Puri: A village in Puri district, which observed Chaitra Jhamu Jatra with much gaity, saw a new devotee, BJP leader Sambit Patra, taking part in the festival among others who walked on the hot coals as a part of Jhamu Jatra rituals.
Among other devotees, the BJP national spokesperson walked around 10 metres on burning coal at the ongoing Jhamu Jatra at Rebati Raman village in Puri district.
Patra informed through a tweet , “Today, I participated in the pilgrimage of Rebati Raman village of Samang panchayat in Puri district, worshipped my mother by walking on fire and took her blessings and wished the villagers happiness and prosperity.”
“In this pilgrimage, I am feeling blessed by walking on the fire and receiving the blessings of the Mother (Goddess Dulan),” Patra said, adding a reflection of this tradition is in the Jak and Jhamu Yatra.
शक्ति पूजा हमारी सनातन संस्कृति एवं परंपरा का अहम हिस्सा है, पुरी जिले के समंग पंचायत के रेबती रमण गांव में आयोजित यह दण्ड और झामू यात्रा इसी प्राचीन परंपरा का प्रतीक है।
इस तीर्थयात्रा में अग्नि पर चलकर मां की पूजा-अर्चना एवं आशीर्वाद प्राप्त कर, खुद को धन्य अनुभव कर रहा हूँ।… pic.twitter.com/oTciqW61Gj
— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) April 11, 2023
Patra also attached video footage showing him walking on the fire bed surrounded by villagers who chanted “Hail Maa Dulan” and beat cymbals.
Patra had contested from Puri Lok Sabha constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls but he lost to Pinaki Mishra of BJD by a margin of 10,000 votes.
According to tradition, Jhamu Jatra is a penance and devotees inflict pain on themselves by walking on fire or piercing nails their bodies to appease the Mother Goddess Dulan for the fulfilment of desires.