ROURKELA: The fortnight-long annual worship of the Kanteswari Devi, the presiding deity of the primitive Paudi Bhuiyan tribe atop the Khandadhar hill range, has started.Since time immemorial, Kanteswari Devi has caught the attention of the rural folks, both tribal and non-tribal, who repose faith in Her. It is learnt, a tiny metal object measuring a few inches is treated as the deity. Once a year it is brought out of its cave abode on the steep Sanjolo hill, close to the Khandadhar waterfall, about 85 km from Rourkela, in Lahunipara block.On Wednesday last, thousands of devotees from far-flung areas reached the foothills along with 60 priests of Paudi Bhuiyan tribe and climbed up the cave site. As part of the rituals, the deity was brought down and worshipped with country liquor and animal sacrifice.As per tradition, a team of Paudi Bhuiyan led by Laxman Dehuri has been carrying the deity barefoot to different villages across a 30-km radius. At every halt, hundreds of devotees sacrifice goats and offer country liquor to the deity. Till Sunday, a dozen villages including Jaribahal, Bandhberna, Puigaon and Jakeikela were covered.Villagers said the deity would reach Kantajodi in Bonai block on Wednesday and then royal priest of the erstwhile princely state Bonaigarh would perform the rituals. This year, the Bonaigarh king Birkihore Indra Deodev has appealed to the devotees not to sacrifice animals.Sources said the deity would return on the same route to Her abode on October 11 during the Kumar Purnima.
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