya calendar at bathudi village level the worship performed by Dehuri.

“ Cahaitare Adyapuja huei Athara deule,

Huei dali puja (amba nuakhia)

Grame grame Shri Badam sale  |

Deina naba pallaba, pushparae thakure

Changunurtya karithaye anada manare |

Baishakya Tritya puja, Ashadhe Ashali

Bhadrabare (dhana) nuakhia

Kartike Chalehuli |

Posharae Janthala (katala puja)

Maghapodi huei magahare

Nisthapara puja huei grama  debate pithare  |

Dasa barasare ‘Dasandha’ puja huei

Nabakalebara bidhi ‘Baseli”nka pain | ”

Pic: Manaba Deula(Temple)

Athara Deulas :

The Athara Deula Temples consists of 18 temples inside and around the similipal. Manab Deula is the core area of  Bakua range of similipal national park, Mayurbhanj. The Atharadeula puja started Chaitra months 10 days worship program as planned by Dehuri King Sj. Brundaban Mohapatra Maharaj ji of Sanamamulia Ashram, Khunta. The puja started both baripada and jashipur site of the similipal national park.

Badam Sala of  Village:-

Picture : Badam Sala of Kuliposi Village, Karanjia Block, Mayurbhanj

The Badam Sala is center or starting point of each bathudi village, worship by Gaaon Dehuri every saturday and changu nacha also conducted evening at village pandal ( gaan danda). Every chaitra month of odiya calendar Changu nacha is performed village youth and other village youth team participated occasion. 

Picture : Changu Nacha Paribesana at Goranjodi Village, Saharpada Block, Keonjhor

Thakurani Sala:

Picture taken Tando Village Thakurani Sala, Patna Block , Keonjhor